DIRECTV: How to Save $24 a Month By NOT Getting The New Gemini Box
By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –@tvanswerman
TV Answer Man, this new Gemini box and streaming plan from DIRECTV is confusing. Do you need the Gemini box to stream? Can you just use a Roku or Fire TV if you want? Are there extra fees for everything? — Tom, town withheld.
Tom, you not only don’t have to use the new Gemini set-top from DIRECTV for its streaming service, you can save $24 a month if you use your own streaming device instead.
Let me explain.
DIRECTV this morning unveiled a new marketing strategy that includes a two-year price guarantee for both satellite and streaming customers, eliminates (or at least downplays) the DIRECTV Stream brand for new customers, and introduces a new set-top called Gemini. The company will now refer to both its satellite service and its streaming service in marketing programs as DIRECTV rather than DIRECTV and DIRECTV Stream.
If you want to subscribe now to DIRECTV’s streaming offering (formerly known as DIRECTV Stream) with the Gemini box included, prices begin at $64.99 a month with a two-year price guarantee. The Choice plan for satellite and streaming, which include regional sports networks, is $84.99 a month while the Ultimate plan for both is $109.99 and the Premier package is $154.99. (The $64.99 a month plan does not include regional sports channels.)
But this is where it’s gets interesting. If you get the new Gemini set-top with your streaming package (Choice and above), you will be charged a regional sports fee which can be as high as $13.99 a month. Plus, you will be charged a $15 a month advanced receiver fee. Add that $28.99 to the $84.99 and you’re actually paying $113.98 a month plus taxes for the Choice plan via streaming.
However, if you say you don’t want the Gemini set-top when you now call to subscribe to streaming, the customer service team will instead sign you up for the old DIRECTV Stream service. The Choice plan under the DIRECTV Stream plan is $99.99 a month, but there is a promotion now for $10 off the first three months, bringing the price to $89.99. Plus, there is no regional sports fee or advanced receiver fee.
Now subtract $89.99 a month for the non-Gemini plan from the $113.98 a month for the Gemini plan. Your savings is roughly $24 a month for each of the first three months, or $14 a month after the first three months. Over the course of a year, that would be a savings of $198.
DIRECTV is quite proud of the Gemini, a wireless set-top that allows you to watch apps such as Netflix, Prime Video and YouTube with your DIRECTV service. But if you already have a Roku or Fire TV, it’s an easy way to save a lot of money.
I may be wrong, but I could see a lot of people doing this.
Tom, hope that helps. If you have more questions about the new DIRECTV marketing and pricing plan, see this article.
Happy viewing and stay safe!
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
— Phillip Swann
@tvanswerman
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They know they get free money from set top rentals. For me that’s a big difference between cable/satellite and streaming. Provide your own equipment.
Well once they collect the total amount that they pay the manufacturer for those new boxes, then DirecTV gets a profit. So say like it is costing them $45 a piece for those boxes. They rent them out for $15 and after three months, then the $15 each month goes toward their profit margin.
Thanks for the tips and I did get the old Direct TV service. That said, it took almost an hour on the phone to get this set up. Took forever with the original sales person continually trying to talk me into the Gemini and the Advanced Receiver Service. I repeatedly stated I didn’t want the Gemini and Advanced Receiver Service. I was getting frustrated and had to say that I didn’t want to be rude, but I wasn’t going to sign up if they couldn’t give me the old service. I got transferred to the BYOD (I think it was) department to subscribe to the old sytem. Frustrating, but it did work so thank you again.
I read this article and called up to sign up for the Choice package without the Gemini box and they said no problem. My expectation and rationale was to avoid the almost $30 in additional monthly Advanced Receiver and Regional Sports fees. They actually offered me the the 3 month introductory rate of $89.99 for the full 24 months and took me through the entire process up to booking my credit card but then in reviewing the charges, informed me the Gemini related fees were included in the total. I explained that I chose the option of no equipment because I understood the attached fees were only applicable with the box. They insisted the fees had to be included regardless and were under the category of ‘fees and taxes’ and that my bottom line all in cost would be $113.98 inclusive of these fees. At the end I said with these fees I might as well have the set top box and go back to cable and walked. Additionally, they said if I cancelled beyond 5 days I’d be charged a total of $360 at $15 per month x 24 months for cancellation fees. Seriously??
My experience with streaming off smart TV apps making up for the gaps in local news and weather without cable has been frustrating. The apps reviews are largely terrible, screens are continually freezing and audio drops out in regular intervals on certain apps. My hope was that a platform like Direct TV streaming would alleviate those issues but in view of the pricing on these packages and the push for set top boxes with cable like fees, how is this any different than cable even if the platform operates smoothly?? Thoroughly disappointed.
There should be no fees w the no Gemini option. The customer service person was wrong.
I am trying to switch from spectrum to something else. I picked direct tv because AT&T just dropped fiber for internet into our area and they are offering ‘deals’. I have 4 roku TVs currently stream spectrum on their app. I like the choice package at direct and we do record some stuff. What’s my best option??