DISH and other Satellite users in VI - important news

I wish I had that problem. I couldn't even get anyone to come out & install a dish.

Good luck with getting this straightened out.

It's not a congressional doing, but a judicial one. Congress is trying to undo it. This is why they are asking you to tell your congressmen and senators how you feel, to encourage them to override the courts decision by passing a law.

http://www.onepaper.com/stthomasvi/?v=d&i=&s=News:Local&p=1153546372

RL

as I can get Ozzie and Harriet and Leave it to Beaver.

Today the networks are much to violent for my '50's life.

What's really ticking me off is that the satellite company is still charging me for the local channels! It's bad enough I can't watch CSI now and then.

Ronnie, the original article on STT Source did say that "satellite television services such as DISH network have imposed a federally mandated blackout on all network televsion to the Virgin Islands in recent days," and further mentioned "Congressional" several times as in that the blackout was because of "recently enacted Congressional legislation...the Virgin Islands are considered long-distance receivers," and "every Dish network TV subscriber in the Virgin Islands was being affected by the Congressional ruling."

Yes. Onika, it truly sucks! You can still get CSI regular reruns on Spike and Bravo but my main peeves are not being able to watch Judge Joe Brown and Judge Judy when I'm puttering around prepping!!! Not to mention Law and Order and CSI AFTER HOURS when I have a chance.

When I called Dish, the gentleman I spoke to said that the billing would be adjusted in the next billing period. If you look at your latest bill it probably reads the same as mine, dated end November and covering period December 1-31.

I 'faxed our Delegate to Congress last night and this morning received a ''faxed copy of her press release on the subject, followed later on in the morning by a 'phone call from a gentleman in her office. He basically blamed everything on Dish/EchoStar and said that although Donna Christian-Green would be following through, nothing would probably happen until January. Yikes!

Seems that once again we're stuck in a muddle but this time through no fault of our own because this particular melee is federally-mandated. Except that if the U.S. Virgin Islands were recognized as "U.S." we wouldn't be continuously relegated to "foreign" status (which we're not.)

Sorry but I have to bring it up again but our V.I.National Guard reserves keep getting called up to perform duty in both Iraq and Afghanistan and yet Virgin Islands residents have no vote in Presidential elections?

Enough is enough and I will shut up right now. But, Onika, you're an attorney, so do your research on this satellite nonsense. Cheers, dear, and the brownie awaits! XXXX

I read the article too. Now go back and read the new article. It was a result of a court case, not congress. They pulled the original article from the Source, as it was totally incorrect and have now written it with the correct news.

RL

I know that Ronnie. Just to clarify, when I first posted, my info was based on talking with a Dish rep and reading the first Source article - then the Source article was rewritten. So, we're on the same page. Have a wonderful holiday and look forward to seeing you in 2007!

Hey STT Res, I didn't say it sucks! I don't watch regular TV anyway so I personally do not feel your pain.

Take away my HBO and that's a whole other issue entirely.

The gloves would be off baby!

Is there still a brownie for me at T&T?

It was my 36th yesterday you know....

Here in Maine the networks were also pulled from Dish network. Our understanding is that they (DishNetwork) were unwilling to pay the networks for the right to carry the signal (after all its free.....right??), and that was the main reason for the courts decision.
Direct TV however (another satellite company) does pay and is still authorized to carry the signal.
Unfortunately, all the networks and stations on the air want to charge for the right to broadcast their signals, selling commercial time is apparently not enough..
Now, NFL has a network that is apparently becoming in high demand. They are not carried by our local cable company (TimeWarner Cable) because TimeWarner doesn't want to pay to carry the signal. I am moving to STT so its not a big deal to me what they do in Maine, however a lot of my friends here are dropping TimeWarner and switching to DirectTV because it seems they are more concerned with what the customers want than anything else and they are cheaper than cable....And, they carry the NFL Network!!!!!!!
Jay

I can understand from the network perspective that since the satellite company is charging their customers for the feed, so why shouldn't the networks receive something, too? Every retail outlet would love it if their inventory came to them free and they could charge their customers for delivery of the product.

My main gripe right now is that Dish Network is still charging me for the channels that they have dropped. I doubt they'll be quick to issue credits unless you really make a stink about it and even then, who knows? They'll just adjust what their package lists as included and charge the same price, most likely.

I don't watch much tv, but it's nice to be able to get network news when something big is going on in the world. Survivor and CSI are also now missing from the "things to do on an otherwise uninspired Thursday night" list. There is no cable tv available in the area where I live, so I don't have any options. I've been pleased with Dish Network until this week. I wouldn't have paid for a satellite dish, installation and monthly access fees to just get the garbage cable tv channel package without any network stations. The channels that still come in are the ones I never watched anyway.

Is DirectTV available on STT???

Yeah, is Directtv available on STT? I'm gonna flip if I have to get regular cable, but DISH is not an optionif I can't watch Lost come february.

You can get back Fox and NBC (CBS and ABC not available here) for $5/month by calling 1-800-786-9677. It's a painless process. When you get the recording, press 2 for distance networks. The wait is relatively short and the representative will ask you for the following information:

Telephone number, name and address (physical and mailing) and your Dish SOO and R00 numbers. To get these, turn on the TV and press "menu" on the remote and then from the menu which will appear on your screen, select 6, then 1, then 3 and you'll see those numbers displayed. If you have more than one receiver you'll obviously need them all.

They have told me that I will be getting these networks within 48 hours.

Too bad about CBS but this fix is still better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. Cheers!

Note to Alexandra - when I spoke to Dish, they assured me that the charges for networks no longer available through them will be deducted/credited. If you look at your latest bill it was probably dated end of November and the networks weren't discontinued until after the bills were sent out.