Locals via billing address

[BobLafleur]

Is the rule that qualifies one for locals based on their service or billing address? I thought I had heard that it was billing...

Anyway, where I live doesn't qualify for locals (and probably won't for a while... We're WAY down on the DMA list). But I use Paytrust bill payment service to pay my bills, so my credit card billing address is in Sioux Falls, SD, which does qualify for locals. So, if I pay with my credit card, do I qualify for SD locals?

Then the next question is... Are those on a spot beam, which means I wouldn't be able to receive them? Also, would this set my whole program guide to SD timezone?

I really don't care if the "network" stations I get are MY locals or network locals from somewhere else... I just want to be able to get ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, FOX, etc. via satellite.

And I'm not trying to break any rules... If the rule says it's the billing address, my credit card has a valid billing address in SD. Just an interesting "loophole" to explore.

- Bob

[James Long]

Locals and Distants are based on SERVICE ADDRESS. The bill can go anywhere. Some people 'move' their service address to get locals or distants.

JL

[Tasydra]

Is the rule that qualifies one for locals based on their service or billing address? I thought I had heard that it was billing...

Anyway, where I live doesn't qualify for locals (and probably won't for a while... We're WAY down on the DMA list). But I use Paytrust bill payment service to pay my bills, so my credit card billing address is in Sioux Falls, SD, which does qualify for locals. So, if I pay with my credit card, do I qualify for SD locals?

Then the next question is... Are those on a spot beam, which means I wouldn't be able to receive them? Also, would this set my whole program guide to SD timezone?

I really don't care if the "network" stations I get are MY locals or network locals from somewhere else... I just want to be able to get ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, FOX, etc. via satellite.

And I'm not trying to break any rules... If the rule says it's the billing address, my credit card has a valid billing address in SD. Just an interesting "loophole" to explore.

- Bob


It's done by service address, not billing. Sorry.

All DMA's, with the exception of the Flagship cities (LA, NY, Denver, Atlanta, Chicago) come down on spot beams. If you don't get locals off dish, well, sorry. :P You can try to qualify for distants, but if you don't, it means that either

1) Your local provider considers you to be in a Grade A or B range

or

2) FCC regulations in your area restrict what you are able to get


If it's 2, good luck, if it's 1, well, that's complex and on going. Basiclly, if you don't think you can get a good signal from, let's say, your local ABC, the burden of proof IS ON ABC. They have to come to your house, do a site survey, and see if you can get at LEAST a B grade (50% or more) signal. If you can't, by LAW they can't deny you a waiver request to get locals out of another city through dish.

Hope this helps.


-Tasy

[bigrick]

They are pretty strict about locals, but if you are on the east coast and can live with the time change on your guide then by all means put in a change of service address with E*, as it is the service addy that counts. Make sure it is a valid address and cross your fingers. These local rules are a bunch of nonsence made up by the Neilsen co. used to market certain items to certain people. It is the 21st century and I am sure a few people missing BillyBob's Transmission comercial(or whatever the locals advertise) isn't going to send you to some firey afterlife. I say you are cheating noone because you'll still be paying the monthly fee.

[James Long]

All DMA's, with the exception of the Flagship cities (LA, NY, Denver, Atlanta, Chicago) come down on spot beams.
That's the goal, but there are several cities on CONUS beams on 110 due to the lack of available spotbeams. (And also cities on 105 and 121 that require SuperDish - which is harder to 'move' with since pro install is required.)

JL

[Tasydra]

That's the goal, but there are several cities on CONUS beams on 110 due to the lack of available spotbeams. (And also cities on 105 and 121 that require SuperDish - which is harder to 'move' with since pro install is required.)

JL

You're right, but this should, for the most part, be resolved with Echostar X going to the 110 location. To my knowledge, there are very few cities on CONUS beams... I'll check in on this.


-Tasy

[James Long]

You're right, but this should, for the most part, be resolved with Echostar X going to the 110 location. To my knowledge, there are very few cities on CONUS beams... I'll check in on this.
Roanoke and Little Rock are on 110 TP5
Lexington and Knoxville are on 110 TP12
Denver (DishNets) and Jackson are on 110 TP14
Atlanta (DishNets) and Dallas (Grandfathered) are on 110 TP16
Springfield (New) and Chicago (DishNets) are on 110 TP20
(FYI: LA and NY DishNets are on 119.)

That's six LIL markets (seven if you count Dallas) that have channels on 110 Conus. I agree that they should be moved to spots when available. If they are not being sold out-of-market (like DishNets) they don't need to be seen out of market. (RV'rs can have DishNets to keep networks when traveling.)

JL

[BobLafleur]

It's done by service address, not billing. Sorry.

