Disabling the famous " Spot Beam "

[harshness]

Theres got to be a better way.

Outside of establishing a second account, you're doing all that can be done.

 

[ONUOsFan]

I see your point, but there is a way to ensure that you aren't stealing service: require proof of ownership/residency. Require the customer to provide current utility bills, and possibly closing documents for properties you own.

It's not a big deal. When I bought my house the prior owner failed to disconnect the security system and refused to reset the disable code. The security company was contractually obligated to keep the prior owner's service active until I could prove ownership of the house. All I had to do was email them a scanned copy of the accepted offer sheet. There is no reason D* can't do the same.

Not a bad idea, but I'm still not sure that proves that someone else is not living (even if temporarily) at that location that should be paying for their own service.

And again, from a legal standpoint, I'm not sure it matters. I believe part of the agreement is that it's for that location, not that person.

I can't see why satellite providers would allow this when there would be no chance of getting this kind of deal from Cable... if they did, everyone in the country who owns multiple properties would "automatically" switch to E* or D*.

 

[Nebugeater]

He's not trying to defraud anybody. He thinks that he, not his house, bought D*. And he thinks it's reasonable that when he's in either one of his houses that he should be able to get what he paid for without the bother of calling D* each time. He's right.

D* needs to realize that lots of people live in two places and they should have some solution other than the very time consuming (for them) and expensive (for D*) of calling each time they go from one place to the next.

Can you do this with your CABLE company? Why should your SAT company do it.

 

[forecheck]

This is a great idea. I think I'm going to hook up receivers at my multiple properties as well. Never mind that my parents, my wife's parents, my cousin and my best fried actually live in those other properties...

I'm kidding of course, but hopefully you get the idea. If they allowed you to do this, they have no way to ensure they are actually getting paid for services they are providing to multiple locations. Whether you like it or not, you are paying to provide service to your house, not to you as an individual, wherever you may roam...

Not sure if they still advise this, but years ago DirecTv would tell you it was ok to take your receiver between 2 houses, like your home and a weekend cabin. The only rule was that you couldn't use a secondary receiver in the other location at the same time, although there was no way to ever enforce it.

 

[mike9121]

How do people with RV's do this? Can you see about setting up a "nomad" account that is simply updated with each "current/final" location?

As an RV owner I just take the receiver from my bedroom and bring it with me. A DTV rep told me this was perfectly fine as long as I connect to my home phone line every so often so they can properly bill me for any PPV I might have ordered. Of course locals is not available to me so this is all pretty much irrelivant. Not even sure I could get local service at most of the places I camp at anyway.

 

[bbd24]

So, let me get this straight... you have two receivers listed on the same account, but they're actually in different parts of the state?

Yeah, can't imagine why they would have a problem with that... good grief.

Nope. Wrong.

I have 5 receivers. All active. My bill a month is usually around 100-150 depending on sports pacakges , etc. All 5 receivers are at my Socal location at this moment. I have a 5 LNB setup ( HD ) at my Socal location (my primary location). When I travel up to NorCal ( which I will be doing again this weekend, happens every other weekend ), I bring my standard definition RCA receiver and hook it up to my tv down there.. At my NorCal location, I put up a standard dish that I purchased with the same receiver in 1996. I put it up myself and use this dish EVERYWHERE. I've even used it in Hotels, depending on my room and satellite location. I've moved this dish a ton.

Now, when I travel up there, I can't receive SF locals because of the spot beam they dropped like in 01 or 02. Can't remember. But back in the day, this was NEVER an issue. I could just sit on SF locals and watch them from SoCAl or Utah. It didn't matter.

So there lies the problem. Each weekend I'm down there, I gotta call and make the change so I can get the local channels. I'm looking for a workaround on having to call everytime.

I was shocked when the CSR was giving me a bad time about changing addresses. I thought it was just a joke. But now, hearing the responses, I guess it isn't a joke. They were really going to report me or something. Ludicrous.

Go find and hunt down the people that aren't actually paying there bill. Instead of hassling the others that are, and are the ones that would rather not have to call you at all. Believe me, if I didn't have to call in order to receive the locals, I wouldn't call them at all. Back in the day, I didn't have to call AT ALL.

 

[stim]

I have two homes. One in Northern Cali and one in Southern Cali. There about 6 hrs away from eachother by car. My question is this : How can I disable this spot beam junk on my local channels ?

Each time I head down to Southern Cal I have to call in and change my service address so that the locals appear there. Same with NorCal. Is there a way around this ? I don't want to keep calling in and changing my address if a weekend visit arises and what not . In fact, one CSR had the nerve to tell me on the phone that my account could be cited because I was calling and changing the address too much. I told them , " What ? " I don't think they understand why I have to call. They probably don't have directv and don't realize theres a spot beam out there which locks out my locals if I'm not in that area. I told them to disable it and help me out so I don't have to contact them at all. Or put something on there website I can edit so I can get my LOCALS !

Theres got to be a better way.

There is not a way for you to get your local channels outside of your local area. The spot beam can not be disabled -- it is a method of broadcasting signals so that DirecTV can make the most of their limited bandwidth.

