# American Satallite Says....



## hookbill (Dec 14, 2001)

That they can hook me back up to Direct TV with the new DVR using a dead phone line. They claim they can dial out to an 800 number on the same prinicipal that you cal call 911 on an phone line that is not active.

I talked to a CSR and a Supervisor about this and both assure me it can be done. But when I try and call an 800 number on one of these lines I get nothing but dead air.

I have Vonage and it works by using my modem, not by using lines in the wall.

Does this make sense to anyone?


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## scottt (Sep 6, 2002)

Disconnect your lines in the wall from the main telephone service, then hook your Vonage adapter to them. Then you'll have Vonage throughout the house.


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## ping (Oct 3, 2005)

How can you call an 800 number (or 911 for that matter) without dial tone?

No, I think they're confused. It's inactive *cell phones* that can call 911, not disconnected land lines.

Having said that, the new DVR doesn't need the phone line except for remote-ordered PPV or sports packages (same as a non-DVR receiver).


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## hookbill (Dec 14, 2001)

scottt said:


> Disconnect your lines in the wall from the main telephone service, then hook your Vonage adapter to them. Then you'll have Vonage throughout the house.


My Vonage phone system doesn't work like that.


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## hookbill (Dec 14, 2001)

ping said:


> How can you call an 800 number (or 911 for that matter) without dial tone?
> 
> No, I think they're confused. It's inactive *cell phones* that can call 911, not disconnected land lines.
> 
> Having said that, the new DVR doesn't need the phone line except for remote-ordered PPV or sports packages (same as a non-DVR receiver).


Your correct, both DTV and American Satallite have confirmed it will not be a problem. And I can still order PPV via internet.


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## aristoBrat (Dec 30, 2002)

ping said:


> No, I think they're confused. It's inactive *cell phones* that can call 911, not disconnected land lines.


I think they're confused in that they don't understand that he doesn't have a true land-line, but in my area, if you do have a land-line physically wired to your house, you can dial 911 regardless of if you actually have phone service setup with the land-line provider.

i.e. if you move into a new apt before the phone company has "hooked you up", you'll get a dial tone, although you can't dial anything other than 911. Perhaps this has changed to allow toll free numbers nowadays.


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## gastrof (Oct 31, 2003)

ping said:


> How can you call an 800 number (or 911 for that matter) without dial tone?
> 
> No, I think they're confused. It's inactive *cell phones* that can call 911, not disconnected land lines.
> 
> Having said that, the new DVR doesn't need the phone line except for remote-ordered PPV or sports packages (same as a non-DVR receiver).


Usually landlines that've had their service cut (maybe due to non-payment) can still work with 911. The phone companies are afraid of leaving someone with no way of calling for help, which might lead to them being sued.

Not sure about 800 numbers.

And as for phone service that's been ended _by customer's choice_, that may be something else entirely. They may disconnect the wires all together. I dunno.

You do make a valid point about the dial tone, tho'.

If there's no dial tone, then there's no way it's going to work that I know of. IS there a dial tone or does "dead" mean "silent"?


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## ping (Oct 3, 2005)

Hmm, I stand corrected (maybe). There appears to be a law (or a proposed ruling, or something--FCC isn't exactly clear about anything) regarding "soft dial tone". So it may or may not be necessary for an inactive phone to provide dial tone to access 911. hookbill: are you getting dial tone before pressing any digits? I seriously doubt soft dial tone can dial a toll free number (what originating number would they send via ANI?)


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## mr.unnatural (Feb 2, 2006)

> Having said that, the new DVR doesn't need the phone line except for remote-ordered PPV or sports packages (same as a non-DVR receiver).


You'll need a phone line to complete guided setup. The DTivo needs to make two calls before you can use it. The first call downloads a list of local access numbers by dialing a toll-free number. The 2nd call tests the local number you've chosen from the list to make sure its actually a working number. Once you get past the first two calls you can disconnect the phone. You can make the initial calls from any land-based phone so if you have a friend or neighbor that doesn't mind you using their phone for about 10 minutes you can make the calls.


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## ping (Oct 3, 2005)

Which is why I said "the new DVR doesn't need the phone line".


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## heySkippy (Jul 2, 2001)

hookbill said:


> My Vonage phone system doesn't work like that.


Have you tried? It should.


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## RossoNeri (Nov 26, 2005)

I think it is a regulatory thing. All lines should be active for "lifeline service". 911 dial out should always work if the line is connected back to the CO.

I doubt ANI/ALI would provide a number since dial services are not provisioned. However, since you loop should still be in their DB, the location ID should still work.

<- edit to complete my thought ->

I didn't think that that concept would work for 800 services though... There must be more to it than simply having had a phone line connected at one point...


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## DTVPro (Jun 24, 2005)

one of the R15's few major advantages


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## hookbill (Dec 14, 2001)

Well, we will find out on Wednesday. Now if this doesn't work and I need to haul it to a neighbors house for initial call can that be done without hooking it up to a TV set?


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## hookbill (Dec 14, 2001)

macquariumguy said:


> Have you tried? It should.


I have V-tech phones. They don't hook into a wall they work of my modem and the transmitter. Unless you know something I don't.

Btw the lines sound active....just no dial tone. 

Since this is my latest post I'll ask again. Can I somehow dial it in at a neighbors house without hooking it up to a TV?


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

Hookbill if you are getting an R-15 you won't need the phone line at all to set it up.
If you don't get an R-15 then you will need to haul it to a friends house and hook it up to a phone line and a tv so you can run through the prompts , no sat connection is required.


