No need for a landline except to start up service for the DVR. I took mine to a neighbors and hooked up the landline for the initial setup stuff. At least with my D*TiVo I didn't need to have it hooked up to the dish for the TiVo setup, just a landline. Mine is nagging me now (it's been 87 days since it's phoned home) so I'll have to run my 100' line to the wall outlet way across the room.
Scott
