Model 522 and no phone line [had to ask]

[burchis]

Okay, I know that this topic has surfaced numerous times in the past but I am new here and maybe the topic warrants another discussion or two.

Today (Tuesday 4-15) my phone service was turned off in favor of using my cell phone. When I turned on my TV (using DVR 522) I got the warning that I would be charged $4.99 if no phone line is available. I have come to realize that $4.99 is still a lot cheaper then having a phone line just for the 522.

What I would like to know is why does the units with dual tuners require phone line service. I have heard serveral arguements about the reasoning but none really makes sense. If E* is worried that a user is going to share the second tuner with another family then how would having a phone line connected prevent/reveal that this has occured?

I would like to know if there are any work-arounds that anyone has heard of for user like myself that only relies on cell phone and not landlines.

Thanks for any comments on this already old topic that will continue to surface as more and more people do away with landline phones in favor of cell phones.

 

[kbohip]

There are no workarounds for the 522's that I know of. It's too bad you don't have a Directivo. They sell hacked ones on Ebay that download everything off the satellite and don't require a phone line.

 

[burchis]

Can anyone enlighten me as to why a phone line is needed on dual tuner receivers?

 

[maximum]

From what I've read on this board it sounds like the receiver calls home to verify that it is still at the same location. Don't think it has anything to do with having dual tuners.

 

[Jahntassa]

Verification only. It doesn't download anything over the phoneline. No idea what the rhyme or reason is, but they consider it a 1 tuner as long as it's plugged in, and a 2 tuner if it isn't.

I personally use Vonage with my 522, works like a champ. $16 a month for phone service can't be beat.

 

[SimpleSimon]

E* probably figures that they deserve some of the money you're saving by not having a landline.

 

[Jared Twomey]

As someone already mentioned, if there is a phone line plugged in, it dials into dish, their computers register the phone number that it is being dialed in on, just to make sure the receiver (or both recievers if there is more than one dual tuner on the account) is staying in the house that's it's supposed to be in.. they are trying to get away from people being able to share an account.
Also, this is just my opinion, but I think, that they think that if the phone line is connected people will be more apt to order PPV. Which i know worked for me... before I got my 522 i never had my 510 plugged in, and it was such a pain to get a phone line, run it across the room, pull out the receiver... it was just a pain to do... but now i definately order a lot more, cause i can sit on the couch and hit a couple buttons, and it's done.

 

[Stargazer]

You can still order PPV's even if the phoneline is not plugged in its just that you can only order so many until the smart card fills up so I do not think having the phoneline plugged in helps PPV sales I just think it helps those PPV get reported to Dish Network. Remember one year when Miss Congeniality PPV was free? This got people to hookup their phonelines to download all those ordered PPV's to them and to get the receivers hooked up to a phoneline.

 

[dishrich]

They are also trying to get as many people to hook up phone lines, to use all of those wonderful interactive channels, that need a phone line as well.

 

[maximum]

As someone already mentioned, if there is a phone line plugged in, it dials into dish, their computers register the phone number that it is being dialed in on, just to make sure the receiver (or both recievers if there is more than one dual tuner on the account) is staying in the house that's it's supposed to be in.. they are trying to get away from people being able to share an account.

This doesn't make much sense. If people want to share an account I don't think paying and extra $5 is going to stop them.

 

[Stargazer]

It gives Dish Network an extra $5 to help offset the loss on average.

 

[mudder1310]

While it is easy to phone in pay per view, impulse purchases of PPV goes way, way up with the phone line plugged in. Dish is betting you'll buy two PPV per month vs. the $5 additional tuner fee. With E*, whenever I don't know the answer to why they do something, it's always related to $$$.

 

[burchis]

All of these comments would possibly make sense except the $5.00 charge only applies to dual tuner receivers. What about all of the other models that also offer PPV that don't get taxed with the $5.00 if there's no phone line? Doesn't E* expect those customers with single tuner receivers to buy PPV?

It's great to see so many responses but I still have yet to read a reply that truly explains why dual tuner customers are being charged $5.00 if there's no phone line. Maybe someone from E* will throw us all a biscuit and explain their reasoning.

 

[kbohip]

All of these comments would possibly make sense except the $5.00 charge only applies to dual tuner receivers. What about all of the other models that also offer PPV that don't get taxed with the $5.00 if there's no phone line? Doesn't E* expect those customers with single tuner receivers to buy PPV?

It's great to see so many responses but I still have yet to read a reply that truly explains why dual tuner customers are being charged $5.00 if there's no phone line. Maybe someone from E* will throw us all a biscuit and explain their reasoning.

It doesn't make any sense, but then again, neither does charging an extra $5 a month for each DVR. The argument that Dish can do it because Directv does it with their Tivo units is moot. The Tivo is a much better service, especially compared to DVR's like the 510's. It's a TOTAL joke that Dish charges for those, they don't even have NBR .

 

[maximum]

I think mudder is right. It's just a way to get people to connect the phone line so people are more likely buy PPV and do other interactive stuff they can charge for. Of course if they could get Caller ID to work more reliably it would also be an incentive to connect the phone line.
Maybe the reason it doesn't apply to single tuner receivers is because they are older and grandfathered in to the old terms. This is probably just a new fee they are adding to the new receivers which just happen to all have dual tuners.