Bad reception: Boston to Ban Satellite Dishes

[Babadem]

BOSTON (WHDH) -- Unsightly satellite dishes may soon be disappearing from Boston city streets. The Boston City Council is expected to pass an ordinance stopping satellite companies from installing dishes on the front of buildings.
“You can’t place a satellite dish on the front façade unless you can’t get the signal,” said Sal LaMattina, a Boston city councilor.
LaMattina has been working on this problem for three years. He says the dishes are an eyesore.
“It’s a blight on urban neighborhoods,” said LaMattina.
Residents in East Boston agree with LaMattina.
“It’s ugly. They make the city look disgusting,” said one resident.
“I just think it’s disgusting and I’m not happy with it,” said another resident.
Philadelphia passed similar measures last year, but the satellite industry has taken legal action against that city saying the regulations violate Federal Communications Commission rules.
The Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association, which represents satellite dish companies, told 7News that they had been working with Boston officials to implement a new standard process for dish installation.
“The city of Boston has filed comments in a pending legal proceeding at the FCC regarding satellite dish placement and therefore we must suspend any activity with the city of Boston regarding this issue,” said Amy Hager, communications manager at the Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association.
Because of that, LaMattina said he’s moving forward with the new law.
“We have to do something. If we don’t do anything, the blight will continue to be there,” said LaMattina.
Once the Boston ordinance passes, city officials will likely wait until the FCC makes a decision on the Philadelphia case before putting the new rule into effect


Read more: Bad reception: Lawmaker proposes satellite dish law - Boston News, Massachusettts News, WHDH-TV 7NEWS WHDH.COM

 

[Babadem]

I see that ugly hands of the Cable companies at work here. First they tax satellite dish companies, but not cable companies, and now to Ban Satellite dishes from homes? What's next? I thought this was supposed to be a free country?

 

[Babadem]

As I wouldn't want to duplicate this post in different forums, can the Moderators display this post in Both the Dish Network and DirectTV forums? Thanks!

 

[radio]

Bet this goes nowhere fast! Can't place one on the front unless you "cant' get a signal? Given the amount of satellites to which one can aim requiring certain aiming (as we all know) and existing FCC rules favoring renters and owners of homes, betcha this dies a horrible and painful death and dishes remain as they are for the most part.

 

[Babadem]

Bet this goes nowhere fast! Can't place one on the front unless you "cant' get a signal? Given the amount of satellites to which one can aim requiring certain aiming (as we all know) and existing FCC rules favoring renters and owners of homes, betcha this dies a horrible and painful death and dishes remain as they are for the most part.

I hope they fail miserably!

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I got to agree with the city of Boston on this one...

A lot of installers out there are lazy, others are rushed with too many jobs and to get the job done quickly they just slap t to the front of the house without ever checking if it can be put out of site while still getting a signal. I have seen a LOT of installations which had me scratching my head wondering why would anyone install a DISH there.

Boston is not saying no more dish's, they are saying not on the front of the house unless there is no other place that will get a signal... and for a historical place like Boston I can understand fully why they want to keep that historic look and why why want to pass this rule.

DIRECTV has already made it a new rule for their installers to NOT install DISH's on the front of peoples houses unless they can not get signals elsewhere.

its not as bad as it sounds.

 

[mdram]

sat companies dont pay franchise fees, maybe if the get rid of the dishes they can get higher fees from the cable companies

 

[Pepper]

There's lots of other ways to make houses look ugly. The comment I left on the original article said they could start by burying all the ugly exposed electric, phone and TV cables. In the picture there, you can hardly see the dish antennas on the houses because of all the wire.

If the cable TV company is the push behind this type of legislation, then by all means they should have to conceal their stuff too.

 

[Magic Static]

And I want the cable companies to get rid of their overhead network, bury it all. It's just a conduit for fuzzy rodents spreading discontent throughout the neighborhood.

 

[toucan-man]

Agree with Scott, some installations are poorly thought out. Ridiculous even.

As far as dishes go, I think Dish Network's charcoal colored "HD" dish dresses up a structure; the standard light gray color has over stayed its welcome.

 

[Babadem]

I got to agree with the city of Boston on this one...

A lot of installers out there are lazy, others are rushed with too many jobs and to get the job done quickly they just slap t to the front of the house without ever checking if it can be put out of site while still getting a signal. I have seen a LOT of installations which had me scratching my head wondering why would anyone install a DISH there.