The satellite is set up to only beam your local channels to your local area so that they can re-use the same bandwidth in another area. There is no sense in them sending the SoCal locals to the entire US when only people in SoCal can legally receive them.

Lets say that your local SoCal channels come through on transponder 26... They will have a narrow beam transmitting transponder 26 that will only cover your area (apparently this beam is so narrow that it is not making it to NoCal). Then they can send another narrow beam of transponder 26 to people in Alabama for their local channels. By doing this they are using the same transponder to send different channels.

DirecTV only has a limited amount of transponders each of which can broadcast a limited amount of channels, so they spot beam channels that don't need to be transmitted nation wide.

For more info do a google search for "spot beam" and click the first link.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Just to add,You can't chage you service address on Directv.com ,only your billing address.And your billing address has no effect on what channels you receive. Your Service address can be changed only by D* CSR. I have 2 accounts as well,and I don't remove service from the other house when I'm not there. From what I gathered,you only have 1 D* account and you bring your receiver from one house to the next. Right? If so that isn't aloud.As someone has stated already You can't do this with the cable company so what makes you think you can do it with Satellite? Directv for you RV is totally different,so don't compair the 2. You have 2 houses with 2 seperate adresses ,you need,seperate service at each address. Then all the locals will be waiting there eveytime you go there.You can suspend your service when your not there.Its a simple phone call.You can't bring you receivers where ever you want and expect to get service all the time. Different states have different rules. I know your staying in CA but your in a different local channel area changing your service address,just to not have to pay for additional service. If a CSR told you or anyone else said this was OK they are full of it . If your going to do it anyway,deal without your locals for a weekend,Or get the proper service.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Nope. Wrong.

I have 5 receivers. All active. My bill a month is usually around 100-150 depending on sports pacakges , etc. All 5 receivers are at my Socal location at this moment. I have a 5 LNB setup ( HD ) at my Socal location (my primary location). When I travel up to NorCal ( which I will be doing again this weekend, happens every other weekend ), I bring my standard definition RCA receiver and hook it up to my tv down there.. At my NorCal location, I put up a standard dish that I purchased with the same receiver in 1996. I put it up myself and use this dish EVERYWHERE. I've even used it in Hotels, depending on my room and satellite location. I've moved this dish a ton.

Now, when I travel up there, I can't receive SF locals because of the spot beam they dropped like in 01 or 02. Can't remember. But back in the day, this was NEVER an issue. I could just sit on SF locals and watch them from SoCAl or Utah. It didn't matter.

So there lies the problem. Each weekend I'm down there, I gotta call and make the change so I can get the local channels. I'm looking for a workaround on having to call everytime.

I was shocked when the CSR was giving me a bad time about changing addresses. I thought it was just a joke. But now, hearing the responses, I guess it isn't a joke. They were really going to report me or something. Ludicrous.

Go find and hunt down the people that aren't actually paying there bill. Instead of hassling the others that are, and are the ones that would rather not have to call you at all. Believe me, if I didn't have to call in order to receive the locals, I wouldn't call them at all. Back in the day, I didn't have to call AT ALL.

This is wrong. Not aloud !! You can't bring your cable company with you.If someone can afford to have 2 houses they sure as hell can afford to have seperate services at both adresses,Give me a break.

 

[devonthedude]

Why don't you just buy an OTA antenna? I live in upper Nor-California (hour north of Sacramento) and I get ABC's LA national feed which I don't mind that news unbelievably better than here (it is only in SD and it's the "C" team at best of news broadcasting.) I bring my receiver down to the East Bay Area and I get the same programming as my home, but with an OTA I get the locals, why not buy a $20~$30 OTA antenna and save the hassle or just watch Bay News it's better than LA news channels thats for sure. Or either they are both better than any other west coast news broadcast.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

He's not trying to defraud anybody. He thinks that he, not his house, bought D*. And he thinks it's reasonable that when he's in either one of his houses that he should be able to get what he paid for without the bother of calling D* each time. He's right.

D* needs to realize that lots of people live in two places and they should have some solution other than the very time consuming (for them) and expensive (for D*) of calling each time they go from one place to the next.

Each House Needs its own service ,Bottom line!

 

[acd22]

Each House Needs its own service ,Bottom line!

Why?

As a customer who has 2 houses (only one occupied at a time), I have had to call D* fo years saying to activate one account and suspend the other and then later, after D* said they wanted to consolidate my 2 accounts, to activate some receivers and suspend others. Think about the time I've spent on hold. Think about the hours of CSR time responding to my requests.

Others have suggested ways to address potential fraud issues that sound reasonable to me. I'm hardly qualified to comment about what might or might not work in that regard. One imagines that there are acceptable solutions for D* to keep people from cheating.

Like many people here, I have a 3 figure monthly bill and I don't think it should be twice that amount so I can have service in my 2 houses. I just don't think its right for me to pay twice and watch once. And I think D* should make it easier on themselves and me in this kind of situation.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Why?

As a customer who has 2 houses (only one occupied at a time), I have had to call D* fo years saying to activate one account and suspend the other and then later, after D* said they wanted to consolidate my 2 accounts, to activate some receivers and suspend others. Think about the time I've spent on hold. Think about the hours of CSR time responding to my requests.

