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Distant Networks: STELA reauth, DNS and LiL

55K views 792 replies 75 participants last post by  GekkoDBS 
#1 ·
Interesting article at Multichannel, apparently some in Congress want to pressure Directv to provide locals for the 12 DMAs they current don't:

https://www.multichannel.com/news/s...rectv-for-small-market-remote-area-tv-signals

This is interesting because D14 launched with beams specifically targeted at some of these DMAs (such as Ottumwa IA) but they never added locals for them. My guess at the time it launched was that by moving beams around between D14 and D11/D12 they'd be able to cover all markets, but if not they can definitely cover most of the missing dozen markets. The rest could be covered with CONUS transponders which they will have spare capacity on by the end of the year.

So if they can cover some/all markets, why have they never added locals for them? The only reason I can think of is because it costs money for them to set up a local receive facility to deliver the locals to one of the regional uplink sites, and then they need equipment at those sites to uplink them to the satellites. These are small markets, and probably they don't see a return on investment.

If Congress wants to play hardball, they could remove Directv's ability to provide DNS to customers in those markets (or entirely by eliminating their right to provide them for customers with grandfathered DNS) so this might force them into adding locals for those markets. Or if Directv won't budge, they might be forced to drop DNS at the end of the year when the current STELA expires.
 
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#542 · (Edited)
Just to add a little more to the pool of data... RV Waiver user here, and because of the date I signed up I only got the "East Coast" DNS stations. I also did receive my regular local channels too though as long as I am within the spot beam of home.

The past two nights I've watched WCBS and left the TV playing after their late night programs went off. WCBS plays a lot of older CBS shows or talk shows in the wee morning hours that apparently are not "cleared" for this new world of DNS they're operating under. Friday night "Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen" was blacked out on WCBS in my location. It comes on our local WMYA affiliate at the same time, so I sort of understood that one. Last night the showing of "Leverage" on WCBS was blacked out as well though. It does show on our local CBS station at 3am though. So, it appears if a local station has the rights to a show that isn't network material WCBS has to black it out now. This doesn't bode well for those of us who loved getting extra football games on the DNS stations.

At some point in the last two days I lost the CW Plus feed on 394 too. That was a major bummer. I was starting to like the 10pm hour long run of "Seinfeld" they offered each night.

Now I only get WCBS, WNBC, and WNYW.

I'd be curious to hear from other RV Waiver users who also have locals as to whether you have WABC and the CW Plus feed still or not. I had them both for a few days, and then they went away. It looks like one of the "tests" under the new system may also be whether you get other locals from DirecTV or not. This makes no sense though, considering the whole point of DNS is for when you are outside your spot beam area.
 
#544 ·
Just to add a little more to the pool of data... RV Waiver user here, and because of the date I signed up I only got the "East Coast" DNS stations. I also did receive my regular local channels too though as long as I am within the spot beam of home.

The past two nights I've watched WCBS and left the TV playing after their late night programs went off. WCBS plays a lot of older CBS shows or talk shows in the wee morning hours that apparently are not "cleared" for this new world of DNS they're operating under. Friday night "Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen" was blacked out on WCBS in my location. It comes on our local WMYA affiliate at the same time, so I sort of understood that one. Last night the showing of "Leverage" on WCBS was blacked out as well though. It does show on our local CBS station at 3am though. So, it appears if a local station has the rights to a show that isn't network material WCBS has to black it out now. This doesn't bode well for those of us who loved getting extra football games on the DNS stations.

At some point in the last two days I lost the CW Plus feed on 394 too. That was a major bummer. I was starting to like the 10pm hour long run of "Seinfeld" they offered each night.

Now I only get WCBS, WNBC, and WNYW.
That is interesting, I wondered whether the NFL games were part of the reason the CBS new agreement might not be including certain people, obviously FOX has the NFC games but maybe they are not factoring it into their decision making.

CBS West in NY area is now back to greyed out in the guide for those who lost it.
 
#546 ·
DTV CSR from MS told me to use the streaming apps to watch the networks. I tried ABC. After registering and logging in, I got this error message:

You have not been signed in since it appears your TV subscription does not include access to the following channel(s):

ABC Logo

If you believe you have received this message in error, please contact your TV provider.

