Deal with NPS to "save" distants on DISH!

Dish Bill

I got my Dish bill yeasterday. They are billing me for DNS from Dec 30, 2006 thru Jan 29, 2007 even though they turned them off. I will be calling to make sure they change the billing and I will see if they steer me to NPS.
 
Paraphrased & abridged but accurate rendition of a conversation on Monday:

Potential Customer: I would like to get distant network service. My address is....
NPS CSR: Ok, you qualify. Are you a Dish customer?
PC: No, I really wasn't interested in anything but the networks.
NPS: You must be a Dish customer to get our services because we use their equipment.
PC: No problem. I have an working E* receiver.
CSR: No you must subscribe to at least AT60 and be activated by Dish. We are a sister company to Dish. You can only get the network through us but Dish provides the other programming.
PC: Can I use DirecTV?
CSR: No we only work through Dish and you cannot get networks from DirecTV or Dish because a judge made a ruling. Only we can supply the networks if local stations are not available such as your case.
PC: Ok, let me think about it.
CSR: No problem but remember our special deal runs out in two weeks.

Comments?
 
Then, in 2004, the law was changed again. New customers that could get their local channels could no longer get distant networks. Those customers that had distant networks can keep them provided they do not subscribe to local channels.

Greg you are partially wrong on this. The grandfathering I am referring to is the paragraph I quoted from you above. The change meant new subscribers could not get distants if the provider had your locals, period. But if you were grandfathered, you could keep your distants and get the locals. Getting or not getting the locals had no effect on this. And you keep your distants as long as you did not give them up. Once you stopped subscribing there was no going back.
(Of course all assumes you are in a white area)


I think the biggest difference of opinon is just not going to be agreed by you and I. I'm sure the NAB'S postion is your postion - the law was meant to provide networks from out of DMA only when there was no way to get them. Some of us know better. It was meant to allow for reception of out of DMA networks when the local network did not provide a free OTA signal. I don't deny that got changed of course, but that's the crux of the problem. It was never meant to protect the local network stations when you did not receive a free OTA signal, and had to pay for getting a signal. Once you had to pay to get a signal the protection was gone. That is what got changed and what so many feel is wrong. Putting my locals on Dish doesn't change I cannot get an OTA free signal. I must pay to get that Dish signal, and therefore I should be able to envoke my white area rights and get distants. As it stands now, that is exactly what has happened in a long round about way, and that is why it seems to be totally being allowed. The original law was never meant in my opinion to stop someone in a white area from getting distants. I agree that changed, but again it is that change that promps this whole problem. It is a vey artificial argument to say you can get distants if you use two providers, but not from one provider. Anyone in a white area could have had NPS C Dish distants and Dish locals. That alone proves the intent was not to deny distants in a white area. To say you cannot do the same thing using the same provider (the change in the law) was denying rights in my opinion. So the next best thing has happened -same equipment, different providers. That change in the law not allowing a provider to give both locals and distants is what is very artificial and is not consistant.
 
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Originally Posted by wayne231
Most of the country (less parts of Southern CA, MS, LA, and WV*) are now in the 21st century

How totally insulting! I can not speak for the other areas but I assure you that not only is MS in the 21st century it is leading the way in many areas. Where was the first heart transplant performed in the US? The "grass" that the Giants football team plays on was developed and first used where? Most acoustic accomplishements that you hear from your radio or tv are developed where? Very, very insulting and stupid remark!
Originally Posted by wayne231
Any Moderator: Please remove my rant. I'm sensitive about this perception but I was totally out of line. I will go back and not post for awhile. Sorry Smitty, nothing intended.
You left out the footnote to my remark (Page 95 - Post 949).
(* Based on a recent report that Southern California has taken the lead on being the less educated.:))

I see no need to have your remarks removed, as well as no need for an apology. May you continue to enjoy the forum and provide your thoughts/opinions.

I trust after your blood pressure returned to normal, you seen my slight humor which could of had another smiley.

Your info shows TN, but guess you're from MS. Don't tell my wife, but I have a girlfriend up in Corinth (6 mi S of TN, 18 mi E of AL).

The Yankee's like to say Reared, but that sounds like what a lot are claiming Dish is doing to them with the price increases; so I like to say, I was raised in south LA (as in Louisiana), even if it sounds like it was outside with the chickens (cause it was:D).
 