Others have suggested ways to address potential fraud issues that sound reasonable to me. I'm hardly qualified to comment about what might or might not work in that regard. One imagines that there are acceptable solutions for D* to keep people from cheating.

Like many people here, I have a 3 figure monthly bill and I don't think it should be twice that amount so I can have service in my 2 houses. I just don't think its right for me to pay twice and watch once. And I think D* should make it easier on themselves and me in this kind of situation.

Ask D* and Cable providers its just the way it is.

 

[Nebugeater]

Why?



Like many people here, I have a 3 figure monthly bill and I don't think it should be twice that amount so I can have service in my 2 houses. I just don't think its right for me to pay twice and watch once. And I think D* should make it easier on themselves and me in this kind of situation.

YOu may not THINK this is the way it should be but did you READ what you signed when you signed on? In ever case I am sure what you signed will trump what you think if if comes down to a legal case. Now what you can get away with is another issue. What is legal and what you have agreed to is pretty straight forward.

 

[jpn]

Can you do this with your CABLE company? Why should your SAT company do it.

CABLE operates differently than the rest of the world on a lot of scores:

• Your CABLE company will only provide service to the billing address; sat will send the bill elsewhere
• Your CABLE company will not suspend service, even if you are an existing customer who wants to move within the service area
• A friend of mine sold her house and temporarily moved-in with a friend in the same service area. She had IP phone service from TWC and wanted to connect her cable modem/phone adapter at her temporary residence, which already had TWC. TWC would not allow her to move her IP phone and refused to send her bill to her temporary address (where all of her mail gets delivered); she had to change her phone number. AT&T and Vonage allow you to move your phone adapter at-will.
• Many CABLE franchises hit you with one fee for each additional IRD; then charge additional fees to mirror premium channels to each IRD. D* hits you for one modest $4.99 fee w/mirroring included.
• CABLE gets a lot of rule-exceptions from the FCC and other federal agencies
• DBS is not granted a regional monopoly

Get the point? DBS uses a different business model than cable. Just because cable rapes each and every customer does not mean D* (or E* for that matter) has to do the same.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Its the same deal. so get over it its always been that way. Its common sence. Directv Owes you NOTHING you pay your bill for the service you receive.Done.If they would allow this then everyone would hook all their neighbers together and just split the bill,Whats the Difference.

 

[jpn]

Its the same deal. so get over it its always been that way. Its common sence. Directv Owes you NOTHING you pay your bill for the service you receive.Done.If they would allow this then everyone would hook all their neighbers together and just split the bill,Whats the Difference.

Why do you see the need to provoke people? Are you trying to assist people or just start arguments? That might be the most irrelevant reply I've read. Nobody said they were OWED anything. Nobody asked for service beyond what's being paid-for. Nobody is trying to steal service, and nobody implied that the world owes them a break.

The originator of the thread was asked to consolidate his bills and asked for a more convenient solution. I offered a method to prove ownership AND residence, which should alleviate theft-of-service concerns. The customer agreement, is posted at http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPage.jsp?assetId=P400042 It says nothing about having multiple residences.

 

[ONUOsFan]

Why do you see the need to provoke people? Are you trying to assist people or just start arguments? That might be the most irrelevant reply I've read. Nobody said they were OWED anything. Nobody asked for service beyond what's being paid-for. Nobody is trying to steal service, and nobody implied that the world owes them a break.

The originator of the thread was asked to consolidate his bills and asked for a more convenient solution. I offered a method to prove ownership AND residence, which should alleviate theft-of-service concerns. The customer agreement, is posted at http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPage.jsp?assetId=P400042 It says nothing about having multiple residences.

From section 1.f of that agreement: You agree to provide true and accurate information about the location of your receivers. If we detect that any receiver is not regularly connected to a land-based telephone line, we may investigate and, if it is determined that the receiver is not at the location identified on your account, we may disconnect the receiver or charge you the full programming subscription price for the receiver.

One account = One location - seems pretty clear to me.

 

[bbd24]

This is wrong. Not aloud !! You can't bring your cable company with you.If someone can afford to have 2 houses they sure as hell can afford to have seperate services at both adresses,Give me a break.

Wrong again. I don't have cable. I have satellite. Why would I want to bring my cable company with me ?

I'll give you a break.

 

[bbd24]

Why?

As a customer who has 2 houses (only one occupied at a time), I have had to call D* fo years saying to activate one account and suspend the other and then later, after D* said they wanted to consolidate my 2 accounts, to activate some receivers and suspend others. Think about the time I've spent on hold. Think about the hours of CSR time responding to my requests.

Others have suggested ways to address potential fraud issues that sound reasonable to me. I'm hardly qualified to comment about what might or might not work in that regard. One imagines that there are acceptable solutions for D* to keep people from cheating.

Like many people here, I have a 3 figure monthly bill and I don't think it should be twice that amount so I can have service in my 2 houses. I just don't think its right for me to pay twice and watch once. And I think D* should make it easier on themselves and me in this kind of situation.

Exactly. This is the way I think. I have a 3 figure monthly bill and don't want another one.