OK, GOT IT

I went back to her but she was gone.
 
#563 ·
  • ABC must have changed their requirements at some point. Previously you could watch the most recent 3-5 episodes of a show on demand without logging in but it seems ABC/Disney now requires TV Everywhere authentication for everything.
  • CBS, Fox and NBC will still allow you to watch the most recent episodes of an in-season show without TV Everywhere credentials. Usually somewhere around 2-5 episodes. Sports excluded.
  • The CW doesn't use TV Everywhere authentication to view content so your good there.
If you want full access to shows from ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC within the current TV season that would normally require TV Everywhere authentication here are alternatives:
  • ABC, Fox and NBC - Their primetime and late night network content (excluding sports and live award ceremonies) are available on Hulu. You can subscribe to the ad-supported $5.99/mo plan to gain full access to this content. As a bonus there is a lot more content available with Hulu as well.
  • CBS - For the full primetime and late night network content you would want a CBS All-Access Limited Commercial $5.99/mo subscription. In most areas CBS All Access includes a live feed of a local CBS affiliate as well.
 
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#554 ·
I'm the RVer who's been continuing to get both east and west coast feeds for all five networks. I just noticed that I lost the east and west coast feeds for both ABC and CW. They are grayed out on my channel grid, and I get a "721-Channel Not Purchased" if I tune them in. I know I watched ABC this afternoon, so it must have happened in the last few hours.
 
#555 ·
Are you seeing channel 60 (CW)? I have not seen that reported by a subscriber yet, but someone should be getting it.
 
#562 ·
Sunday Ticket is subject to blackout for RV users. It's based on your account service address just like regular customers.
It is just your local teams right, so if you live in NY and you have an RV account, you can't watch Jets/Giants via Sunday Ticket, correct?

I understand Directv needs to maintain the secrecy of their new agreements but I've asked a Directv employee on the ATT forums who has helped me in the past, to try to see if Directv can provide an input code that the rep could type into the computer to determine if one of the channels can be reinstated.

Yeah I know, the chances of Directv providing that are zero, and again, maybe it means nothing but I really think that 391 appearing white in the guide could mean it is available to be reinstated.

I realize CBS might blackout the NFL games but I'd like to get this channel back and see what happens if and when the NFL starts.
 
#579 ·
It has been an uphill battle the past few years. AT&T|DIRECTV believes that dishes (and often receivers) only work when professionally installed by their technicians or their contractors. Getting them to accept that a system was moved by the consumer and works perfectly in the new location - no need to send a tech - is a challenge. Focus on "I have moved" and "the system is working fine, I just need to change my address". If you mention any problems (such as "I can't get my locals at the new address") the CSR will probably see that as a repair issue and want to send out a tech.

Roulette may work - spin the wheel, call again, see if you can get a customer service representative who will believe that you - a mere mortal - could move your dish and equipment, set it up at a new address and get it working without specialized AT&T|DIRECTV training. I suppose that too many people can't accurately align a modern DIRECTV dish.
 
#583 ·
Regarding "Office of the President": I've been retired from AT&T for a few years, but here's how it works: "Office of the President" is an AT&T internal escalations process/group available to AT&T employees to handle inquiries from friends/family/general public when normal customer service channels fail. The employee fills out a web form and the customer is contacted by an "Office of the President" representative, usually within a few hours.
 
#586 ·
Tell them the house you moved to already had a dish and everything installed, all you did was plug everything in and it worked perfectly. And tell them you have someone who is immune compromised in your household and you won't allow anyone inside without passing a covid test first.
 
#589 ·
The plot thickens.

I'm the fulltimer RVer who somehow kept all the networks longer than a lot of people, and then lost both the east coast and west coast feeds of ABC, but kept everything else. In the past hour, I've now lost both the east coast and west coast feeds of all of the networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, CW), as well as the one national PBS feed.
 
#590 ·
Call in and please report back what they say, better to call in and say "cancel service", that will transfer you to the Customer Loyalty department, you have the best chance of possibly getting them back through them, good luck.

