How to get Distants from NPS

[Chris Walker]

The website said I didn't qualify, I called and my phone number doesn't show up in there system. I also got the E-mail and responded, hopefully they will look into it

They seem to be qualifying PURELY on telephone # as I was not asked for my address or name once by the lady on the phone from NPS.

 

[Minto Took]

One more thing I would like to clarify. The distants affected are ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox. So if I were to have National PBS and the Superstation Package, I would get to keep them, right?

Thanks to everyone with my questions and for not lynching the newbie during such hectic times.

 

[Tampa8]

One more thing I would like to clarify. The distants affected are ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox. So if I were to have National PBS and the Superstation Package, I would get to keep them, right?

Thanks to everyone with my questions and for not lynching the newbie during such hectic times.

Superstations are definately not affected - 100% sure. I cannot answer for sure about PBS - but I do not think they are considered a network for these legal purposes.

 

[scooter2479]

I can think of one other thing to suggest. Go to the Direct TV site for qualifying.
http://directvdnseligibility.decisionmark.com/app/AddressForm.aspx

If KC is your local DMA it will say so. If not, it will say what locals they do provide to you, if any. Otherwise it will say you qualify for distants. Since Direct carries the KC locals, if they say you are able to get distants then KC is not your locals.
Let us know what you find.

Also, are you still getting the KC stations now? If so it sounds like Dish at least thinks you are in their DMA.

Standard Distant Network Service
Network Affiliate Channel Status
ABC KTVO 3 Grade A (strong signal) Here In Kirksville
CBS KHQA 7 Grade B (moderate signal) Quincy, IL
FOX KYOU 34 Grade B (moderate signal) Ottumwa, IA
NBC WGEM 10 Grade B (moderate signal) Quincy, IL
PBS Eligible

Digital (HD) Distant Network Service
Network Affiliate Status
ABC KTVO-DT Grade A (strong signal) Kirksville,Mo
CBS KHQA-DT Grade B (moderate signal) Quincy, IL
FOX KYOU-DT Grade B (moderate signal) Ottumwa, IA
NBC WGEM-DT Grade B (moderate signa Quincy, IL

Funny thing is, KHQA has place on their website that says they are on dish. If this a local for me then Dish should have offered it.

 

[Stargazer]

Ok. I talked with a real person at the above number. A very nice lady, who was quite patient I might add.

She said they qualify based on the phone number that is tied to the Dish account. Trouble is none of my phone numbers would bring up my account, so something is screwy. She suggested I call my provider and confirm my account's phone number.

They are tied to Dish Network if they are qualifying them based upon Dish Network information. They will probably not allow this. I just can't see a judge granting NPS to do this since the intent was to provide it for the Dish Network subscribers as a last minute solution. It may have been different if they were already leasing space from Dish before this happened. Dish may think smart and have someone else lease a space on a satellite to work in their favor in case something like this were to happen in the future. That would be an advantage of them leasing space on other satellites, they can make a deal with them.

NPS and Dish worked together to make this happen.

 

[kstuart]

if locals are available in your market (whether you take them or not), I think that disqualifies you from distants. You may have had them grandfathered from before but when they got shut off you lost that status

No, that's not true.

There is LILs by Dish of all networks in my areas, but there is no signal at all of NBC or FOX by OTA (hundreds of miles aways), and NPS sold me NBC and Fox distants.

PS Forget the web site - Call the phone number !

 

[Tampa8]

No, that's not true.

There is LILs by Dish of all networks in my areas, but there is no signal at all of NBC or FOX by OTA (hundreds of miles aways), and NPS sold me NBC and Fox distants.

PS Forget the web site - Call the phone number !

kstuart - you appear to be right on both things.

 

[Stargazer]

Just spent an hour and half with NPS and Dish and then NPS again. The deal is, NPS is working off of an account database Dish provided as a one-time dump. NPS tries to access that database using your Dish account phone number. Then, assuming you show up in the database, NPS loads your address info from the database into their prediction model in order to qualify you. Well, in my case, and apparently others, my phone number did not make it into the provided database, so NPS cannot go any further. They had me contact Dish (which took considerable time and progression from India up the supervisor chain), but Dish said they had no way to transfer any more data to NPS (I am guessing it had to have been done before 1 Dec to keep the judge happy). So back to NPS and they were cordial, but unable to go forward. I even offered to fax copies of waiver letters and Dish statements showing the distant networks I have been receiving. All to no avail. Full stop!!

I did confirm that the NPS price is per account and not per receiver.

I am starting to think Dish only included folks in the database that cannot get LiLs from Dish.

