Is Dish address borker working?

[tampa8]

Addresses in Connecticut that were in a white area are now showing nothing but PBS available. Can someone (from anywhere) check a known address that gets distants and see if it comes up correctly?

[Greg Bimson]

"address borker"

I'll have to remember that one. :)

The issue here isn't that there were addresses in Connecticut that were in a white area. The lawsuit between the network affiliate boards and Dish Network showed what Dish Network's process was in order to say people were in a white area.

Dish Network was using two databases: one for the ILLR maps (which is what distant network qualification is based upon, provided by a company called Decision Mark) and another to determine co-channel interference. Since the courts threw out the co-channel interference database and forced Dish Network to requalify all distant network subscribers, whatever Dish Network deemed a "white area" prior to the injunction may have significantly changed.

Whatever may be coming up in "address borker" now as qualfication results is probably more correct than before.

[tampa8]

Thank-you for your reply. That certainly could be the explanation. There are two locations in particular that there is no way to get anything but a snowy CBS signal - yet neither now qualify for distants. (Dish will lose both those subscribers because Dish does not carry Connecticut locals) Certainly seems like it will just be easier to get Direct TV and get the locals.

[Toucano]

Hi,

Long-time listener, first-time caller here!

I've had Dish since 1997 and recently upgraded my model 4000 receiver with a 721.

I have always had all the Distant Nets (NY) and the Cleveland locals since they became available. I qualified even though we are not in the DMA for Cleveland.

After customer service authorized the 721, I lost the PBS national feed. I called and the CSR and she had me reinsert the smart card and said it would reboot and I would get my PBS. Well, it didn't happen, but I figured I could just adapt to the Cleveland PBS affiliate schedule and that would be OK. I know there have been some changes in the way PBS qualifies people for the national feed, so I figured it wasn't worth the hassle.

Out of curiosity, I put my address in the "borker" (sometimes typos are like Freudian slips :)) and it now shows that I don't qualify for the Cleveland affiliates or the distant nets - not CBS anyway.

Should I be concerned that they'll take my network channels away? What exactly is the definition of "grandfathered" and how long does that status last? Do you think I should call and try to get the national PBS feed back or am I better off not drawing attention to myself? I would be willing to pay the $1.50 per month if necessary.

Thanks for the input!

[Toucano]

Should I be concerned that they'll take my network channels away? What exactly is the definition of "grandfathered" and how long does that status last? Do you think I should call and try to get the national PBS feed back or am I better off not drawing attention to myself? I would be willing to pay the $1.50 per month if necessary.

UPDATE!

I was able to "add" national PBS via the website for $1.50 per month.

[TimL]

Welcome Toucano!
Just out of curiosity where do you live that you are still getting Cleveland Locals? It cant be terribly far from me (I live in the Canton area.) In my area that was a "White" area for distants, I now cant get CBS distants..(You can E-mail or PM me if you want)

Tim Lones

[FTA Michael]

I just checked again, and I still can't get the PBS National feed. Maybe I need a stronger borker?

[ChrisPC]

http://www.messygourmet.com/img/swedishchef.jpg
Bork Bork Bork! :lol:

[Toucano]

Welcome Toucano!
Just out of curiosity where do you live that you are still getting Cleveland Locals? It cant be terribly far from me (I live in the Canton area.) In my area that was a "White" area for distants, I now cant get CBS distants..(You can E-mail or PM me if you want)

Tim Lones

Tim,

I am in Cambridge, OH (zip 43725). There is a lot of irregularity in the terrain here, and I know that some people near me "qualify" for even less than I do.

I suspect that my real issue is the grandfathering because the website still reports that I now don't qualify for CBS, but I receive NY and Cleveland CBS stations. Sssh!

The only transmitter in Cambridge is for WOUC, Ohio University Athens' PBS station. From a rooftop antenna, I can get that and WHIZ Zanesville's NBC. The WHIZ picture is not watchable in my opinion, although 10 years ago people just lived with it. DBS technology was supposed to bring these options to rural Americans until the government got involved. :(

Can you believe that just two hours from the 13th largest DMA (Cleveland), people never could see "The Simpson's" before DBS?

[dlsnyder]

I just checked my home address in Moreno Valley CA in the old "borker" and found something interesting. For a brief time those of us in the LA area didn't qualify for UPN superstations, but now we do again. I wonder if KCOP lost interest in keeping us as viewers?

[sampatterson]

The Swedish chef, great borker ChrisPC!!!