Does DIRECTV STREAM have hidden fees?

Are There Any Hidden Costs for DIRECTV STREAM?

With a live TV streaming service such as DIRECTV STREAM, one of the biggest concerns some potential subscribers may have is that there are many additional costs which make the price much higher than what is advertised. Streaming services have been in the bad light for shock fees, convoluted payments, and tricky promotions that sound like a scam. But it is understandable for consumers to ask – does DIRECTV STREAM have any hidden fees to be wary of?

This is what all the small print mean

First and foremost, one should never assume anything and always come to terms with the various streaming TV services with a clear understanding of what the given price tag entails and what is excluded. DIRECTV STREAM states on its website that these package prices do not include taxes, regional sports network fees for some markets, and some local channel fees in some areas. They pointed out that these are often referred to as ‘RSN fees’ or ‘broadcast TV fees’ on the bill.

The site also notes that there are no long-term contracts or penalties for early cancellation of service. You also have a degree of freedom with penalty free cancellations in case that any additional charges are too steep for you.

Taxes and Surcharges

One of the most frequently hidden fees associated with any TV provider are taxes and surcharges that are levied by federal, state, and local authorities. These depend with your location but in general they are extra charges that range from 10% - 30% of the cost of the baseline package. It is an essential fact that taxes, including state and local sales tax, are charged by DIRECTV STREAM; therefore, ensure that you factor in these additional costs on top of the base package price.

Regional Sports Network Fees

Among the most disliked additional charges that come with many TV services, the Regional Sports Network or RSN fee is quite famous among fans. This includes the increasing fees that broadcasters are charging providers for carrying local sports such as regional Fox Sports and NBC Sports. DIRECTV STREAM has stated that it collects an RSN fee in ‘select markets’ but has not elaborated as to where these markets may be or how much it could cost. From the complaints, it seems that the RSN fee can cost an additional $5-$10 monthly depending on the region.

Local Channel Fees

In a few selected markets primarily rural markets, DIRECTV STREAM requires its customers to pay a monthly fee for local broadcast stations such as ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox. This type of broadcast TV fee assists in recovering the higher license cost for local channels for a limited number of viewers in the low density markets. DIRECTV STREAM also does not state where these local channel fees apply or how much they could be. However, the users have claimed less and even $15 – $25 in some circumstances.

There are no DVR or simultaneous stream upcharges.

In contrast to some rivals, DIRECTV STREAM does not additionally cost for DVR services or for content streaming at the same time. After choosing the package, extras such as the ability to record as many programs as you want without limit and the ability to stream your favorite shows on up to 20 devices at home come with the package for free. Similarly, DIRECTV STREAM does not impose maximum restrictions on the number of streams that can be used at the same time when they are outside the home. That is why such extras like these will not increase your bill in the future.

No Early Termination Fees

As highlighted above, DIRECTV STREAM does not impose early termination fees in case the consumer decides to cancel the service – a measure that benefits the consumer. And if you stop the service for up to 3 months at a time, you can even keep hold of your DVR recordings for when you resume the account later. Just note that you will continue to be charged for any additional services such as premium channels as usual when the service is on pause.

Fees: The Bottom Line

DIRECTV STREAM is not very secretive about additional regional sports, local channel, and government-related charges in addition to plan prices, although it could provide more accurate fee details by region. Lacking those specifics, it becomes more difficult to price compare to other options on a total cost basis. Nevertheless, no contracts can be a drawback along with very reasonable simultaneous stream allowances, which can somewhat mitigate the unpredicted fees.

Anecdotally, user complaints about sneaky DIRECTV STREAM hidden charges look much lower compared to some other cable-like services. Only pay attention to all the offer details when registering an account with the service and you should be in a good position to determine the total cost as displayed on subsequent bills. Like most streaming providers these days, the add-on regional sports and local channel charges at yet undecided sums are the most concealed tricks to look out for in the future.