On Mon, 18 Jul 2005 13:18:01 -0500, Darrel Toepfer
wrote:

Peter Clark wrote:

I suspect it's something similar to the DirecTV system. They send
down authorization packets for (youraccout/deviceid) every
(onceandawhile). The device receives the packet, updates the expire
date, is happy, and keeps working. If you don't use it in
(morethanonceandawhile) the authorization packet times out and you
have to either ask them to send a packet specifically for your device
to hear, or leave it on for (longenoughtogetanewpacket). They don't
stop charging you for the service because you decide not to use it (or
in the case of DirecTV, have the receiver unplugged) for a month.

DTV has an alternative connection through the telephone...

DirecTV's phone connection only sends Pay Per View usage data back to
their computer, it is not used for authorization or activation of the
receiver. One time I had the phone line connected in a spare room,
but accidentally disconnected the run to the multiswitch. When a
guest wanted to use it (god alone knows how long later) I had to call
DTV and have them hit the receiver, even though they showed that the
box dialed in as scheduled.

Perhaps there is a 'seasonal suspend' feature they have available,
but I have no knowledge of that.

They do, its called a "vacation"... Takes a phone call...

How do they pro-rate? Do they limit the amount of times you can do
this? How about taking 'vacation' 3 weeks a month?