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## hookbill (Dec 14, 2001)

I don't see how it can connect without a dial tone. I tried dialing an 800 number and nothing happened.  Still these guys at American Satellite insist it will work.


I've already tried before to get some type of wireless adapter for my Vonage but since my Vonage doesn't use my house wireing that just won't work. I can't find anywhere in the forum where they talk about my type of phones. I have a V-tech 8100-2 hooked to a lynksys WRT54G router. Anybody got a link to help me?

I feel really weird asking someone "Can I hook up my DVR through your phone? Oh and by the way I need to hook it up to your tv too."

If push comes to shove I'll have them install without the phone call. Then I'll (gulp) shove out the money to have my land line hooked back up...for one month.

Then I'll disconnect it again.  One way or another I'm getting rid of this POS SA 8300 from the cable company.

Crap, I'm stressed over this!


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## Boston Fan (Feb 8, 2006)

The specific type of phones you have aside, you can wire Vonage throuout your house to any wired phone jack. 

1. Make sure the outside connection coming into your house at the junction box on the side of the house is disconnecetd (the small amount of current in that line will fry your Vonage adapter).

2. Connect a phone line from the Vonage adapter to any one of your wired wall jacks.

3. All of your wired jacks are now 'live' with Vonage service, just like with regular phone service.


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## hookbill (Dec 14, 2001)

Boston Fan said:


> The specific type of phones you have aside, you can wire Vonage throuout your house to any wired phone jack.
> 
> 1. Make sure the outside connection coming into your house at the junction box on the side of the house is disconnecetd (the small amount of current in that line will fry your Vonage adapter).
> 
> ...


My Vonage adapter does not have phone jack. It only has two lines for ethernet connections. Look here.

Both of those are Ethernet jacks, not phone jacks.

Anyway wife may have the answer. She says she might be able to hook her blackberry up to it, she has a modem card?


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## ping (Oct 3, 2005)

hookbill said:


> Crap, I'm stressed over this!


OK, let's try this again. Unless you're getting HD, you are getting the R15. That doesn't ever need to be connected to a phone line. Not for setup. Not ever.

Now, whether you want the R15 or not is the subject for another thread (on another forum).


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## Boston Fan (Feb 8, 2006)

hookbill said:


> My Vonage adapter does not have phone jack. It only has two lines for ethernet connections. Look here.
> 
> Both of those are Ethernet jacks, not phone jacks.
> 
> Anyway wife may have the answer. She says she might be able to hook her blackberry up to it, she has a modem card?


Ah...now I see.


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## hookbill (Dec 14, 2001)

ping said:


> OK, let's try this again. Unless you're getting HD, you are getting the R15. That doesn't ever need to be connected to a phone line. Not for setup. Not ever.
> 
> Now, whether you want the R15 or not is the subject for another thread (on another forum).


I am getting HD.


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## danny7481 (Dec 6, 2005)

when i got rid of my landline service (bellsouth) everything was still wired up but no dial tone, so no 911 calling.


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## hookbill (Dec 14, 2001)

OK, here's what should be the end result. I doubt he will get the unit to call out, it just doesn't make sense so when he tries (if it goes that far) I will just have him continue the setup for satellite reception. I talked to my neighbor last night and I got a small tv I can take with me. He will let me use his land line to do initial call.

Now all I have to worry about are my trees (which was why they wouldn't set it up 2 years ago). I think I had a lazy installer because I have an acre and a half of property and not all of it is covered by trees.


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## minorthr (Nov 24, 2001)

hookbill said:


> OK, here's what should be the end result. I doubt he will get the unit to call out, it just doesn't make sense so when he tries (if it goes that far) I will just have him continue the setup for satellite reception. I talked to my neighbor last night and I got a small tv I can take with me. He will let me use his land line to do initial call.
> 
> Now all I have to worry about are my trees (which was why they wouldn't set it up 2 years ago). I think I had a lazy installer because I have an acre and a half of property and not all of it is covered by trees.


I cant understand why that vtech adpater doesnt have a phone line. Guess that system is designed for people who do not want to wire vonage to the entire house.

Also there is no way the Tivo is dialing out. I tired this last night just to see if it would work and it did not. American Sat and D* are full of crap.


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## hookbill (Dec 14, 2001)

minorthr said:


> I cant understand why that vtech adpater doesnt have a phone line. Guess that system is designed for people who do not want to wire vonage to the entire house.
> 
> Also there is no way the Tivo is dialing out. I tired this last night just to see if it would work and it did not. American Sat and D* are full of crap.


If I'd have known better, in other words RESEARCHED before I bought I would have got the Vonage that wires the house. But we went into Circuit City and bought this system without understanding exactly how VoIP worked. 

On the other hand this perticular system doesn't seem to have the troubles that I see so many people on the Vonage forum talking about who do use their home wireing.

And as for the second part of your response, I have no doubt your correct.


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## tjperez (Jan 14, 2002)

Okay, back in the 70's and early 80's when phone companies used mechanical switches, if you disconnected your landline for any reason, the phone company PHYSICALLY disconnected the line to your house. It is a simple matter of replacing a "protector" (a connecting plug on the central office's distributing frame where all of the POTs lines are connected through) with a dummy one.

Today, since phone companies use ESS (Electronic Switching Systems), they can just provision service to be active or inactive from a computer terminal. You will still get -48V power on your line and a dialtone but it will not allow you to dial any numbers except 911 and the phone companies' customer service number.


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