Phone Line Policy

[Roger]

Well it looks like I’ll be moving again within a month which really sucks!!! I was wondering what DTV and E* new sub policy is when it comes to having a phone line? I prefer not to have a phone line for awhile and if it wasn’t for football season then I wouldn’t care about TV for awhile either. I also may not be able to visit here for a long time since I won’t be able to afford high-speed internet and refuse to go back to the damn slow dial-up. That would be like going from a Corvette to a Chevette. I suppose life’s a bitch then you die.

 

[Unthinkable]

Pretty sure Dish Network still isn't really enforcing the phone line policy for most subscribers with 3 or less satellite receivers on the account if not more. Pegasus was always a real stickler for enforcing it on the other hand.

 

[Roger]

So without a phone line I can get E* but no PPV I assume as always. What about DTV?

 

[Mark Sorensen]

I believe that the following is currently true:

Neither DISH nor DirecTV enforces the phone line requirement on multiple receiver accounts at this time. Though no guarantee what they will do in the future. Plus, sometimes you will get different answers from different phone reps.

Yes, impulse PPV purchases do require phone line connection.

DirecTV does require phone line connection for some pro-sports packages (Sunday ticket comes to mind), and for some sports channels

Of course check with them for current info....

Moving forward, there are a few obvious problems with their phone line requirements..... Sometimes there just is not a phone connection near the receiver, and some structures make hard-cabling difficult, expensive, or aestetically problematic - particularly when the customer really does not want it , yea, wireless phone jacks can sometimes help, at a price.

And... then yes, here in the good ole USA there are many homes without land line service. And there is quite a trend of people moving away from traditional plain ole telephone service in favor of cellular/PCS phones.

 

[Guest]

dish is currently disabling accts w/out valid contact #'s. just happened to me.

 

[Peter Parker]

It is a shame that they won't accept shoe phone numbers.

 

[dfergie]

Would you believe a tennis shoe number chief?

 

[Stargazer]

When you say unvalid contact numbers are you meaning that they are calling to make sure the number exists, that the number actually reaches the customer's home, or a phone connection to where they can contact the receiver's modem?

 

[TheaterWizard]

dish is currently disabling accts w/out valid contact #'s. just happened to me.

:? :?
I have sold and or installed thousands of Dish systems and have never heard of that, must be a contact number, not modem. They dont even ask about phone lines anymore during activations, but they do require a valid phone for billing. Cell phones are fine as long as the billing address for the cell phone is the same as the installation address.

 

[Tony S]

I have had Dish Network for many years now; E* was only in existence for a few months before I got my first satellite dish. I have NEVER had any of my receivers connected to a phone line, and I have never run into any problems at all.

I think Stargazer is right. When none said "Dish is disabling accounts without valid contact #s", he has to mean that the phone # that he gave to Dish does not check out to be a legitimate phone # for the location that he gave them.

 

[jssat]

I have had Dish Network for many years now; E* was only in existence for a few months before I got my first satellite dish. I have NEVER had any of my receivers connected to a phone line, and I have never run into any problems at all.

I think Stargazer is right. When none said "Dish is disabling accounts without valid contact #s", he has to mean that the phone # that he gave to Dish does not check out to be a legitimate phone # for the location that he gave them.

Agreed, There has to be more to the story.

 

[Stargazer]

I dont recall Dish Network calling phone numbers to make sure they are correct. I know Dish Network has allowed customers that do not have a phone to put a friend's or neighbor's phone number on the account that does not have or plan to have a Dish Network.

 

[Guest]

Phone line

Here's a situation:

1. You give Dish a Cell Phone # which is billed to a different address. How does Dish find out the billing address to the Cell # and how does Dish prove that the Cell Phone # is NOT a legitimate number?

2. IF you want your Dish account activated at one address, but your bills to be sent to another, then how does Dish enforce their phone/address policy?

 

[Guest]

They don't :that is what "moving" is all about. I have my service address listed in Arkansas and my billing address in my real home in Texas. In order to get my locals and distants. This is widely done to get around the SHIVA law and get your networks. Dish and Directv don't care as long as you pay for the nets. They just can't "knowingly" sell you nets out of your dma.