# cancelling landline/NFL ticket



## ovitman36 (Oct 9, 2008)

I have a 4 unit DirectTV system with 2 DirectTivos and 2 DirectTV plus DVR's. I want to cancel my landline phone and go strictly with the cell. In the early years I was told a landline was necessary for blackout purposes. I brought it up a couple years ago when calling about something else and I thought they told me that wasn't necessary anymore with the DirectTv plus units. I think a salesman told me the same thing but I don't trust salesman. I have one of each in my room and removed the phone lines almost 2 years ago when I rearranged the room. The plus unit works the same but the Tivo unit promps a daily reminder to connect the phone line but there has been no deterioration in service. The dog ate through the phone line of the plus unit in the living room 6 months ago and it still works fine. The only phone line that has been plugged in continuosly is the Tivo unit on the back porch. Could that be giving me NFL Ticket service to all 4 units or can I remove that line also without problems. Has anyone else with "The Ticket" discontinued their lanlline and what happened? Thanks.


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## TonyTheTiger (Dec 22, 2006)

You can safely remove the landline. The only thing it is used for is basically for ordering PPV, which is best done online anyway as you can watch on all DVRs, not just to one that does the ordering. I think it also sends some anonymous usage data too, but that's no big loss!


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## dishrich (Jan 16, 2002)

Before you ditch the landline, make sure your Tivo's are updated on the latest software, since those DO require a call-in to activate the new software. But other than that & a daily nag screen, it won't affect the Tivo's. No affect on the DVR+ units at all.


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## ovitman36 (Oct 9, 2008)

"Before you ditch the landline, make sure your Tivo's are updated on the latest software, since those DO require a call-in to activate the new software."


If I wanted to update in the future could I take the units to a home with a landline or would that not work?


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## bengalfreak (Oct 20, 2002)

That's hit or miss. It seems many are having trouble getting the new software after it has been out for awhile.


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## dishrich (Jan 16, 2002)

ovitman36 said:


> If I wanted to update in the future could I take the units to a home with a landline or would that not work?


Yea, but why wouldn't you just do it now while you still got the LL right there in YOUR house???   
If you are ALREADY on 6.4a, then you don't need to update anything now...


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## ovitman36 (Oct 9, 2008)

If I wanted to update in the future could I take the units to a home with a landline or would that not work? 

"Yea, but why wouldn't you just do it now while you still got the LL right there in YOUR house??? 
If you are ALREADY on 6.4a, then you don't need to update anything now."


I WILL do that. As a matter of fact I'm going to hook them all up tomorrow and wait a couple of weeks to cancel so hopefully I will receive any updates that have come through since they were last hooked up. But "in the future" as my question states, I won't have LL and I assume they're will be periodic updates. And I don't know what 6.4a is. Thanks.


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## ovitman36 (Oct 9, 2008)

Their, not they're. Hate that.


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## exit57 (Jun 30, 2005)

There not their nor they're.


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## bengalfreak (Oct 20, 2002)

ovitman36 said:


> Their, not they're. Hate that.


Jeez, if you are going to post off topic to correct someone, at least use the correct spelling yourself.


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## dishrich (Jan 16, 2002)

ovitman36 said:


> And I don't know what 6.4a is.


Then just get them hooked up to your phone & force a call to the DVR service to install the updates & it should fix things...


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## ovitman36 (Oct 9, 2008)

I just found this on the Directtv website. It seems to be at odds with other peoples experiences here. It sounds like if you want a sports package such as the NFL ticket you can NEVER give up your landline and have to pay an extra $30 per month just to keep that landline - an expense they don't tell you about when selling the product. How did the previous responders get around this???



"What is the purpose of connecting my receiver to my telephone line? 
With this phone connection, DIRECTV customers are authorized to order pay per view movies and events with their remote control and get popular sports subscriptions such as NFL SUNDAY TICKET. You cannot connect a cellular phone to your receiver; it must be a land-based phone line. 

Customers who don't have a continuous telephone connection are not authorized to receive certain sports programming and must call us to order Pay Per View. 

Why do I need to have a land-based phone line connected to receive sports programming? 
In order for us to comply with the blackout rules established by each professional sports league, we require our sports customers to have a continuous land-based phone connection to their DIRECTV Receiver. 

Sports subscriptions cannot be cancelled, transferred, refunded, or credited (in part or in whole) after the season starts."


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## wedgecon (Dec 28, 2002)

None of my DirecTivo's are connected to a land line and I have had the sunday ticket for years with no problem The only thing I can no longer do is order PPV via the remote. DirecTV has always wanted the units plugged in but have never enforced it and never will.


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## wedgecon (Dec 28, 2002)

Also there is no way they could enforce blackouts based on phone numbers. The blackouts are enforced based on the address they have on where the receiver is.


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## ovitman36 (Oct 9, 2008)

"Also there is no way they could enforce blackouts based on phone numbers. The blackouts are enforced based on the address they have on where the receiver is."

I'm not taking their side as I don't believe in the blackout rule but I thought they COULD tell by the phone number where the receiver is. If they simply go by mailing address the receiver could be moved to a blacked out area without their knowledge. Or am I missing something?


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## litzdog911 (Oct 18, 2002)

ovitman36 said:


> "Also there is no way they could enforce blackouts based on phone numbers. The blackouts are enforced based on the address they have on where the receiver is."
> 
> I'm not taking their side as I don't believe in the blackout rule but I thought they COULD tell by the phone number where the receiver is. If they simply go by mailing address the receiver could be moved to a blacked out area without their knowledge. Or am I missing something?


Sure, that could happen. But it's clearly a violation of DirecTV's terms and conditions. Bottom line is that they don't use the phone connection to verify the Receiver's location.


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## bguppies (Jun 29, 2003)

ovitman36 said:


> "Also there is no way they could enforce blackouts based on phone numbers. The blackouts are enforced based on the address they have on where the receiver is."
> 
> I'm not taking their side as I don't believe in the blackout rule but I thought they COULD tell by the phone number where the receiver is. If they simply go by mailing address the receiver could be moved to a blacked out area without their knowledge. Or am I missing something?


I haven't been able to get any of my 3 DirecTivos to make a succesful call in 4 years or so.

Hasn't affected my Sunday Ticket at all.

They do the blackout completely by your *SERVICE* address. (TRUST me, I get blacked out according to Atlanta locals, where my service is. )
It has absolutely nothing to do with the phone number or connecting to your landline. (which none of mine are in Georgia)

As long as you can deal with clearing nag screens periodically, you will have no problems. (like someone already said, just order PPV online)

Bill


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## dishrich (Jan 16, 2002)

bguppies said:


> They do the blackout completely by your *SERVICE* address. (TRUST me, I get blacked out according to Atlanta locals, where my service is. )
> It has absolutely nothing to do with the phone number or connecting to your landline. (which none of mine are in Georgia)
> 
> As long as you can deal with clearing nag screens periodically, you will have no problems. (like someone already said, just order PPV online)


Absolutely correct - have many clients w/out phone lines & NFLST, as well as both of our RSN's & other sports pkgs & NONE have ever had a problem.


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## wedgecon (Dec 28, 2002)

People have been worried in the past that DirecTV may start enforcing the rule by requiring that the phone number you dial in with matches what they have on file but they have never done this. 

It is also true that using ANI with their 800 number you can not block them from seeing your phone number.

But they can not get your location based on your phone number as there are ways you can have a phone number that does not match your location. 

Also the blackout rules do not really follow the area codes as they tend to specify a distance from the home field or a specific marketing DMA area. It is possible an area code could an include an area that is both in and out of the blackout area.


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