Advantage of connecting a phone line to my DVR box?

[IceRunner]

When I was a Dish Network subscriber, I got $5 off per month for doing this. DirecTV doesn't give me any discount for that, does it?

If I never use PPV, is there any advantage to having a phone-line connection other than getting the caller ID to show up on the screen? DirecTV doesn't require this connection, does it?

 

[Rey]

When I was a Dish Network subscriber, I got $5 off per month for doing this. DirecTV doesn't give me any discount for that, does it?

If I never use PPV, is there any advantage to having a phone-line connection other than getting the caller ID to show up on the screen? DirecTV doesn't require this connection, does it?

Dish didn't give you a discount for this they just didn't charge you the penalty for not having a phone line connected. besides what you mentioned i think their isn't any other benefit. if you have a ethernet line hooked up you can use their VOD service. Directv doesn't penalize you for not having either of these connected

 

[Hookem99]

When I was a Dish Network subscriber, I got $5 off per month for doing this. DirecTV doesn't give me any discount for that, does it?

If I never use PPV, is there any advantage to having a phone-line connection other than getting the caller ID to show up on the screen? DirecTV doesn't require this connection, does it?

I keep a phone line in, only for on screen caller ID. I'm lazy on don't like to get up.

 

[ShaqDan]

There is no advantage.

 

[Joe Diamond]

THE LIST:
There is no advantage to you unless............you want to use PPV
...you have CID & want it onscreen
...lightning surges will not cook your receiver
through the phone line (rare)
...you want to connect a phone near the
receiver...use a splitter
To the installer........DTV & HSP may not backcharge him $5.00 per non responder box
TO DTV...................You will not use PPV
They will not have you user data to sell.
DTV will not know for sure where your receiver is really connected

What else?

Joe

 

[centu2000pr]

There is no advantage.

yes there is one....... your box will get the latest softwere when is available thru that phone line faster.

 

[Bob Nielsen]

yes there is one....... your box will get the latest softwere when is available thru that phone line faster.

No, the software updates come via the satellite signal. The older (Tivo) DVRs need to make a phone call to authorize installation of the update.

 

[Joe Diamond]

That is about it...........I was not paid for a few installs years ago because I attempted to activate installations with a TIVO and no phone installed (yet). When I confronted the manager he could not produce a source from DTV for the charges.

In this century.................I would allow the phone connections if offered. I would ask for a splitter wherever needed to allow use of my land line at the same point as the receiver. I would also disconnect the land line except when (if ever) I wanted to use the PPV or CID.

REMEMBER: A major DTV HSP instructed installers to tell customers the phone line was required.
There are possibly people who ordered land lines ONLY to get DTV.
I, personally, have encountered new customers who were told there would be no
installation unless there was a land line.
As a phone tech I have fixed errors caused by DTV installers.
IF DTV installers screw up what they do your DTV receiver
could be connected to the wrong phone number or the
receiver could fail and dump all your phones.
The original idea was connect the receiver to a jack within the range of the 25 ft line provided in the box with the receiver.

Tired fingers!

Joe

 

[Ronnie-]

No, the software updates come via the satellite signal. The older (Tivo) DVRs need to make a phone call to authorize installation of the update.

That is correct. No need to have the phone line for updates on the HR series

 

[Liquidforce88]

Dish didn't give you a discount for this they just didn't charge you the penalty for not having a phone line connected. besides what you mentioned i think their isn't any other benefit. if you have a ethernet line hooked up you can use their VOD service. Directv doesn't penalize you for not having either of these connected

There is no penalty from Dish for not having a phone line. As stated by the OP there is a $5.00 discount for hooking up a phone line to their dual tuner receivers. Thus you get two tv's for the price of one. Other wise you pay $5.00 per tv just like Direct charges.

Is Direct penalizing every customer that has 2 or 4 tv's? Must be by the way you act!

 

[darrencp22]

when I had E with no phone line there was a sep charge for $5 monthly, hence it is a penalty.

 

[Ronnie-]

when I had E with no phone line there was a sep charge for $5 monthly, hence it is a penalty.

This is true. If you dont have a phone line, they charge you, if you do, they dont.

 

[Liquidforce88]

when I had E with no phone line there was a sep charge for $5 monthly, hence it is a penalty.

Correct they charged you the 2nd tv fee. Thus you paid for your 2nd tv as if it had it's own receiver. It's not a penalty. If you would have had a phone line you would have gotten a discount of $5.00. Basically getting 2 tv's for the price of one. Direct gives no option for that 2nd tv you always pay that fee because you have a receiver, there is no discount for having a phone line connected.

Why is this so hard to understand? People act like DIsh is screwing them. They are offereing you a discount if you connect a phone line.

 

[Rey]

There is no penalty from Dish for not having a phone line. As stated by the OP there is a $5.00 discount for hooking up a phone line to their dual tuner receivers. Thus you get two tv's for the price of one. Other wise you pay $5.00 per tv just like Direct charges.

Is Direct penalizing every customer that has 2 or 4 tv's? Must be by the way you act!

I've had E for ten years and what i posted is said by dish themselves.they're not my words. i don't know what your last comment is suppose to mean but i always keep my emotions out of these type of things like satellite so no need to be offended by what i posted. it wasn't personal.

 

[Rey]

Correct they charged you the 2nd tv fee. Thus you paid for your 2nd tv as if it had it's own receiver. It's not a penalty. If you would have had a phone line you would have gotten a discount of $5.00. Basically getting 2 tv's for the price of one. Direct gives no option for that 2nd tv you always pay that fee because you have a receiver, there is no discount for having a phone line connected.

Why is this so hard to understand? People act like DIsh is screwing them. They are offereing you a discount if you connect a phone line.

you say it's a discount yet this wasn't always the rule. it used to be ok not to have the receiver hooked up to the phone line. then a few years ago dish informed their customers "if you don't have a phone line hooked up a monthly charge of $5.00 will appear on your bill." So I don't understand how this qualifies as a discount when it's an additional charge but i'll respect what you're saying and leave it at that. by the way nobody said dish is screwing people.

 

[TomCat4680]

My installer never even asked whether I even had a phone line (which I don't).

Isn't it still true that you need a phone line for out of market sports packages too (NFL Sunday Ticket, NBA League Pass, etc.)?

 

[Ronnie-]

you say it's a discount yet this wasn't always the rule. it used to be ok not to have the receiver hooked up to the phone line. then a few years ago dish informed their customers "if you don't have a phone line hooked up a monthly charge of $5.00 will appear on your bill." So I don't understand how this qualifies as a discount when it's an additional charge but i'll respect what you're saying and leave it at that. by the way nobody said dish is screwing people.

Thank you rey. This is what I meant also. I knew there wasnt a fee in the past, I just forgot how it all came about.

 

[Liquidforce88]

The fee only will only apply to a dual tuner dual tv receiver. If you have a single tv receiver you will not get the fee if you don't have a phone line plugged in. So it is not a fee that applies to all receivers.

 

[ColtsBlue]

I found a new advantage of having a phone line connected to my receiver. DirecTV wouldn't let me view the NFL pkg I have paid for and enjoyed for 5 years. I just had to change from TiVO to the DirecTV receiver and that is when that problem surfaced. Don't know why that made a difference but it sure ticked me off. I now have a phone line connected full time and the NFL pkg is once again available.

Since the NFL pkg is only available on DirecTV, they hold all the cards.

 

[harshness]

That is correct. No need to have the phone line for updates on the HR series

I'm pretty sure you do on the HR10.