Boston is not saying no more dish's, they are saying not on the front of the house unless there is no other place that will get a signal... and for a historical place like Boston I can understand fully why they want to keep that historic look and why why want to pass this rule.

DIRECTV has already made it a new rule for their installers to NOT install DISH's on the front of peoples houses unless they can not get signals elsewhere.

its not as bad as it sounds.

I agree with you that the installers should do a better job with their installations, but passing the Ordinance is going to lead to a very slippery slope. Why not try to limit one dish to a provider in the front of the building. Then connect each dish to a switch, that way, additional customers in the building can be hooked up using the installed switches in the premises, instead of adding a new dish for each new customer. You noticed on the video clip that they also profiled dishes on the side of building?

Scott, Can you somehow link this thread to Both Dish Network and DitectTV forums?

 

[Babadem]

Here are reactions from Boston resident.

 

[hwm]

One thing that you can do, and I have seen this done with amazing results, is paint the dish to match its surroundings; making it blend in like a chameleon.

 

[DiscoLoveGrapes]

Here are reactions from Boston resident.

Wow. Who wrote this mess? Time for some fisking....

Highlight quotes:

"Everyone who’s been living in the last century with a satellite dish on their roof."
On what planet is a DSS dish "Last Century"? Being locked into what the City and their chosen corporation want you to watch is more "Last Century" thinking.

"Honestly, if you want a quality signal, why not just switch to digital cable?"
Because I've never had to read the phrase: Due to a dispute, As of December 31st, 2012 NBC/FOX will no longer be available on Charter Communications and had it affect me.

"The dishes are hideous and really outdated."
The dishes are as ugly as you make them. With this logic can we ban owning a car with stupid rims, or subwoofers that ruin the afternoon for whole neighborhoods? No?

And outdated? How do you think the signal gets to the cable company?

Even better -- how do you think immigrant families deal with being told "get into the 21st century and buy your TV programs from Comcast at an obscene price"? How many of them get free FTA from other countries and can't afford much more?

"Pay more for digital cable and enjoy your football games without having to climb on your roof and swing the giant dish around."
Raise your hand if you're an average NFL Sunday Ticket holder and have to go on the roof to repoint the Dish every week. Anyone?? Still waiting....

And nice job comparing a 5-pound dish with a 150lb man in the ad.

 

[SamCdbs]

Fully pre-empted by FCC regulation.

Sanctions, attorney's fees, Rule 11B fees, cost, etc. Enjoy Boston.

 

[Teehar]

I can see both sides of the argument although I lean more towards leaving the dishes alone.Sadly we are a country of the easily offended.Some cities you can't even have a recliner on your own porch.If the trends continue the dishes will be removed and so will anything else that someone considers an eyesore.

 

[jayn_j]

Fully pre-empted by FCC regulation.

Sanctions, attorney's fees, Rule 11B fees, cost, etc. Enjoy Boston.

Actually not true. The city council can require that dishes be placed in locations that are not obvious from the street, as long as a signal is available. They can also limit installations on sites on the National Historic Register, even if they do limit reception, as long as they are consistent with other restrictions for modern improvements. I believe Scott's post said that was what the reg was actually requiring

 

[Jimmy 440]

The Boston City Council needs to get a life !

 

[TNGTony]

I think this would be a good thing in general. Keep the dishes out of sight unless absolutely necessary.

As to the parity that many draw between cable franchise fees and DBS sales taxes, I'm sorry, but this isn't true. The franchise and community service fees were NEVER intended to be a sales tax. Many communities saw it as a chance to expand their coffers, but they were put in place to REIMBURSE communities for moneys spent in regulatory expenses and right of way issues for cable paths, distribution nodes, etc. And finally to provide the community with the resources to have government, educational and public access on the cable system so their residents could have a voice in the community. Unfortunately poorly written legislation allowed the communities to use this money as a tax for the general fund. I see this as taking "Fire Levy" money and using it to pay for roads. That is illegal, and so should using franchise fees for general local purposes.

 

[isaacmorseMI]

Here are reactions from Boston resident.

Whoever wrote that article is an idiot. You don't have to swing any DISH or DirecTV dish around (once it is installed it stays there in a stationary position) and both DBS providers provide more channels than digital cable (especially HD).