With Dish Network providing this information they are tied to NPS against the court order. It looks they were tied together before this arrangement seeing that they sell their product line. They are all tied in together in a hard knot. This will not bode well for them in court. The more and more I read about this the more it looks like it will go against them in court. I hope somehow, some way that Dish and American wins though because it would be cool to be able to get the distant networks without the need of a Dish Network account.

 

[Tampa8]

They are tied to Dish Network if they are qualifying them based upon Dish Network information. They will probably not allow this. I just can't see a judge granting NPS to do this since the intent was to provide it for the Dish Network subscribers as a last minute solution. It may have been different if they were already leasing space from Dish before this happened. Dish may think smart and have someone else lease a space on a satellite to work in their favor in case something like this were to happen in the future. That would be an advantage of them leasing space on other satellites, they can make a deal with them.

NPS and Dish worked together to make this happen.

But you do not have to be a Dish subscriber. You may cancel your account with dish and still get the distants. There is a question as to paying a fee to dish or not, which we do not know. (or at least I do not know for sure) Also, you do not need Dish equipment at all - you can get a C dish and get the same distants. (assuming you qualify) And remember, Dish has actively advertised there are other possible options - even saying to try Direct TV.

 

[cj9788]

Well I just saw the charlie chat and they said in the chat point blank that if you received LIL and DNS then you can not get DNS from All American. They grouped the subs into categories A B & C. Charles said if you are in group A you are sh*t out of luck( group A being subs who recv LIL) This sucks!

 

[Tom Bombadil]

I've never had distant nets and knew I didn't qualify. But I entered my info just to check on it. It accepted all of my information right away and promptly informed me that I was not eligible to receive any of the networks.

This was okay by me as I get all of them in HD via OTA and I almost never watch them anyway.

 

[dishrich]

I cannot answer for sure about PBS - but I do not think they are considered a network for these legal purposes.

NO, PBS was NOT affected by the court order. (I assume you meant the distant national feed)
And, I still DO have it after loosing all my distants.

 

[Tampa8]

Yes I too saw that this morning, but I think Charlie is wrong on that issue, and we do have people reporting they are getting distants even though Dish provides locals. I think Charlie is thinking of the law as it pertains to Dish - Dish cannot provide distants if they provide the locals - another provider can if that provider does not provide locals.. If that is not the case here and some of you are correct, then that would not bode well for Dish in court.

 

[jessshaun]

I have the ABC "package" from NPS. Channel 5735 is only on about 1/2 the time with no sound, and channel 5736 has sound and a picture, but the picture isn't very clear.

Hopefully they will work out the bugs. In the meantime, I still have Chicago ABC from Dish for the next few hours.

 

[scooter2479]

Well I decied just to move my service address to Springfield,MO and got those locals. Easy fix.

 

[MTDoiT]

So what your saying is that if one sign's up on the internet and you get $0.00 for the cost, then the transaction did not go through. (Because that's what happened with me). Thanks.

I qualified for all four networks and signed up via the web site and received the $0.00 for cost also. The networks started showing up a few hours later. ???

 

[Chris Walker]

Yes I too saw that this morning, but I think Charlie is wrong on that issue, and we do have people reporting they are getting distants even though Dish provides locals. I think Charlie is thinking of the law as it pertains to Dish - Dish cannot provide distants if they provide the locals - another provider can if that provider does not provide locals.. If that is not the case here and some of you are correct, then that would not bode well for Dish in court.

I think the key here may be do you subscribe to your locals or not. If you subscribe to your Dish locals, no distants. If Dish offers them but you don't take them, you may be eligible. I believe that's the difference in Group A and Group B.

 

[Chris Walker]

I have the ABC "package" from NPS. Channel 5735 is only on about 1/2 the time with no sound, and channel 5736 has sound and a picture, but the picture isn't very clear.

Hopefully they will work out the bugs. In the meantime, I still have Chicago ABC from Dish for the next few hours.

I was curious about the PQ of these channels. Is the picture quality on 5735 similar to 5736? Needless to say I assume these don't look nearly as good as the NY distants did?

 

[neljtorres]

I qualified here in Puerto Rico, paid but still have not recieve nothing yet!

 

[dfergie]

Turned down, but I go this e-mail...
Due to the overwhelming response to Distant Networks, we are experiencing significant delays with our Network Eligibility & Qualification status. To ensure we establish the proper qualification & connection requirements for you, we will also need your individual unique satellite receiver # (i.e. smart card or access card #).

Thanks for your patience & understanding. Please allow 7 to 10 days for a response.

Smart Card/Access Card # |________________________|

Email address: |__________________________| needed for us to respond back to you,