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Dish Network Articles: Battling against satellite signal thefts

When we say free satellite TV, we mean free satellite systems offered by satellite TV dealers when you first subscribe to Dish Network or DirecTV. But sometimes, free satellite TV is referring to the free satellite TV signals that you can get illegally.

It’s a widely known fact that there is a lot of people out there are getting these ‘free satellite TV signals ’ without paying a cent for their monthly subscriptions fees. People normally get someone to hack their existing programming-card; or some get their smart card through Internet. By stealing the satellite signals from the satellite company, i.e. Dish Network and DirecTV, one can avoid paying any subscription fees.

As signal theft problem is getting serious, it became one of the main issues that might threaten satellite TV business. What exactly are the Satellite TV providers doing against pirates and how massive and effective are their actions, is a fact that is much less known. Both Dish Network and DirecTV had upgraded their access card recently in order to protect the business. Legal actions, such like confiscating the illegal hacked-card and settlements charges, had been taken against both illegal card vendors and signal thefts.

For example, DirecTV started with rather massive legal actions, federal lawsuits against 25.000 people were filled for tampering with satellite TV service back in year 2003. These are mainly people from the confiscated lists of customers who bought the smart card through Internet.

While those who settled their case are prohibited to disclose the settlement amount, DirecTV is said to demand $3,500 settlements initially. Out of those who did not settle, some were even ordered to pay $10,000 for failure to answer DirecTV’s legal complaints.

On the other hand, DirecTV have replaced their access cards last spring. The card was said to be ‘un-hack-able’, which means that it is impossible to steal DirecTV’s signal. Despite of that, DirecTV is still pursuing the old card hacking and signal theft cases vigorously. In cooperation with federal authorities in 2003, lists of customers of many suspect vendors of smartcards (devices built to pirate paid satellite TV signal) were confiscated.

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Claudia Walters, expert writter on consumer products reviews. Check out his latest satellite TV related website and get recommendations on DirecTV or Dish Network dealers, <a href="http://www.sunsatellites.com/dishnetwork/directtv.html">compare Dish Network with DirecTV's</a> and other issues on <a href="http://www.sunsatellites.com">satellite TV deals</a>

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