The Dish Network User's Resource
The Dish Network User's Resource
On October 2006 Dish Network was ordered by the courts to REMOVE ALL DISTANT ABC, CBS,
NBC and FOX network channels on or before December 1, 2006.
This is a
punitive measure against Echostar/Dish Network for flagrant violation of the law
that allowed Dish Network to offer these channels in the first place. This ruling affects
ALL Dish Network Subscribers with network channels
from outside their local area (Including CBS HD) regardless of geographical location,
grandfathered status, waivers, RV exemption, Significantly Viewed (channels in
the 6000 range) or any other loop-hole one can think
of. To be completely clear:
NO DISH NETWORK SUBSCRIBERS WILL QUALIFY FOR DISTANT NETWORK CHANNELS
THROUGH DISH NETWORK AS
OF DECEMBER 1, 2006. The PERMANENT court injunction is all-inclusive for ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox
from outside your local area. Other
channels, networks, super station, etc are unaffected by the injunction..
You may read the court injunction
HERE and the
court-authored explanation
HERE
Dish Network's motion to delay the cut-off to April was denied by the courts.
The decision can be found HERE.
On December 1, 2006 all Distant Network were removed from all subscribers.
DishNets distant networks longer exist
HOWEVER....
A company called NPS/All America Direct has contracted with Dish Network to lease a
transponder at 119°. As of December 1, 2006 they are offering distant
networks on Dish Network channels 5731-5738 (also on channels 241-248 as of
1/17/07). ALL DISH NETWORK SUBSCRIBERS MUST RE-QUALIFY for
distant networks. It doesn't matter who your grandfather was. NPS/All
America Direct is a separate company form Dish Network and has
absolutely no ties to Echostar with the exception that it is leasing a
transponder at 119° and providing its own service.
Currently NPS offers ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox from Atlanta and San Francisco.
East or west feeds are not available individually. If a subscriber qualifies for a network they well get both.
12/1/06 3/1/07 NBC East and West $2.50 $2.99 CBS East and West $2.50 $2.99 NBC East and West $2.50 $2.99 Fox East and West $2.50 $2.99 All Four Networks East and West $9.00 $10.99
To check if you qualify for distant network service, go to THIS web site
-------------------------------
On December 15, 2006 the motion to hold Dish Network in contempt of court for creating this deal with NPS and a motion to "Clarify" the injunction to include NPS have been denied. This means that NPS can legally provide distant network channels to QUALIFYING subscriber.
To check if you qualify, go Here
To read the ruling against CBS et.al. click HERE
On January 8, 2007 the US Supreme Court rejected without comment Echostar's appeal to remove the lower court's injunction. This means that until Congress changes the law, Dish Network will not be allowed to legally sell distant network channels to anyone for any reason. NPS (National Programming Services)/All American Direct is the only solution for those with Dish Network service.
On January 17, 2007 Dish Network Replaced the 241-248 Distant Network block of channels with NPS Distant Network Channel. These channels are still in the 5730-5740 block as well as the 240-250 block now. They are all at 119° transponder 15.
The information below no longer applies due to the court ruling detailed above. The rest of this page is presented as historical information and should not be regarded as accurate.
I'm new to Dish Network, and I want to try to qualify for Distant Locals or Dishnets. What should I do first?
Check your qualification at the Dish Network address qualification web site.
See:
http://customersupport.dishnetwork.com/customernetqual/nqCustomerLocalsCheck.jsp.
This web site uses the same data base as the CSR's computers. If you qualify,
you can call Dish Network and order any package that is allowed from the results
page. Existing customers who have had Dishnets since before SHVIA was passed,
may be "grandfathered", and not subject to the results from the address broker
data base.
I have read and heard that some customers' distant net feeds are "grandfathered" for some undisclosed period of time. Does anyone know absolutely for sure what the detailed rules are on grandfathering in this context, and where a copy of the rules can be found?
Supposedly, viewers who had distant nets before November 1999, in the grade B contour of the broadcasters signal contour map, are grandfathered. For information on contours at your location consult the web based application at http://www.bsexton.com. More information is available from the FCC at http://www.fcc.gov/csb/shva/shviafac.html.
I may not be "grandfathered", I've heard that if I make changes in my account, I may lose my Dishnets. Is this true?
There is a distinct possibility that you might. See: Will my Dishnets be Cut off?
My Dishnets were cut off already. What can I do?
Your best bet is to request waivers. See: If your DishNets have been cut off.
I noticed that my status on the address broker has changed. I'm about ready to have my Dish 500 installed next week. If I had a signal test done and was found incapable of receiving OTA signals, should I be worried about losing my distant networks?
The only signal test that counts anymore has to be agreed upon by your provider,
and the broadcaster that will not provide waivers to your provider.
Since SHVIA, I have not heard of anyone who has regained their networks via a
signal test. Although the language of the law say that you can request one, both
broadcasters and the satellite companies have systematically ignored all
requests. The FCC is taking comments from concerned parties to develop a
procedure to designate an impartial signal testing agency.
06/23/00 Flash The FCC has announced that the ARRL will be involved in selecting an impartial tester in the event of a dispute which requires a signal test. Procedures for signal testing have still not been established yet, and several more months may go by before some of the language of the law is put to the test. The bottom line right now is that you probably still can't get a signal test yet.