Tri state area over here, home subscriber, still have NBC and FOX west feeds.
 
#596 ·
Once the Locast account is created you can change your VPN to any available area where Locast is at and watch. I can watch from every area available from my VPN. Washington DC, Denver, Dallas, Houston, NY and LA. But not from my phone or tablet. It seems my phone and tablet gives its location by GPS instead of the IP address. Web browser and streaming boxes work OK for me though.
 
#597 ·
Several people in a RV forum are saying they got an email this week from ATT regarding DNS. It states:

"We recently notified you that Congress had decided not to renew
key provisions of the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act Reauthorization (STELAR) and that as a result, you would have lost access to out-of-market broadcast networks ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, and The CW starting June 1, 2020.

We’re happy to let you know that DIRECTV will now continue to provide you with access to broadcast networks CBS, FOX, and NBC as part of your Mobile Network Package. Unfortunately, access to ABC and The CW networks are no longer part of your Mobile Network Package.

In recognition of any inconvenience to you, we are adjusting the price of your Mobile Network Package from $15 to $11, effective June 1, 2020. Please note this new price (and any related credits) will appear within 1 to 2 billing cycles.

If you have any questions, please call us at 866.595.9429.

Thank you for choosing DIRECTV."

Unfortunately so far I have not gotten this notice.
 
#598 ·
Sounds like Directv doesn't think a deal with ABC is coming anytime soon. I wonder what the holdup is? Maybe they are pressing them to renegotiate the ESPN/Disney deal to get it or something.
 
#601 ·
Has anyone had their distants reinstated?
 
#602 ·
It has been reported on other forums that full time RVers who still have a mobile DirecTV (not ATT) account have gotten CBS, NBC and FOX DNS back. Those of us who were migrated to an ATT account have not gotten all of those back (although I never lost the FOX stations). I have been told that there are no mobile ATT accounts.
 
#610 ·
This evening I spent over an hour on the phone speaking to 3 different people, the first 2 who said that my CBS channels 390 & 391 should never have been turned off in the first place. My NBC & FOX channels never disappeared, but the 2 CBS channels were turned off on Sunday, May 31st at precisely 6:00 p.m. CDT, several hours before they were supposed to be turned off. The guide then showed them grayed out.

At that time I Immediately called and spoke to a DirecTV rep who admitted they should not yet have been switched off. He told me he would get them turned back on. A few hours later my guide no longer showed them grayed out. Instead, they were once again lit up. However, I was unable to tune to them. Over the next few months, I periodically called and even sent a letter to DirecTV, politely explaining the law, my situation, and their having inadvertently turned off 390/391 too soon and their promise to reinstate those 2 channels. My conversations tonight were the longest, including a special DirecTV "Loyalty Representative" to whom I was transferred. She was basically useless, even telling me that she lacked the technological capability to turn that channel on or off. She said she was in the tech department, but that they don't have the ability to turn those channels on, that that is solely up to CBS. I tried not to laugh, and I politely told her that I knew that was not an accurate, truthful statement.

To make a long story short, she told me to have my Congressman contact DirecTV and request that those 2 channels be turned on for me.

This whole thing is ridiculous, especially when it appears that those 2 channels should NOT have been switched off in the first place.
 
#611 · (Edited)
I strongly believe all the reps have been firmly instructed not to implement any further changes to a former DNS recipient’s eligibility, regardless of whether they were incorrectly pulled or not. I further believe it has to do with specific, apparently confidential language in the new contracts CBS, NBC, and Fox signed just before the STELAR regs ran out. IOW once a viewer lost his DNS, they could NEVER get them back unless a physical relocation to an unserved area occurred. It is also apparent that although said contracts were signed BEFORE STELAR ran out, for some reason DirecTV couldn’t perform a blanket implementation of the new policy in time and the clock ran out for some subscribers. It is almost like multiple reps each had lists of a single distant net’s customers and were attempting to cancel out the channels’ impending disappearance, one viewer at a time.

As to why some subscribers did manage to get their DNS back, well, who really knows? Maybe some CSRs took it upon themselves to right a wrong, but I doubt AT&T/DirecTV would ever condone such a tacit admital that a mistake had ever been made in the first place. So now that door is completely shut.

