Share Your Ideas with Verizon

[#1]

Provide a list of channels that are MPEG-4 and need STB Upgrades. Also provide notification when channels are going to switch.

This should be well in advance of any conversion. Perhaps STB message, x,y, and z, channels will be converted to MPEG4 on 00/00/00. Please contact Verizon for a hardware upgrade if you have x STB or x DVR, and are currently subsribed to those channels.

Instead of the current message try to tune to x, y, or z, and if it does not work call us for an upgrade. Seems rather bogus.

[#2]

You're asking Verizon to be proactive, something they have already proven NOT to be good at. This is a very good idea.

[#3]

They aren't converting any channels, only adding channels.

[#4]

Your average person has no idea what MPEG4 is or even what STB they have. Having a message telling them they need an upgrade if they can't receive those channels makes the most sense. Anything else would just confuse most people.

[#5]

Ok. Have it say it is being changed to a more modern and efficient method for receiving X, Y, or z. Don't say MPEG4. Anything other than if it doesn't work call us. Some know that MPEG4 would free up bandwidth for more HD, until another method such as IP, or combination there of, is decided upon. If you look at the diagnostics on the Cisco boxes, they show 4 tuners, two QAM, and two, IP. I don't remember the older Motorola Boxes having that ability, but suspect perhaps the newer ones do have it. Even so all of the QIP boxes have QAM IP. But just set up differently. As the hardware evolves I suspect it will have more horsepower to handle what ever is required. But the OLD 2005 hardware does not.

[#6]

Someone above said: "They aren't converting any channels, only adding channels."

No, I don't believe that's true. Or at least I hope not, because if they are really having space-limit issues then they will need to convert some existing HD channels to MPEG4 to free up space so they can add new HD channels. The rumor is that the junky pathetic useless .TV channels will be the first to be switched to MPEG4. Then they will finally have room for BBCA HD, etc. Of course this makes too much sense, so Verizon probably won't end up doing it.

Obviously they should alert customers about any upcoming conversions without mentioning "MPEG4" since virtually nobody will understand that. That's a given. They should merely alert customers with older DVRs (Motorola 61xx) and STBs that after xx/xx/xx, they will no longer be able to view certain channels until they upgrade to newer equipment. Simple enough. Verizon shouldn't wait until the conversion. They should send out alerts first. Again, though, this might make too much sense.

[#7]

Ike1 has nailed it! Do it Verizon!

[#8]

At this time we are adding channels to the line up using a delivery method that some set tops may not support, and where that is the case we have provided aneasy, low friction upgrade path for customers to follow so they may receive that content using set tops that have the required technology.

There is no activity under way today to change or replace the delivery technology used to deliver the programming services customers currently receive. Any comments about such plans are purely speculation and should be treated as such.

[#9]

Malcolm -- BIG thanks to you for your response. I appreciate that Verizon is taking the time to communicate about the HD channels which is something I've rarely seen in the past from your company.

That is extremely, extremely, extremely disappointing news, though, because, as I noted, the six Bryon Allen .TV channels, with their very, very, very low viewership, should be switched to MPEG4 immediately. They are wasting a massive amount of QAM space on your system which could be allocated to much more important and highly-requested HD channels. Especially since the .TV channels mostly carry infomercials and a few hours of the same reruns that are apparently not native HD but upconverted SD. Plus they are native MPEG4 channels from what I have read. (I wonder if you only carry these channels to meet minority-ownership quotas or something. And this is coming from ME, and I am a borderline-socialist liberal godless heathen!!!!  If it's actually a minority-ownership quota issue, then switching them to MPEG4 won't affect anything, because NOBODY WATCHES THEM, plus you will free up a lot of space, but you'll still have them in your lineup so the quota will not be affected.)

So if you're not converting existing HD channels to MPEG4 "today," are you saying that you have plenty of space for adding new HD channels? (That's not what I've heard.) Or that you simply AREN'T going to add any new HD channels anytime soon?

[#10]

Ike1, terrific post!! If I could Kudo you I would. Unfortunately your last sentence makes me cringe because I think you hit the nail right on the head!!! It's why we haven't seen and will continue not to see any new HD channels added in the foreseeable future.