The reason they want the receivers hooked to a phone line is to be able track it. Use the Caller ID to prevent account sharing. To make sure all pay per use events get reported to D*, and last but not least hope you'll get the urge to order a pay per view. Simple as that.
The software updates, VOD, Interactive TV (Weather, Channel Mixes, other stuff under the active menu) are just to bandwidth intensive for dial-up and are all handled via download for the satellite. Everything right now is one way with Satellite. The only way to make it two way is how DirectWay originally did it. Downlink from the Satellite and uplink via phone line.
That’s the big push for phone lines on the new receivers. Give D* two way communication with the box. And with the reported hacking of the lastest smart card algorithm, its only going to get worse with D* trying to track the boxes.
And for $81 you must work for Mastic as I get paid more than that and I work in a Metro Area. Our traveling techs are getting even more.