It is a charge for not having a phone connected to your dual tuner receiver. So that makes it a PHone line charge in my books. I don't see how anyone can charge for a second tuner. DIRECTV doesn't do it, neither does cable. It might be what DISH wants to politically call it but it is bull sh*t . You don't connect your phone line to your dual tuner and you get a $5.00 phone charge. It is also to prevent those who like to stack their account: share them with others for a fee. So why not call it the Stacking prevention fee? That makes as much sense as what DISH is calling it.