Do satellite receivers have to be plugged into a land-based phone line?

Darrel Stele: No they don't. They only need that if you want to use pay per view, etc. My direcTV is not connected to any phone line, hell I don't have a phone line at all.

Caleb Chapman: You do not need to be plugged in to a telephone line. You loose the interactive capability, but it still works. There are also wireless telephone jacks that work fine and are cheap.http://www.keenzo.com/showproduct.asp?M=RCA&ID=990... >And why do I need a receiver at allYou do need the receiver because your TV doesn't have a satellite receiver built into it and without that receiver, you have nothing....Show more

Serena Doak: You do not have to have it plugged into the phone line. Its pretty much optional. They do it so that your system can get updates faster than through just the satellite signal itself. You need the receiver because that is where the signal is processed. You will be pointing your remote at the receiver. You will be changing the channel on the receiver not o! n your tv. But the phone line is optional....Show more