All DMA's, with the exception of the Flagship cities (LA, NY, Denver, Atlanta, Chicago) come down on spot beams. If you don't get locals off dish, well, sorry. :P You can try to qualify for distants, but if you don't, it means that either

1) Your local provider considers you to be in a Grade A or B range

or

2) FCC regulations in your area restrict what you are able to get


If it's 2, good luck, if it's 1, well, that's complex and on going. Basiclly, if you don't think you can get a good signal from, let's say, your local ABC, the burden of proof IS ON ABC. They have to come to your house, do a site survey, and see if you can get at LEAST a B grade (50% or more) signal. If you can't, by LAW they can't deny you a waiver request to get locals out of another city through dish.

Hope this helps.


-Tasy

I'm in an area that can get pretty decent receiption with an antenna, so I know I have no chance of getting a waiver to be eligible for distant networks. However, DISH makes available equipment (DVR510, 721, etc) that doesn't have full functionality for off-air stations (i.e. you can't record local off-air stations to the 510 or 721), which is why I want "locals" via satellite. Even if they're not my locals, I want them for their network programming.

My dad lives a little farther out of town, in the hills. If he were on our side of the mountain, he could get the locals fine with an off-air antenna. But he lives on the backside of the mountain, and can't get even enough signal to tell that the station is there at all, nevermind a watchable or semi-watchable signal. But his town is a small one and their ZIPcode is actually that of the neighboring city, which would have no trouble at all getting off-air signals for the local stations. He tried to get a waiver so he could get distant networks, but because of his ZIPcode, the local stations just flat-out denied the waiver. They didn't send any engineers out or anything. If they had sent someone out, maybe he could have gotten a waiver. I suppose he could demand that they send someone out, but he just gave up. So he doesn't get any of the "major" networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, etc), either by antenna or satellite.

Unfortunately, the DMA area qualifications are by ZIPcode. I live just a couple of miles over the line to Enfield, CT, and if I put in their ZIPcode, they qualify for the Hartford locals... I don't. Ironic thing is, a few of our "local" stations are out of Hartford, not Springfield. I really think that Springfield should be eligible for the Hartford locals, but I guess they had to draw the line somewhere, and the state line was the easiest place to do it. I could probably fairly easily find someone in Enfield (I know several people there) that would allow me to use their address for my service address. And even if Hartford locals are on a spot beam, I'm sure to be within range of it.

This whole thing drives me crazy... If the DISH PVR's (510, 721) could record off-air signals, I might be willing to go with an antenna. But they don't. The "what you can get" laws were made by some beaurocrats who probably don't even understand anything about the technology. I'm very tempted to go with the cable company's DVR offering, which it's available, but it's going to cost me a bundle more. I do understand that the 921 will do off-air recording, but I can't shell out those kind of dollars right now.

And rumor has it that my DMA is one of the ones DirecTV will lauch when their new bird is up. But this is just rumor I heard from someone I know who works at a TV station... Can anyone point me to a list of those DMA's that DirecTV has ready to go? Maybe I'll end up going with DirecTV and a DirecTivo, although I really prefer the Dish Network programming packages.

- Bob

[dishrich]

I live just a couple of miles over the line to Enfield, CT, and if I put in their ZIPcode, they qualify for the Hartford locals... I don't. Ironic thing is, a few of our "local" stations are out of Hartford, not Springfield. I really think that Springfield should be eligible for the Hartford locals, but I guess they had to draw the line somewhere, and the state line was the easiest place to do it. I could probably fairly easily find someone in Enfield (I know several people there) that would allow me to use their address for my service address. And even if Hartford locals are on a spot beam, I'm sure to be within range of it.

So, why don't you just "move" your address & get on with life - it takes less than 5 minutes of your time & is a SURE thing to getting nets through your dish. The spot beam won't be a problem & you have several people's addresses to choose from; sounds like you're problem is solved.
;) ;) ;)

[BobLafleur]

Yes, I guess you're right...

What are the "consequences" of "moving" my service address? Will the person I move it to get mail from DISH? Anything else? I just want to be able to tell the person what to expect when I ask them if I can use their address.

- Bob

[Stickyfingers]

If it's anything like w/D*, if you "move" you don't get any mail or the like at the "service address." The only snag you might run into is if you upgrade equipment down the road.

Brian

[TonyM]

Your billing address gets all the mail
Your service address gets the locals

The only snag is there cant be 2 accounts at the same service address..so if you have a relative's address that you can use, make sure they dont have an active E* account.

[BobLafleur]

Your billing address gets all the mail
Your service address gets the locals

The only snag is there cant be 2 accounts at the same service address..so if you have a relative's address that you can use, make sure they dont have an active E* account.

Or whoever I use, make sure they're not thinking about getting E*.

Also as stated above, if I were to ask for additional equipment to be installed, that's where they'd want to show up...

[Jerry 42]

If it helps, I know some one who had service started for his son at 3456-A (second floor of a one story house) so they could get new equipment that was given free only to new subcribers. Then dropped his service at first floor 3456. You could do same with someone at a different address (add - "second floor") but as noted if you need a service call there would be a problem.

[gjrhine]

Go to the Dish website and experiment with addresses in the Do I Qualify for Locals screen. If its good in this screen it's good with the CSR.