Is there a Canadian company that will broker my DIRECTV account?

December 5, 2004 7:53 PM

I am a Canadian resident who would like to subscribe to DIRECTV. This seems to be legal at the monent, and I have purchased a dish and receiver on eBay. Can anyone suggest a Canadian-based company that will broker my DIRECTV account? I understand that I will need to get a US address.
posted by anonymous to technology (3 comments total)

No, it is not legal.

The resident expert on all things satellite is shepd.
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 11:52 PM on December 5, 2004

This seems to be legal at the moment

I hear this and that about this. Let me put it this way:

If it is legal right now it will only be legal for a few months until another court case changes it (*again*). The RCMP hates you even if you aren't breaking the law. They are rumoured to have actually stolen BUDs from users in the old days until a homeowner threatened one of them with a shotgun.

Let me give you the lowdown, as I own a satellite shop that deals in products you might be interested in (BLATANT PLUG). Although I don't touch DirectTV at all.

#1. If you decide to hack it, here's the law you should read:

The Radiocommunications Act. Specifically, section 9.1(c).

No person shall.. decode an encrypted subscription programming signal or encrypted network feed otherwise than under and in accordance with an authorization from the lawful distributor of the signal or feed;

About 3 years ago the words "lawful distributor" were re-read by Canadian judges (who, somehow, get to make laws in Canada now) to mean not the definition as printed in that law (which is that a lawful distributor must have rights to distribute the signal in Canada), but to mean that anyone in the entire world that enjoys such a right in their home country is protected by that law. That means pirating DirecTV is right out.

If you don't believe me, here's a lawyer's opinion.

Furthermore, the Government even hates you. Yes, the government you all elected really hates that you want to watch US television (why do you all keep electing them? /me smashes head on the wall). Bill C-2 was an aborted attempt by the Liberals to cram much more threatening sentences down our throats for trying to enjoy US television. It was only aborted because the election was called. It was one step from Final Reading and being tabled. You can expect it will be back on the table again soon, especially after that "Victory".

Bill C-2 will make it legal for fines of up to $750,000 to be levied against the piracy or viewing of *ANY* unlicensed or foreign licensed satellite service, or even on the importation of satellite receivers without being a satellite broadcaster. Also, ExpressVu or StarChoice may sue you personally for another $250,000 in damages.

I'm serious. Dead serious.

Independent satellite retailers like me will be forced out of business, because, as the government themselves put it in an email to me:

"The permits [which control importing satellite receivers] will be with the Minister of Industry, once the bill is passed."

#2. If you decide to pay for it, you are most DEFINITELY breaking the law. The piracy of said signals has always been a contentious issue because of the lack of a solid law against it. However, the CRTC most DEFINITELY is allowed to kick your ass for paying for signals they don't want you to see. They have absolute control on any and all profitable media in Canada, and if you do NOT meet their standards they most DEFINITELY are allowed to say no.

Oddly enough, despite how much easier it is to bust people paying for DirecTV, the RCMP rarely, if ever, do it. I suppose it has something to do with the fact newspapers would literally tear apart the Police for limiting someone's freedom of association. Or perhaps it's because that right is in our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the RCMP knows they'd just get the laws torn from the law book's pages even if someone represented themselves.

The CRTC certainly says no to DirecTV, since DirecTV doesn't come even *CLOSE* to 30% CanCon.

Furthermore, by purchasing the service in Canada you are possibly getting DirecTV in trouble. If they actually subscribe a Canadian they must pay Canadian royalties for the channels they broadcast. It is rumoured they already do, hoping Canada gets its head from its ass, but after almost three decades, it seems really unlikely.

If you do decide to risk it (and the risk is minimal; if you take a look at the penalties, it does not pay for the RCMP to arrest a private citizen doing this... besides, that doesn't make good news.) Zed Marketing offers such "redirection" services.

Please note I am most definitely not affiliated with that company in any way.

There is only one way to legally view foreign unlicensed content in Canada. You must use a Free To Air system. You won't find much exciting unless you speak a language other than English, though. :-) Sorry!

This site keeps a (biased) log of goings on if you'd care you view it. :-)

Now, after I've said all of that, various studies conclude about 10% of all Canadian households presently "acquire" US Television services. Since it's pretty unlikely the government will lock up 1/10 th of her citizens, you can feel a comforted by those statistics.

Sorry for being wordy, but this is a topic that gets me a little worked up. I'm amazed at how many times Rogers and the RCMP attempt to "investigate" my company covertly and never find anything. What a waste of your money!
posted by shepd at 1:41 AM on December 6, 2004

Also if you decide to go ahead the signals used with small dishes are not blocked polystyrene and some other plastics. If you have a south facing gable you can cut a window in the gable and glaze it with plastic. You can then install the dish behind the plastic. This way busy bodies and your local municipality[1] won't be able to rat you out.

[1] Many towns and cities now drive trucks equipped with cameras down every street and alley looking for zoning violations and property improvements that were not permitted.
posted by Mitheral at 8:36 AM on December 6, 2004