How Do I Subscribe To DTV From Canada?

[parkim]

I joined as a member today and read a thread (that has been closed) about someone who wanted to subscribe to DTV through a cousin in the States and hence, he was "account splitting"...

My situation differs from the above in that I have no intention of account splitting/sharing. I do have a residence in Florida (with acitve telephone #) but I am a permanent resident of Canada (Canadian citizen) and wish to subscribe to Directv ( I have two Hughes STB's with cards). What I don't have is a US credit card.

I've tried calling the DTV 1-800 # but it doesn't work from Canada.

Short of going to Buffalo to make the call, is there any other way of subscribing. When I go to DTV's website it would appear you can only apply on line if you are prepared to buy a package that requires purchasing their equipment/install which I don't need? It would seem you also have to supply them with a US social security #?

Assuming I will have to make the drive to Buffalo to make the call, what infomation will DTV require from me? I assume:

Receiver Serial #
Card #

Will they take a Canadian credit card #?

Thanks for the help.

 

[fluffybear]

There is a couple of ways which you can use to complete the call.

1) Use a calling card. when I visited Canada a few years back and needed to call back to our office which had only a US Toll-Free number I just used a calling card.

2) Make friends with someone on the US side who has 3 way calling and can conference you in.

3) Get a service like Vonage or CallVantage and use them to call D*


If you do decide to drive to Buffalo, You will need the following:

Receiver ID
Serial Number
Model #
Access Card Number

It won't hurt to take your Tivo Service ID as well.

 

[cobra55]

canada

the main problem is you live in a country that doesn't want you to get outside
information, weather it be though, dtv,dishnetwork,xm sat.radio.and don't allow radar detector's.police scanners. ever thought about moving? my wife did.

 

[TJ_77]

the main problem is you live in a country that doesn't want you to get outside
information, weather it be though, dtv,dishnetwork,xm sat.radio.and don't allow radar detector's.police scanners. ever thought about moving? my wife did.

And they say Canada is a democracy.

 

[homthtr]

Try a Broker. I used Canamsatellites to receive Express VU in the United States and they offer the same service to Canadian residents that wish to have DirecTV.

http://www.smalldish.com/ (dirictv in canada)
http://www.canamsatellites.com/ (expressvu in United states)

 

[parkim]

Thanks for the info on the brokers - my preference is to cut out the middleman if at all possible.

1. On the small-dish site it talks about "switchovers" for accounts that were previously activated? My account was previously with a broker that has been recently shut down - I have no knowledge of my previous account #, password etc.

2. I did get in contact with D* by phone this morning to put forward a couple of queries. I advised them that I just required "programming" as I have already purchased my STB's and access cards through a private purchase (i.e. not an approved retailer). They kept asking if this equipment was "used" (read: has been activated previously) - I told them I didn't know?

With respect to #1 and #2 above:

Given my hardware and access card has previously been used - will that be a problem when I formally want to "signup" with D*?

and

How do I get around the issue of having to buy new equipment from them?

Thanks

 

[pilot3100]

for that to work, you will need to have virgin cards(P5's only)

they will not activate a used card, they will insist on sending you new cards for a $20us fee.

 

[Mr Tony]

correct
DirecTv will only activate used equipment if you had it in your name (not broker) and shut it down and now want to reactivate it. My stepdad did this. They had to ship him a new card

 

[parkim]

Thanks Iceberg...

Do you mean that they will activate my used equipment (that was used previously thru a broker) as long as I purchase the new cards from them. I assume I should "play dumb" and indicate that I've bought the equipment off ebay and to the best of my knowledge it hasn't been previously used?

Thanks

 

[Mr Tony]

Thanks Iceberg...

Do you mean that they will activate my used equipment (that was used previously thru a broker) as long as I purchase the new cards from them.

no. Since you won't know what address the broker used (or even the name unkless you were on auto cc pay) so they probably won't activate it

I assume I should "play dumb" and indicate that I've bought the equipment off ebay and to the best of my knowledge it hasn't been previously used?

