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

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

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

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)?

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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 # ?

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

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

Yes, but only a little bit....

Is that like being just a little bit pregnant?

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

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

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.

I can see why you need a Canadian address but why do you need a phone number as well? Is it essential?

Because if you call the satellite provider they can tell where you are calling from.

F

Actually, Freckles .. it's more than that. From the StarChoice TOS http://www.starchoice.com/english/TermsofService.pdf


Phone Connection. Unless Star Choice otherwise agrees prior to activation, Star Choice requires that each Receiver, excluding DSR 205 and DSR 207, or any other Digital Satellite Receiver (DSR) that does not contain a modem, associated with your account must always be directly connected to an operating land-based telephone line in Canada. Telephone connectivity allows Customer to take full advantage of the services that Star Choice offers, including features such as IPPV (described in Section 23), caller I.D., and when available, Interactive Television Service. You agree that you will not directly or indirectly use a single account in connection with more than two (2) residences, and no more than two (2) phone lines will be associated with your account. You will keep Star Choice advised of each residential address and phone number associated with your account at all times. In addition, no more than six (6) Receivers will be authorized to receive Services on your account, and all such Receivers must be located within the residence(s) listed on your account and connected to phone lines registered to these residences. If we determine that you have failed to maintain such a direct phone connection, or if the Receivers are not all located within the residence(s) listed on your account and connected to phone lines registered to these residences, we may, in our discretion, disconnect some or all of the Services and/or charge you for Services that have been received by the non-authorized Receiver(s).


I didn't see anything (and I read the whole site) that even mentions 'resale' of services in other countries.

Which brings me back to my original question .... How does the 'arrangement' work Lakeside with a middleman.


grito: nobody said you need a Canadian address for Dish or Direct TV. It's a different provider.

It works just like being Gay in the US Army works, don't ask, don't tell.

Hmm. I thought when someone mentioned Dish TV they were referring to a satellite dish like Star Choice.

Sorry for the dumb questions but I've never had a satellite dish. Why would you phone them? In case you are having reception propblems? Wouldn't it be easier to email them?
I thought I had it all figured out how to go about getting Star Choice but having a phone number confounded me as I rarely use a phone so thought I may not have one when I move there.
quote name='Freckles' date='Aug 27 2008, 06:11 PM' post='84754']
Because if you call the satellite provider they can tell where you are calling from.

F
[/quote]

Many customers of both Starchoice and Dishnetwork simply state that they do not maintain a landline phone, as an example, neither of my daughters in the US do, they only use cellphones. Starchoice also allows it's customers to take their receivers to the "cottage" whenever they go....

The phone connection is required in order to order Pay Per View through the receiver. I suppose if you have Vonage and a Canadian phone number with Vonage that would probably solve the problem.

Before I left Canada I called Starchoice and specifically asked if I could use it in the USA and Mexico when I am on vacation for six months. They said it is not a problem as long as you are on vacation.

People here who are using one account and have 5 users on it are breaking the law. Whether it could be proscueted here is a whole new ballgame. Under NAFTA it might be possible. People who do this are abusing the system and I hope they get caught.

Jeannie

Some folks ask questions that are best not to ask. If you call the NoB satellite company and they determine that you are in Mexico without your RV on 'vacation' or without a Canadian 'residence with a phone', they won't prosecute you; they'll simply turn off your account........you and everyone else sharing that address/account/phone. They are required to do that by TOS conditions which they must abide by for reasons of licensing and to avoid suits by their competitors.
So, never call the satellite company; just whoever is providing your local service. Let them solve your problems or forget satellite service and subscribe to TeleCable.

AHHHH if I had a nickel for every time someone said that to me in my life......

Duhhhhh. In plain talk, StarChoice is for Canadian citizens. Period. If you do not have a Canadian address, you are "borrowing" an address from someone, perhaps a fictitious number on someone's farm in Canada. If your morals allow you to do that, fine. However, be aware, it is called international fraud. There are other options.

International Fraud? What a prig.

......... hmmm not to put too fine a point on it ...... but ....... it's for Canadian residents, not necessarily citizens. Many people are residents without also being citizens.

And the other options would be??

Residents yes residents, that is probably more correct. Other options as in Sky Tv, Telecable where available, Dish TV and I believe there is one other provider there. Does anyone remember before TV? There was a time long, long ago when we got our news from the radio, read newspapers and went to the movies.