622 & phone line, why?

[iml]

Why does DISH require the 622 to hook up to a phone line?

You would think they would build in network capability by now...Tivo has been able to do everything via the network for years now.

 

[coolbreeze]

PPV, pay your bill, account info, caller id, etc.

 

[iml]

all have the ability to take place over a network, except callerid

I doubt callerid will even work with my setup anyway since I use VOIP and will be using a flat line to plug into the box that has absolute forwarding on it

 

[DWS44]

simple answer...so they can charge you another $5 fee if you don't hook one up.

 

[ScottChez]

They want the phone line plugged in because with the box call in via the dish 1-800 number they do a caller ID check to make sure the box is really at your house and not at a friends house.

There is no way to turn off the caller id check as dish is paying for the call on there 1-800 line.

If you dont call it they charge you $5 more each month to pay for the Dish Auditing departmetns payroll so they can do randon calls each year to make sure the box is really at your house (you have to read things on the screen or box to verify).

All this becuase of some dis honest people out there sharing receiver, we have to plug in the receviers.

 

[DaveyBoy26]

I used to have Directv(about three years ago), back then they required a phone line connection. Has that changed?

 

[kstile]

IMHO it's about lost revenue for Dish. I'm thinkin' there's some bean counter in accounting who figures that most people do some PPV and since you *can't* do PPV without a phone line, they'll get money out of you anyway. On the 622 you can't even use it until you plug in the line - my 508 hasn't been plugged into a phone line for 5 years (and I don't do PPV).

 

[RandallA]

"since you *can't* do PPV without a phone line"

Yes, you can. You can call to order PPV or do it online.