How does Dish Network know where I am?

Question

I get local channels on Dish Network. I visited a friend in another state and took along my Dish Network receiver to show him some HD channels. When I went to select a local channel I got a message saying that I was not in my local viewing area. The receiver was not connected to a phone line.

How did it know that I was out of the local viewing area?

Answer 1

because it receives info from a satellite, the same way a GPS works

Answer 2

Because your receiver has sensors or something to a satellite in your area I THINK??

Answer 3

The most likely reason is that you were out of the "spot beam" for your area.  The satellites use spot beams that cover a geographic area and supply the locals for that area. This allows the satellites to cover more area because they can reuse the channel space to supply locals for another spot beam.

The beams are actually quite large but, if you went to another state (as you say you did), more than likely you were out of your beam.  So the receiver went looking for your local channels, based on your location on record with Dish Net,  and couldn't find them because they were not available in the spot beam you were in at the time.

I hope this helps.  Please return and choose a Best Answer from all of those submitted.

Answer 4

There is a chip in the box that houses all of you account info, such as location and PPV movies/events ordered.

Answer 5

Your receiver's installed location (your house) is saved in memory. When you hooked it up to your friend's dish, the information received through the satellite didn't match the information saved in the receiver.

Answer 6

They control you mind.  Big Brother is watching and you have been bad....very bad.