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Tampa8 said:
I'm sure the NAB'S postion is your postion - the law was meant to provide networks from out of DMA only when there was no way to get them. Some of us know better. It was meant to allow for reception of out of DMA networks when the local network did not provide a free OTA signal.
You are still misrepresenting me. This is what I believe the NAB's position is, but it is not my position.

And the SHVA and all of its predecessors were simply based on the fact that if you could not receive a network locally, it was important to create a license for those to receive network programming, as the networks were about to start scrambling their backhauls on satellite. It has absolutely nothing to do with the fact there may not be free OTA available. That was used as the qualifier to deliver distant network programming, to the truly unserved.

Now with the ability to deliver local programming, the distant programming starts to go away. That has been the position of the law, especially the SHVERA of 2004. More of the modifers to the law kick in once the analog cut-off date commences.
Tampa8 said:
The change meant new subscribers could not get distants if the provider had your locals, period. But if you were grandfathered, you could keep your distants and get the locals. Getting or not getting the locals had no effect on this. And you keep your distants as long as you did not give them up. Once you stopped subscribing there was no going back.
Understood. I thought you were talking about "grandfathering" in the sense of the Grade B qualifications in the SHVIA of 1999.

However, this still proves a point. The grandfathering exists to move as many people over a local feed than to a distant network feed.
 
Well im in West Virginia I must be living in 1970

:mad: Yes that is an unattractive understatment. West Virginia is wild and wonderful but it is honestly lacking in some things. For example the local channels I can pull in over the air are all mono. . . .

Kids pay $7.60 a month for breakfast and lunch at middle and high school. . . . :hungry:

People say please and thank you to me and I say it to them as well. . .:D

Radio and TV stations premmpt the network to cover local high scool football games. . . .:hatsoff:

Doctor bills are about 70% less than what I paid in Virginia:D

My military retierment check pays the mortgage, phone bill, electric bill, utilities ect. . . .:flag: ::your right I am in 1970 but I am loving it.:devil:
 
Hmmm- I have a campsite near Falling Waters. Maybe I should look at WV for future retirement (even if it is Yankee territory!;) ). Any military health care facilities? Bases?
 
"You are still misrepresenting me. This is what I believe the NAB's position is, but it is not my position."

You are right Greg - I did think that was your postion. My mistake.
I'm ready to enjoy the weekend - have a safe happy holiday!
 
Miltary bases in West Virginia

Hmmm- I have a campsite near Falling Waters. Maybe I should look at WV for future retirement (even if it is Yankee territory!;) ). Any military health care facilities? Bases?

The Navy has a small secret base in Sugar Grove West Virginia that they use to moniter all sorts of radio / cell / tv and other types of frequencys. I have never been to it but to get to it you have to go over the mountains on winding roads and its best accessed from either I-81 or I-64.

There is a commissary and a small medical facility but they dont handle retires or many active duty military outsside the local area.:confused:

For my retierment physical I had to go to the Naval Reserve Station in Roanoke VA as the other alternative was a trip to Washington D.C. or drive down to Naval Air Station Oceana to get it done. There is now a place in Glen Jean WV that issues ID cards two days a week so we no longer have to drive to Charleston WV or Roanoke VA to get them done. They set up the MEPS Station that I retierd out of in the same building with the new West Virginia National Guard Facility and while its located out in the sticks its a nice modern facility:)

Be aware parts of West Virginia are expensive especially the eastern panhandle that borders VA. . . :eek:

But its a beautiful place to live and if you come to the Beckley area DirecTV will give all the DNS you want to complement NPS programing on Dish:) .

And if you "move" properly the Dish Network installer told me the Roanoke VA spot beam reaches Beckley
 
Thank you. I know a bit about Sugar Grove. I was stationed at a similar facility on Guam.
 
Robert, Navy,

I agree WV is pretty nice this time of year, in fact, anytime of the year. I had even thought about buying some property there, but decided to first look around the rest of the county a little bit. And likewise, my military retirement would go a lot further there.

I would say we could pick on Kentucky, but Loretta Lynn is from there.:)

Take care guys.

EDIT: I sent y'all a PM.
 
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thomas not to doubt you BUT when I called in response to an email from NPS about getting distants E* never came up. They asked my address my phone number name They put me on hold and in 5 mins the rep was asking me for my smart card number. The Smart card number was from an old 3900 that has been inactive for the last six months. My wife gave her name and CC info and the inactive E* receiver was activated and is reving All 8 channels.

