Will I lose Distant Broadcast Networks?

[md_paul]

The location of my home currently qualifies me for Dish Network's Distant Broadcast CBS, ABC & PBS networks. Technically, my local market is Baltimore. I see that Dish has listed Baltimore to potentially receive locals by 2004. When this happens, will I lose my Distant networks from E* even if I choose not to subscribe to local Baltimore? I guess I could call Dish and ask.. just checking to see if anyone on this board knows...

Thanks,

- Paul

[FTA Michael]

Generally, the availability of locals via Dish has nothing to do with your eligibility to receive distant networks. If you live in a "white area" that can't pick up a decent signal of the network over the air, then that's why you qualify for distant networks, regardless of whether Dish can also deliver your DMA's signals.

However, sometimes Dish tweaks its address eligibility database. Dish rarely works quickly to shut off anyone who's newly ineligible, but if you should happen to be in this situation, and if you do something to make them pull up your account, you might lose distant networks. That's a lot of ifs, but it does happen now and then.

In sum, if you do nothing, it's probable that nothing will happen.