wires, wires all over the floor!

[CarolAnn]

I changed from cable to Dish Network, and it seemed like it was going to be a lot cheaper. However, when the guy hooked up my receiver, he said if I didn't agree to let them plug it into my PHONE JACK that they'd charge me $5 more a month.

Well crap. Already they're starting with the hidden charges. And worse, the only phone jack is diagonally across the room and the cord isn't long enough except to go right across the floor!

Does anyone know if they can TELL if I just unhook the thing? I'm sure they're getting some feedback about what I watch, but this is annoying enough to just tell them to forget the whole thing!

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w246/carolwyborny/dishwires.jpg

[grams]

I don't know how often they poll, but they do. You will get a message if they try and it isn't plugged in. I would just unplug it during the day and plug it in at night when I went to bed. They didn't use to charge you if they didn't always get a signal when they looked, but we haven't dealt with them for a few years so can't say if that is still so.

If you have a problem they poll through the phone line to see if they can figure it out. That use to be the reason they said they wanted you to use the phone line. But you and I both know it is to see what you are watching.

[DavidOH]

I only needed it connected when I requested a scedule.

[DaNgEr_KiTtY]

can you get a longer cable & run it behind the furniture instead of across the floor? knew a guy that installed satellite tv & he survived on the extra charges.

[CarolAnn]

Danger Kitty,
Yeah, I can get a longer phone cable. Guess I'm just at that crotchety stage of life where I'd rather grumble than switch! :P

I don't want to pay them the extra five bucks a month, but maybe it'd be worth it to have one less wire in the house, and know that they aren't collecting my viewing habits to sell to advertisers!

Also, if I let myself get tuned up every time someone tries to gouge me a few bucks, I'll be unbearable! ;D So I guess I'll get over it instead!

[DaNgEr_KiTtY]

too bad i am a married man or i could take care of those things for ya. hehe ;D

[sheen_estevez]

My understanding of it is the only thing the phone line does is call in once a day and upload any pay per view movies you have, I have one unit in the bedroom that has been unplugged from the phone line for years, after a while I could not order up a pay per view using the remote,

My unit in the living room has been working OK until a few weeks ago now it's not calling in anymore, I will only get a few more messages I'm guessing before I also can't order movies using the remote, that's OK by me I'll just order them off the internet (DirectTV) you can order off the website and it will play on the tv.

[TNDadx4]

hmmm.... we have Dish Network and after they told us we had to have the phone connected, I unplugged it. Since we do not order PPV movies, I didn;t see a reason to have it plugged in.

We've never had any comments or extra charges from our provider due to this.

[CarolAnn]

TnDadx4, I unplugged mine on the second day - and the next day had an error message on my TV screen that told me to go back and plug it in or be prepared to pay higher rates! :P

Further - I never got a bill from them, and thought I had it set up to debit my bank account until I got my first paper bill which was a DISCONNECT NOTICE! Good grief! And it gave one day to pay up or be disconnected. When I called, the recorded system wouldn't even let me talk to a human bean until I made a payment by credit card. Then it wouldn't accept my credit card because it's a debit card . . . and said I had to talk to a PERSON! ::)

I'm not at all sure that I want any more of this! I told her I'd better be getting an invoice to see what I paid for - it was almost double what I thought it should be!

Geez. I hate utility monopolies!

[annabella1]

There is a scam that some cable companies and satellite companies do. They offer a low introductory rate. The fine print says they charge the regular rate if you are late on your payment. Then they don't send a bill until you are late, and charge the full regular amount. You have the responsibility of getting in writing when the first payment is due, and making sure it is paid on time.

[swedishfish]

Im am pretty sure the only thing the phone line to the converter box does is related to the administration of PPV channels. I have had dish network and direct tv and I never ever had the phone hooked up to the thing. In fact... i didnt even have a landline in the house to do it. PPV is a scam anyways.