Satellite tv vs FCC

[johnsonjm209]

I ran into a new experience yesterday. I had to get a replacement reciever for my satelitte tv. I had to contact Dish TV's RV Support department. When they finished helping me the tech said to me, "by the way you know that you are in violation of the FCC." I said ok, but so what, if I am how are they going to know. His reply was that when we finished this conversation he has to notify them in 30 days, and my RV dish will be terminated.
So, what is this all about. He says cause I travel so far from my home in Ct to Fl. that is an FCC violation. But If I fax a copy of my RV registration with my phone number, to them, they will notify the FCC that I am their customer and I will be under their umbrella and in compliance.

So I casually remarked that it sounds like someone is trying to scare me and I was advised that they must notify the FCC If they don't get a copy of my Registration.

The odd thing is that if I didn't have to use their services they would probably never even talk to me. My reciever is registered on the bill as a reciever on my RV and has been for over 5 years.

Anyone had anything like this happen to them??

[AZgl1500]

That is a bunch of Hog Wash.

I never tell them anything. It is the receiver I use on my patio. End of story.

Besides, it is not the receiver that is licensed by the FCC, it is the transmitter up on that satellite.

Where you are means nothing.
you are paying for service with certain programming features. You will only receive for the zones you normally would receive anyway. So, who cares?

My receiver sees all of the sats from across the states, I just don't pay a subscription to receive on the other zones. There is so much of the normal stuff out there, most of it is repetitive.

Forget the guy on the phone, and go on like you were before.

[W4RLR]

You talked to a minimum wage drone who was trying to enforce a Dish POLICY by stating it was a Federal Communications Commission requirement.

The FCC cares not one whit about your comings and goings with a satellite RECEIVER. In fact, the FCC will go to bat for you regarding the placement of a satellite dish where homeowners association rules "prohibit" their use. It's called the "OTARD" rule.

What Dish and DirecTV have to deal with is a court ruling by a federal district judge in Miami ruling that receivers installed in homes cannot receive distant network signals unless they cannot receive the local affiliate with an outside antenna. It doesn't apply to your use in the RV.

If you are using your home receiver in the RV and trying to get distant signals you might raise a red flag there. Sending in your RV registration keeps Dish and DirecTV in compliance with the ruling of the court. But as for the feds coming with cuffs to haul you to jail for a satellite receiver violation, it isn't going to happen.

[wa8yxm]

I think you might wish to report DISH to the FCC.. If you have an RV account, Set up in an RV, then you are not in violation of any FCC regulation at all... And you do not need to fax a copy of your registration to Dish.. though you may wish to fax one to a company called All American Direct Communications LLC (NOTE BELOW)

All American provideds what is called "Distant Network Service" to Dishnet customers (or at least did last I knew) as an RVer you qualify for that service on your RV account.. THis means you can watch CSI or BONES or your favorite "Daytime Dramas" on CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX and the like no matter where you are either from Los Angles or the NYC/Atlantic City, NJ area.

However Local broadcasts, Only if you are close to home.

But there is no FCC rule saying you can't drive your RV cross country.

The RULE is that DISH can not sell you DNS without some conditions being met.. (IE: that it is an RV) and DISh did indeed ignore this requirement, as a result they were sued and an injunction was entered against them

That is why the All American Direct.

Now I promised a NOTE

NOTE: It is possible that the injunction has been lifted, IF this is the case then you'd fax that copy of your reg to Dish instead of AADC and they can then provide the same service.

I do not think it has been lifted though.

[johnsonjm209]

Well, I got home last week and decided to call the FCC. The nice lady asked my name and I said "Joe" ;end of question. I then explained my situation.
She told me that she remembers someone call about that same thing a couple of weeks ago. She told me to call them back and ask specifically what Rule Number they are referring to and then call her back. I told her that I was going to wait and see exactly what they do then I will continue with them.
She said that the only thing that she can think of is if they are trying to say that an R.V. meets the definition of a "commercial vehicle" which it does not. And of course we do not have commercial registrations.

Thanks again for the input and the suggestions, which I value highly.

[hamguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnsonjm209 I ran into a new experience yesterday. I had to get a replacement reciever for my satelitte tv. I had to contact Dish TV's RV Support department. When they finished helping me the tech said to me, "by the way you know that you are in violation of the FCC." I said ok, but so what, if I am how are they going to know. His reply was that when we finished this conversation he has to notify them in 30 days, and my RV dish will be terminated. So, what is this all about. He says cause I travel so far from my home in Ct to Fl. that is an FCC violation. But If I fax a copy of my RV registration with my phone number, to them, they will notify the FCC that I am their customer and I will be under their umbrella and in compliance. So I casually remarked that it sounds like someone is trying to scare me and I was advised that they must notify the FCC If they don't get a copy of my Registration. The odd thing is that if I didn't have to use their services they would probably never even talk to me. My reciever is registered on the bill as a reciever on my RV and has been for over 5 years. Anyone had anything like this happen to them??

Dish has never gotten the RV situation figured out. IIRC, they got their corporate mammary in the mangle a few years back. I am with Direct and sent a copy of my RV Registration along with a statement that I used the RV with the dish/receiver installed or something to that effect. Only took a few days to have it straightened out.

As to the heavy handed tech rep, I would call back and ask to speak to a higher level grunt. Then, explain what happened and that you believe you were being threatened unnecessarily. Especially since they had apparently been feeding you locals for quite a while.

[wa8yxm]

You are not in volation, HOWEVER dish might be,backin, I think 2007 a court ordered them to cease the sale of "Distant newtork service" Far as I know (Which by the way is not far) that injunction is still in force..Thus they have no need of your registration at all.

Of course, you could go to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Home Page and check it out.