Community Forums

Dutch Star David · 08-19-2014, 03:01 PM

DirecTV has just informed me that I can no longer get local channels at the various locations to which we travel because of the STELA Act of 2010. Is this really true? Or are they just trying to nick me for an additional $15.00 per month for a West or East coast feed? If so, who wants to petition your senator and congressmen to correct this discrimination against RVers?

**CLIFFTALL** · 08-19-2014, 03:06 PM

I never bothered but I believe you can either call DTV to input the zip code you're at or input it yourself. I used the batwing for locals when I traveled.

**CLIFFTALL** · 08-19-2014, 03:10 PM

Also the $15 fee for East or West Coast feeds is for network programming and not local stations except for the east or west coast feed city.

kjburns · 08-19-2014, 03:17 PM

This is what wiki has on the STELA Act. I don't see where it would prohibit local channels. It looks like it has the opposite effect.

bdickson · 08-19-2014, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clifftall

I never bothered but I believe you can call DTV to input the zip code you're at.

I do this with Dish Network and it works just fine. Takes about 20 minutes for the locals for my current zip code to appear in the program guide. If I'm on the move it seems to be good for about a 100 mile radius then I have to call them again. No extra charge regardless of how often I call.

Dutch Star David · 08-19-2014, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdickson

I do this with Dish Network and it works just fine. Takes about 20 minutes for the locals for my current zip code to appear in the program guide. If I'm on the move it seems to be good for about a 100 mile radius then I have to call them again. No extra charge regardless of how often I call.

When I had Dish; no problem. New coach came with DirecTV. Now they (DirecTV) say they can't provide locals. Anyone else have this problem with DirecTV?
It really doesn't matter what Dish does; I'm concerned with DirecTV.

Dutch Star David · 08-19-2014, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clifftall

I never bothered but I believe you can either call DTV to input the zip code you're at or input it yourself. I used the batwing for locals when I traveled.

I used to be able to call; no longer allowed per DirecTV as of telephone call today. Batwing is great if you are in an area where you can get reception. I often camp near my mother where the nearest TV stations are 90+ miles away.

docj · 08-20-2014, 06:18 AM

Over the past few months there have been a number of similar threads about DirecTV on RV forums. There has been no new legislation enacted so the real question is has DTV actually changed its policy or are different customer service agents interpreting it differently?

My guess is that DTV is more strictly enforcing its policy that you must change your service address in order to receive local stations for a particular city and that you can only do that a couple of times a year and not every couple of days. I'm not sure it's an effort to sell you DNS service, but, rather, isn't something that the legal department cooked up to make sure they don't violate STELA.

When satellite TV first started the broadcasters and advertisers were very upset that people would be able to watch stations from outside their own area, thereby not seeing local advertisements. The STELA act authorizes satellite TV providers to rebroadcast TV stations but restricts them to providing those broadcasts only to people who live near the appropriate cities.

Since the spot beams for different metro areas overlap a lot, particularly on the east coast, I wouldn't be surprised if someone in legal hasn't gotten concerned that they have no way of knowing if you're really, for example, in the Philadelphia area or are simply a DC area person who wants to be able to watch an Eagles game. Even though people have been doing this for years doesn't relieve DirecTV of the responsibility of making sure they don't knowingly allow this to happen. Dish Network was forbidden for year from providing DNS service because they weren't too rigorous in enforcing the rules for who qualifies for DNS. Maybe someone at DTV is worried about something similar happening if they permit people to change their locals frequently and without offering any proof they are actually in that city?

Tom N · 08-20-2014, 07:36 AM

If you change your "service address" to your current location WHAT locals do they give you??

From my experience, if you change your "SERVICE address", the appropriate local stations are automatically applied. No need to ask for specific locals.

pcurt23 · 08-20-2014, 07:42 AM

Direct tv does offer Distant network service (fee of course). I have it. You can get the network feeds from the east or west coast. Unfortunately, if you are using your home receiver when you travel it is not available. You have to have a separate account for the rv. Yep that means two bills. All that has to do with STELA. I tried reading and understanding that link but I really could not understand it.

You can suspend the accounts for a total of 6 months per year so that helps with the cost. But I end up with two tv bills for at least 7 months per year.

https://support.directv.com/app/answ...rvice-(dns)%3F

wa8yxm · 08-20-2014, 08:02 AM

U.S. Copyright Office - Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act of 2010

One of the problems many RVers have is the use of a "Spare" receiver on their home account in the RV.. Under the law, HOME accounts qualify for delivery of LOCAL stations, which are spot beamed, in the area of said HOME, BUT..... If you drive out of the spot.. you are in the dark.

RV accounts qualify for "Distant Network Service" Direc offers that for a slight additional charge, out of either LA or NYC area (sometimes both). But if your house is capable of receiving LOCAL stations using an over the air antenna... Your house account does NOT qualify for Distant Network Service.

But the link above takes you to the act..

Personally I get all the local stations (Using my Batwing+Wingman+sensar pro) and do not worry about DirecTV at all.

Cat · 08-20-2014, 11:27 AM

If its against the STELA rules and regulations it would against the rules and regulations for both Direct Tv and Dish.Not just Direct. I have had no problems with Dish giving me the local channels at the locations I'm staying at.Did it 3 weeks ago.

docj · 08-20-2014, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cat

If its against the STELA rules and regulations it would against the rules and regulations for both Direct Tv and Dish.Not just Direct. I have had no problems with Dish giving me the local channels at the locations I'm staying at.Did it 3 weeks ago.

The law is the same for both companies, but how their legal counsels interpret it can differ. As I noted previously, Dish must have broken the rules once regarding DNS and, as a result, they were forbidden from selling it. Maybe the general counsel at Dish is more of an "ask forgiveness rather than permission" sort of guy while maybe the one at DirecTV is more like the GC's I often encountered in corporate life who started from a position of "the answer is no, now what's the question?" Some companies are more risk-averse than others.

docj · 08-20-2014, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom N

If you change your "service address" to your current location WHAT locals do they give you??

From my experience, if you change your "SERVICE address", the appropriate local stations are automatically applied. No need to ask for specific locals.

For any given service address in the US there "are" or "are not" locals that are assigned to it (people who do not live near a city for which DirecTV carries local stations may not receive any). Once you provide the physical address you will receive whatever locals come with it; you don't have to specify anything else.