Also Other posters have reported the same thing. You should try agian and ask for a supervisor.

And finnaly according to the agrrement between E* and NPS a sub DOES NOT have to sub to any service from E* to get NPS DNS. I am an example of this and so are others. You must just have bad luck!
 
Then, in 2004, the law was changed again. New customers that could get their local channels could no longer get distant networks. Those customers that had distant networks can keep them provided they do not subscribe to local channels.

Yes, the laws have been changed. And the laws have been changed because it is the preference of all parties involved (except the customer and possibly Dish Network) to have everyone receive local channels.


My ONLY comment was that I BELEIVE the ONLY reason they changed the definitoon of an unserved house hold was to restrict DNS accsess to those in white areas. IMO a served house hold is and allways dshould be one that can not receive a grade B OTA signal.

The only argument is if you belive that this move was to some how benefit consumers. All it did was screw consuemrs in White Areas and took away from them something the law has always allowed.

The simple fact is that if you can not recve a grade B signal OTA you are NOT served. Even if you have LiL or Cable. That still does not change the fact that if you put up an Aerial you can not recv nothing nada zilch. It was UNFAIR to consumers to change the definiton the way they did. THe only ones to gain any thing was the broadcaster. And the bill was touted as fair to the consumer. What a crock!.
 
It appears that NPS/AAD/whatever has multiple lines of business and perhaps this call was to the wrong one. Apparently you need to call the "distants" line vs the "small dish" line (the people that flog E* systems & service, as well as DNS) to get somebody that understands these fine distinctions. Now this does not make NPS any less culpable as a company (I am assuming the CSR only knows what she is told - that she wasn't "winging it") but the fact that you do not need to be a E* subscriber must be intentionally disregarded to make such a statement. And the line that D* cannot provide DNS is a flat out lie (again corporately speaking, I don't think the CSR knew any different). Nonetheless unless someone else has had a similar experience, I plan to remove this post because the information isn't helping anyone obtain distants. But the fact that NPS (any part) is insisting on subscription to E* as a condition of receiving NPS-DNS and/or saying that they and only they can provide DNS service is problematic. I don't think this response was the result of just one misinformed lady at the call center. And to cj9788 - the person you spoke with must have assumed that you were a E* subscriber (inasmuch you had the equipment). I am curious how can/why would E* give NPS access to its control system to activate a receiver. Do you have a good idea of what is going on behind the scenes. In other words the sequence is - 1. You call (the correct) NPS line to request DNS. 2.........x-1......x. You are viewing DNS. What are the steps 2 to x-1? It is transparent (and probably should be) to the subscriber. But is a NPS employee sending the activation/authorization signals or is the smart card info being passed to E* to accomplish this task?


thomas not to doubt you BUT when I called in response to an email from NPS about getting distants E* never came up. They asked my address my phone number name They put me on hold and in 5 mins the rep was asking me for my smart card number. The Smart card number was from an old 3900 that has been inactive for the last six months. My wife gave her name and CC info and the inactive E* receiver was activated and is reving All 8 channels.

Also Other posters have reported the same thing. You should try agian and ask for a supervisor.

And finnaly according to the agrrement between E* and NPS a sub DOES NOT have to sub to any service from E* to get NPS DNS. I am an example of this and so are others. You must just have bad luck!
 
Very good point Thomas I have no Idea what went on behind the scenes. I have no clue how they activate the recvr. All I do know is that I have DNS on a box in the name of my wife who is not in any E* data base. I did not tell them my wife was not an E* customer nor did they ask.

Does any one know if E* can allow a third party leasing a transponder carte blanch accsess to activate and deactivate recvrs?
 
Anyone else remember awhile back someone posted that if a thread ever hit 1000 posts that it would close and a new thread would be started? I guess we'll see in a little bit!
 
Very good point Thomas I have no Idea what went on behind the scenes. I have no clue how they activate the recvr. All I do know is that I have DNS on a box in the name of my wife who is not in any E* data base. I did not tell them my wife was not an E* customer nor did they ask.

Does any one know if E* can allow a third party leasing a transponder carte blanch accsess to activate and deactivate recvrs?


Over at dbstalk, somebody posted the most recent court documents and it appears that the plaintiffs (CBS etc.) are asking these type of questions.
 

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