[Freckles]

Do any of you manage your own Starchoice accounts from here? I'm getting tired of having to pay someone up north and considering doing it myself.

F

[deepcanyon]

Always did it ourselves - you don't need a middleman. The company in Canada just debited our credit card every month.

[canmex87]

You can manage your account on line.
www.starchoice.com

[Mainecoons]

Yup, but don't you have to be a Canadian or have a valid Canadian address to manage your own account (that's what the middlemen provide to those of us who are not)?

[canmex87]

For a fee they will set you up with a receiver, dish, and an account with Starchoice, (which includes a Canadian address).

[Jeannie]

Someone in Canada lets you use their address. If there are any problems they troubleshoot for you from Canada and the phone number that the receiver is registered to. They usually charge a yearly fee for this service. The two that I know of are in Alberta and in Quebec.

We also have a new installer here. If you want his number send me a PM.

Jeannie

[Shira]

Canadian and US regulators do not allow for television to be broadcast beyond their borders. You must have a Canadian address if you have Star Choice. However, the satellites that Star Choice put up were knowingly put up to broadcast as far as South America.
If you call them and tell them you are in Mexico they will shut you off immediately. The only exception is for those Canadians who have a vacation home here. That is legal but it goes back to having a Canadian address.
Many of the blind addresses you are given to show a Canadian address are not real addresses but they serve their purpose. Billing is to a credit card or box number so there is no problem
Many people here have formed groups and share the subscrption. One person, the one with the Canadian address is the subscriber thus avoiding the annual fee. Up to 5 boxes can be on the subscription before questions are asked. The subscriber is the only one who talks to the company if someone has a problem.

[canmex87]

But ........ WHOSE Canadian address? And do the people at that Canadian address KNOW this?

I don't know whose address or even if this address exsists. I just know that it works. Your credit card is billed monthly.

[RayS]

I'm from U.S., but just curious, can you get your local Canadian stations at your domicile in the Lake area? When we make the move, are planning going with satellite either Dish, or Direct TV, want to get local Boston stations for sports.

[slobo]

Direct TV does not work here. Dish TV does, and you will save money to set up the account using your present address before you leave, and then bring only the receivers with you.You can buy the appropriate antennas here as the ones supplied there are not large enough. Have the account billed to your credit card, use a VOIP telephone number (Vonage or Packet 8 perhaps) on the account, and bring the voip equipment with you also. To get your local sports, add NESN to your subscription. Have the account auto-payed on your credit card, and the account set up with on-line statements only.

[RayS]

Direct TV does not work here. Dish TV does, and you will save money to set up the account using your present address before you leave, and then bring only the receivers with you.You can buy the appropriate antennas here as the ones supplied there are not large enough. Have the account billed to your credit card, use a VOIP telephone number (Vonage or Packet 8 perhaps) on the account, and bring the voip equipment with you also. To get your local sports, add NESN to your subscription. Have the account auto-payed on your credit card, and the account set up with on-line statements only.

Awsome, thank you! Would I be able to get a technician down there to hook it up? Would Skype be an acceptable VOIP if I had a phone # ?

[slobo]

Whoever sells you the antenna will hook it all up, there are several installers.

[slobo]

Yes, but only a little bit....

[slobo]

Yeah, but it won't keep you up at night.

[Freckles]

So, it's against StarChoice TOS. The subscriber is breaking Canadian law?

They are not breaking the law. They are breaking the terms of service.

Groups that share one signal here would be breaking the law. They are stealing service and abusing the service. If found out everyone in the group would loose their service and the receivers would never be allowed signals again.

F

[Gringal]

Sometimes, I read something on these boards that really piques my curiosity ... how DOES the 'middleman' arrangement for StarChoice work?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand that if you have a valid Canadian address, you can bring your Starchoice account with you during your stay here. The entire point of the middleman is to provide that Canadian address.
I have no idea what would happen if you tried to use a Mexican or Texas mail drop address instead.