Furthermore, why some had their DNS pulled BEFORE the midnight EST deadline...simple human error? More complicated computer error?

I humbly suggest we stop banging our heads against the wall (especially yours truly) and enjoy what we might have left. Because who can guess how long that will last? Confidential contracts, you know.
 
#612 ·
It seems they can't handle things that used to just take a few minutes anymore in relation to anything doing with "mobility" or DNS, which for many was a huge plus for choosing DirecTV over other solutions. AT&T has basically turned DirecTV into a "cable" system where things like temporary service address changes and DNS are not something they plan for or care to support any longer.

The elimination of local channel changes and our inability to apply for DNS (before the STELA sunset) in our RV was THE reason we left. One of the big advantages of sat over cable, and that was what kept us around all that time was the ability to move around and take our service with us, including local channels.

We fought with AT&T for over 3 months last year to get our local channels correct after they migrated our account to the AT&T system with a temporary service address change in effect. Long story short, after multiple hours on the phone, a high level tech figured out that if we created a move request, even though it was from/to the same billing address under the same name, would update our lineup. Once that change happened (it took about an hour), they then went in and cancelled the move request before it was actually processed on the billing side of things so we wouldn't get charged 200.00 and generate a new 2 year commitment.

That fixed our lineup issue but our billing was still screwed up, still showed our service address somewhere else and we were overcharged almost 25.00 each month due to tax and fee differences between our home and seasonal locations. Their "solution" was to credit back the overpayments and create a new, perpetual monthly credit to "get us close" to what we should be paying. We decided after all this to just toss in the towel after 22 years as a DirecTV customer. When we left, we still had over 100.00 in credits on our account which took another 4 months and two calls to the Office of the President to finally get credited back to our autopay CC.

It just shouldn't be this difficult to do such basic things, yet here we are.
 
#614 ·
It seems they can't handle things that used to just take a few minutes anymore in relation to anything doing with "mobility" or DNS, which for many was a huge plus for choosing DirecTV over other solutions. AT&T has basically turned DirecTV into a "cable" system where things like temporary service address changes and DNS are not something they plan for or care to support any longer.
Like I've said before, I think it the move to the AT&T computer system was to blame. Uverse TV works like cable, people can't move receivers around to a second home, when they move to a new house, or in an RV, so it didn't have support for that sort of thing. Same thing with owned receivers and DNS channels, like cable providers Uverse TV didn't have those. So they had to fit Directv customers into the system designed for Uverse TV, and that stuff was lost.

They could have added support for that to their system, but they probably checked and found only a small percentage of customers owned receivers or had RV accounts, moving receivers to a second home or temporarily in an RV was against existing terms of service, and they could manage people moving to a new house from their end.

Similar reasoning for not allowing other receivers on an account with an HS17, how many customers need more than 7 tuners?

Problem is, if you cut off too many "niche" customers they can add up to a lot overall.
 
#622 ·
Same thing here, I tried, the Retentions Rep tried a few things in the computer, could not get CBS West back, it did not jeopardize the other ones I still have, I did share your worry though but I think you can give it a shot without losing the others.

Based on the latest posts it appears that nothing is settled, I don't think the reps know how to reinstate them, not because of some ATT conspiracy, just because AT&T does not put a lot of care and resources into the Directv services.

Keep trying, I will try again, if it happens I will ask the Rep how he or she was able to reinstate the channel and report back here, good luck.
 
#621 ·
Apparently something super double secret like the original agreements where details were not disclosed. :D
 
#624 ·
I sent an inquiry to an ATT DNS e-mail address that was floating around from a year or so ago when they started asking for updated documentation from RV owners inquiring about why I lost the DNS stations despite being on a valid RV waiver but never received a reply. I've been using Channels DVR with my HDHomeRun devices for several years and like AT&T and others they offer the ability to integrate Locast streams into your guide and record them, etc. I ended up just going that route and have zero complaints. Now instead of being limited to just ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX from NYC I get all the NYC area locals including Pix11. Streaming is the future anyway, so might as well adapt now. I'm good unless Locast gets sued out of business.
 
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