Does DIRECTV want HDMI cables back?

Is DirecTV Tired of HDMI Cables Yet?

DirecTV is among the major satellite TV companies in the United States and is available to millions of customers throughout the country. The recent complaints from some of the DirecTV customers include receiving letters, emails, or phone calls from DirecTV demanding that they return HDMI cables which they were given in the past. This has left many people wondering – does DirecTV really want their HDMI cables back?

What Do the HDMI Cable Requests Concern?

DirecTV’s idea that these requests are not what they seem is supported by several factors. DirecTV claims that the cables belong to the customers and they do not require or desire to have the cables physically returned.

The purpose of the messages is to discuss the bills and the equipment charges. On subscribing to the DirecTV service provision for the first time, the customer is provided with items such as the satellite dishes, receivers, remotes, and HDMI cables. This equipment is believed to be leased rather than owned. This means DirecTV owns these items and gets them back should the customer cancel the service with the company.

The costs of leased equipment are usually borne by the customers in form of monthly fees. However, if a customer continues to subscribe to DirecTV service for a certain amount of time, which is usually two years, then charges for HDMI cables are dropped. This is because if a customer cancels the service they might be required to return the cables or pay a non-return equipment fee since it is considered as a leased equipment. Thus, the cable return requests could be associated with billing issues, and the customers do not actually need to return the cables.

Are Customers Going to Have to Worry About Returning the Cables?

Regarding most of the customers who remain loyal to DirecTV and continue using it, there is no need to worry about the procedure of returning HDMI cables. The requests appear to be directed to customers who want to disconnect or change their electricity supplier. However, even then it is not often implemented.

Some of the service technicians of DirecTV have been quoted to state that the company does not in any way encourage or anticipate customers to return cords. They already have a lot of extra cables to which they could attach the device. Since there are well-established equipment lease policies, it appears that asking for returns is more of a pro forma.

In most cases, customers can safely ignore the cable return requests or politely inform DirecTV that they are still under contract, therefore should not be charged for non-return fees. Thus, unless you have canceled service without paying early termination fees, DirecTV should not call to ask for HDMI cables again.

Why do they request DirecTV if not necessary?

So why does DirecTV spend so much time and effort to send back equipment that is not wanted or needed by most customers? There can be a few specific reasons behind this cable collection campaign.

Saving Money Although customers don’t need the physical HDMI cables anymore, by forcing them to return these cables or pay non-return fees, DirecTV can at least partially cover the cost of the equipment needed at customers’ premises per each subscribed user. If a small number of people return cables or fees, then that can translate into considerable cost savings.

Deterring Cord Cutting The requests may also be aimed at preventing the customer from canceling the service within the first days or weeks and switching to another provider. If people believe that they will need to put up their equipment and go back for things such as HDMI cables, then it would be easier to not switch services. The obligations to return the equipment could be another reason for retention.

Enforcing Contract Terms The other theory is that DirecTV desires to compel pro-terms and conditions customers sign when subscribing to its services. This involves returning leased equipment within a month if they have cancelled subscriptions before their lease period. Requesting customers to return cables even though there may be no intention of collecting them could be a way of policing the customers to ensure that they complied with the contractual obligations that they had entered into with the companies.

Reports: Is DirecTV Going Back on HDMI Returns?

Over the past few years, more and more DirecTV customers have complained about receiving HDMI return notices and expressing their bewilderment and annoyance on various discussion boards and social networks. Based on the customer complaints and negative public response, DirecTV currently seems to have reversed on such dubious equipment return policies.

As of the new policy posted on DirecTV’s official website in August 2021, customers who have complied with the 24 month service agreement or have paid the early termination fees are free to keep the HDMI cables without further charges or demands for their return. This seems to suggest that DirecTV is responding to customer complaints about complaints and changing previous policies regarding the return of leased equipment.

Currently, only customers who disconnected service before fulfilling their contracts while refusing to pay the fees are still being asked to return HDMI cables. But according to the technicians’ opinions, even those subscribers can likely retain their cables without incurring a significant backlash. Consequently, the trend appears to be shifting away from requiring cable returns and towards allowing customers to keep leased property – no matter what their contracts may say.

The Bottom Line – Pay No Attention to DirecTV HDMI Return Requests

Thus, the short answer is no, DirecTV does not really want their HDMI cables back even if they send equipment return notices. Customers receiving such messages informing them that they have to return the HDMI cables offered to them by DirecTV can therefore be relieved that the satellite TV provider is in fact unlikely to proceed with demanding the cords back.

A number of the return requests are purely based on financial and contractual reasons and not due to the need to retrieve the cables. With the new policy in place, it appears that DirecTV understands that it is unreasonable and unwise to demand that customers return HDMI cables physically. Today, it is safe for most customers to simply ignore such return directives.

Thus, unless you have terminated your DirecTV subscription before the contract term and refused to pay the early termination or equipment non-return fees, you can consider the HDMI cables yours to keep for as long as you want. Subsequently, DirecTV is shifting towards the policy of permitting subscribers to continue relying on leased equipment such as cables after the completion of service contracts.