GM's changing communication satellite

[Michael White]

With the expanding need for communication, GM is changing satellites. I understand every GM dealer will have to change the direction of their satellite soon. We recieved notification today that we have to change the directions on June 11. We are in central California. "Information to follow" per GM. Has anyone else recieved this info, and especially info on how to do it. Have recieved coflicting information. One person says we can do it.My DSM says a "field team" will do it. Maybe if I do it I can get free MTV and HBO

thanks
Mike White

[jrcal]

My guess is GM will not let you redirect your dish. We had to get them here to redirect ours (after a hurricane) and I asked them if I could do it as I have done several before. They said no way. Guess they were afraid I might intercept some secrets from the military

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JC

[Michael White]

Met our fctory rep last night at our new owner clinic. He confirmed aiming the satellite will be our responsibility. We'll just have to wait to see the instructions

Mike White

[MIKEA]

GM WILL SEND OUT DETALED INFO AND A VIDEO
TO SHOW US ALL HOW TO MOVE THE DISH. THEY WILL HAVE FIELD TEAMS READY TO HELP ALSO
(YEAH RIGHT) I SENT BACK THE E-MAIL REPLY
TO THE GENERAL SAYING MY SM WANTS THEM TO
DO IT FOR US!! I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY TO THAT!

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[jrcal]

I called and found out:

1. If you can get to your dish, GM wants you to redirect following their directions to be sent to us.

2. If you can't get to your dish because of the location (ours is 20' up mounted to a pole) a team will be sent to do it for you.

The catch is GM wants all the dishes redirected during one weekend. A person from your dealership has to be available for the team to access your dealership even if it is after hours.

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JC

[slilly]

JRCAL,
I SENT MY SURVEY FOR THE SATELLITE CHANGES OVER ACCESS, MAYBE THE SAME AS YOU, AND REQUESTED A TECHNICAN TO COME AND REAIM OURS AS WELL.
YESTERDAY WE RECEIVED A VIDEO TAPE AND INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO AIM IT OURSELVES, THINKING THERE MUST BE SOME MISTAKE I CALLED PULSAT/ACCESS HEADQUARTERS TO VERIFY OUR REQUEST. THAT COULDN'T VERIFY OUR REQUEST FOR A TECH, ONLY SAY THAT IF WE GOT A CONFIRMATION OVER ACCESS THAT THE SURVEY WAS RECEIVED, THEN WE WOULD BE CONTACTED BY A TECH ONE WEEK BEFORE JUNE 18TH TO SCHEDULE HIS ARRIVAL TO REAIM.
THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT THOSE TECHS WOULDN'T BE OUT TO THE DEALERSHIPS BUT IN THE "TWO WEEKS" FOLLOWING THE JUNE 18TH DEADLINE. DURING THAT TIME PERIOD ALL THE COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK AT THOSE DEALERSHIPS WOULD NOT FUNCTION INCLUDING THE POSSIBILITY OF "DCS" BEING INOPERATIVE AS WELL , THIS WOULD DEPEND ON THE "DPS PROVIDER".
WE CALLED ADP AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT DURING THAT TIME PERIOD IF WE DIDN'T REAIM OUR DISH THAT OUR DCS FUNCTIONS WOULD NOT OPERATE AT OUR DEALERSHIP ALONG WITH PULSAT AND ACCESS.
THIS SURE SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF TROUBLE!! I'M PRESENTLY WORKING WITH A CONTRACTOR WITH A LARGE "BUCKET TRUCK" TO BE HERE TO HELP US ON JUNE 18TH. GM'S STUPID "$100. CREDIT" ISN'T GOING TO SUFFICE THIS EXPENDITURE!!!!

[David Henson]

Ford dealers, if you recall, were faced with a somewhat similar situation in May of last year when their communication satellite spun out of control (remember the day pagers didn't work?).

Ford sent dealer instructions as to where to position the dish and if I remember correctly even paid an allowance to dealers who made the change themselves. (anyone remember how much?)

Seems some stores made the change easily while others spent as much as 4 hours trying to get it to work.

[jrcal]

slilly, my call to pulsat told me our area sales rep would have the list of dealers that requested GM send someone to reaim the dish. Only problem is my rep doesn't have the list yet. It is being made up as I post this and we won't know until the last minute if GM is going to reaim our dish or if, like you, we should make our own plans. Don't you love a well thought out and perfectly executed plan?



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JC

[Michael White]

We recieved the video as well. Does not look too complicated. Downloaded the GM access specs. We do not have a satellite that is on a pole.We have easy access to it. The concerns I see that potentially could be a problem is if there is a problem. You will not know for 24 hours. Also if you call, good luck getting through. There should be local numbers assigned to groups of dealers instead of one location/phone number. Good luck to all of us.
Mike White

[cwalden]

We also received the video and instructions.
Am I correct that we need to send our current
settings to GM.
All I can say is that on the 18th I will change my DCS address to enable phone communicatios until we get up and running.

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