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Last changes 8/11/2007
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Distance Network Services (DNS) is a satellite TV service that lets you receive
the four major television networks anywhere you go. There are rules for
being able to receive DNS. The four major networks covered under DNS are;
ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC.
The first thing to understand that free television isn't free. It has
to be paid for by advertisers. If ads are not viewed, the advertisers will
not pay, and the television programming goes away. That is the basics,
there is no free lunch.
To understand the rules, we should first understand how the television networks
(Networks) get paid for their programming. Obviously, some of the Network's
revenues is from national advertising. There is also a large share of
revenue from the local broadcasters (Locals), the people who put the signal
on the air to be received by antennas, also referred to as Over The Air (OTA).
The Locals pay fees to the Networks based upon the population of the broadcast
area the Locals cover with their OTA signals. The Locals sell local
advertising to pay the Network's fees.
Cable companies get their local channels from the Locals since they generally
cover the same area as the Locals OTA. The cable companies do not pay for
the Locals feeds because they cover the same area as the Locals OTA.
In fact, the cable companies must carry the Locals channels by FCC rulings.
The satellite providers, DirecTV and
DishTV also provide local channels is
certain areas. This is called spot beam transmission because the satellite
is focused on a small area of the country, somewhere in the 100 mile range,
just about the size of the Locals OTA range. The satellite providers also
get their signal from the Locals in a manner like the cable companies.
The Locals get to sell the advertising slots on their channels and they pay
the proportional fees to the Networks. That is how the system works.
If people were allowed to receive their Networks from anywhere via satellite,
them the Local's advertising revenues would be affected. For example,
let's say that without controls, half of the people of Austin Texas got their
Network programming from New York via satellite. The Austin Local ads
would only be seen by half of the possible viewers. The advertisers would
not pay the same rate as for full coverage yet the Local would still be paying
for the population of it's OTA coverage. The Local goes out of business,
the Network doesn't receive the Local's fees and the system breaks down. |
Those who can't get OTA, Cable or Spot Beam Satellite |
The FCC made some rulings
to enable the Satellite providers to deliver the Networks programming to those
located in places where they cannot receive OTA from the Locals, cannot
connect to a cable company, or are outside of a spot beam area. This
capability was called Distance Network Services (DNS) because the end user was
distant from the Locals source.
To facilitate time zones, the decision was made to allow Network programming
from the Eastern time zone and the Pacific time zone.
If you are located in a fixed location (house, apartment etc.) and you cannot
receive OTA signals from a Network, you are allowed to receive that
Network via DNS. There are situations like a local area may only have
one or two of the Networks being locally broadcasted where the remaining Networks
are available by DNS. There are even situations where the fixed residence
is within the OTA area but cannot receive the OTA signal like behind a mountain.
The rule for fixed residence reception of DNS when the residence is with the
OTA area is that the Local has to approve the DNS waiver, the permission to
receive the DNS Network. The Local has the obligation to prove reception
is possible if they deny the DNS waiver. |
RVers and Truckers |
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RVers and over-the-road truckers present a special situation and a special DNS
waiver. By nature, RVers and truckers are moving around and usually are
not in the OTA area of a home Local. The FCC provides a Mobile Waiver
which is based upon the registration of your RV or truck. With the Mobile
Waiver, the Locals do not have to approve the waiver. |
The sensitivity of DNS |
The Networks and the FCC allow DNS because it represents a small number of
viewers. The DNS viewers are watching local advertising that means
nothing to them. Since the locals ads mean nothing to the DNS viewers,
the Networks cannot charge the Locals that provide the DNS feeds anymore for
their expanded viewing area. The Networks still get their
national ads viewed.
The Networks do not take lightly if a satellite provider allows DNS reception
by those without proper waivers. In December 2006, DishTV had to stop
providing DNS services because it was sloppy on the certification of the DNS
waivers it allowed. |
DirecTV DNS |
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DirecTV provides DNS services to it subscribers from New York for the Eastern
time zone feed and from Los Angeles for the Pacific time zone feed. If
you qualify you can have both time zones for $9 a month. This is not quite
double the fee for spot beam locals. The new CW network and PBS are
also available for an extra $1.50 a month. |
DishTV DNS |
DishTV cannot provide DNS services. However,
All American Direct,
a separate company, does offer DNS services for DishTV users.
The programming comes in from the same satellite, on the same receiver and
is found in the DishTV electronic programming guide. The only
difference to the end subscriber is that All American Direct is paid
separately for their services. Since most DNS users also pay by
credit card, this is a minor issue.
All American Direct gets its DNS feeds from Atlanta for the Eastern time zone
and San Francisco for the Pacific time zone.
All American Direct provides DNS ala carte, individual Network and
time zones, or in packages of time zones, or all eight Network/time zones. |
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