Thanks

you can try that...tell them you bought it thinking it was new

 

[cr0mag]

push the issue on the $20 if you want..

I had bought a "open box" stb from a retailer, and the card wasn't working because either it was used or "BAD" or whatever. A csr offered to send me one for $20, but I said that seemed a little unfair, since I bought the equipment so that I could subscribe to their service they should send me a card. The CSR escalated my case and I wound up getting the card for free.
I mean really.... "Buy our equimpment"... "Subscribe to our services"... "Buy some damned gizmo to plug into the equipment, so that you can subscribe to the services!" Enough already! (I wonder when they will start adding a "website fee" to our bills...) !protest

 

[boba]

I had bought a "open box" stb from a retailer, and the card wasn't working because either it was used or "BAD" or whatever. A csr offered to send me one for $20, but I said that seemed a little unfair, since I bought the equipment so that I could subscribe to their service they should send me a card. The CSR escalated my case and I wound up getting the card for free.
I mean really.... "Buy our equimpment"... "Subscribe to our services"... "Buy some damned gizmo to plug into the equipment, so that you can subscribe to the services!" Enough already! (I wonder when they will start adding a "website fee" to our bills...) !protest

If there are enough of you cheap B**** that expect everything for FREE they will have to charge you for everything including the website. You got a discount on the openbox and you wanted another discount off the access card. Rember Directv is a publicly traded stock company they do need to show a profit to stay in business.

 

[Uplink]

the main problem is you live in a country that doesn't want you to get outside
information, weather it be though, dtv,dishnetwork,xm sat.radio.and don't allow radar detector's.police scanners. ever thought about moving? my wife did.

I'm sorry but you are being ignorant. They allow satellite radio and they have CNN, Fox News, CBS, NBC, FOX, WB, etc. on BEV and *C.

And a lot of places in America don't allow radar detectors.

CRTC approves satellite radio

 

[vurbano]

I had bought a "open box" stb from a retailer, and the card wasn't working because either it was used or "BAD" or whatever. A csr offered to send me one for $20, but I said that seemed a little unfair, since I bought the equipment so that I could subscribe to their service they should send me a card. The CSR escalated my case and I wound up getting the card for free.
I mean really.... "Buy our equimpment"... "Subscribe to our services"... "Buy some damned gizmo to plug into the equipment, so that you can subscribe to the services!" Enough already! (I wonder when they will start adding a "website fee" to our bills...) !protest

I bought my HDtivo open box from a retailer too. Had no issues with the access card. Your retailer should have included a virgin card.

 

[cr0mag]

If there are enough of you cheap B**** that expect everything for FREE they will have to charge you for everything including the website. You got a discount on the openbox and you wanted another discount off the access card. Rember Directv is a publicly traded stock company they do need to show a profit to stay in business.

Look, I don't bitch about every little thing that comes across just to get something free, but I think that having them send a card that enables me to spend $10.99 monthly on their HD subscription was well worth it on their end, considering I had to do the usual 1 year extension on my contract. Hell, I would have at least paid the shipping on the card if they had asked. The guy just rolled over and died for me, and if you don't take a good deal when it's offered... well you know what they say about a fool and his money! :neener

 

[Neutron]

Please keep the thread clean and nice. Thank you.

Welcome to Satelliteguys Parkim!!

 

[cr0mag]

I bought my HDtivo open box from a retailer too. Had no issues with the access card. Your retailer should have included a virgin card.

Agreed.... But the retailer who shall remain nameless (rhymes with crest try) was no help at all when it comes to the card. I usually have great luck w/ those guys... Spent thousands with them over the years... Just had a jacka$$ working w/ me that night. Needless to say, I'm not holding it against the whole store/company. Just that one little twerp that I won't speak to anymore.

 

[cr0mag]

Please keep the thread clean and nice. Thank you.

Sorry guys... That's what I get for posting while I'm at work...

 

[Neutron]

Sorry guys... That's what I get for posting while I'm at work...

I wasn't referring to you. You're fine. It was some other comments I was talking about.

 

[cobra55]

And they say Canada is a democracy.

ya right