Streaming video online requires FiOS TV subscription?

[Firebird7478]

I just tried to logon to NBC Sports to watch streaming video...online content and it refuses to let me do so because I do not have FiOS TV. Why do I have to have a TV package to watch online content with NBC when I have a paid internet subscription? Paying for internet service to watch streaming video should be enough. I am watching this on my computer, not my TV and should not be penalized for a free service that NBC is suppose to be providing.

[walt178]

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@Firebird7478 wrote:

I just tried to logon to NBC Sports to watch streaming video...online content and it refuses to let me do so because I do not have FiOS TV. Why do I have to have a TV package to watch online content with NBC when I have a paid internet subscription? Paying for internet service to watch streaming video should be enough. I am watching this on my computer, not my TV and should not be penalized for a free service that NBC is suppose to be providing.

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NBC is not providing a free service.  They need to get paid or they won't provide it!  When someone subscribes to FiOS TV (or another provider) that TV subscription is how they get paid.  So, you aren't being penalized, you are paying for services rendered.  Premium sports channels are just like the premium movie channels.  Pay or don't watch.

[Firebird7478]

According to their website, it is a free service, and NBC Sports is not a premium channel. NHL Network, MLB Network, NFL Redzone...those are subscription channels.

[somegirl]

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@Firebird7478 wrote:

According to their website, it is a free service, and NBC Sports is not a premium channel. NHL Network, MLB Network, NFL Redzone...those are subscription channels.

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Which website? Verizon's or NBC's? Can you provide a link?

I don't watch sports, so am unfamiliar with the product. I would be more than happy to poke around and see what I see, though, if I had a link. 🙂

[walt178]

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@Firebird7478 wrote:

According to their website, it is a free service, and NBC Sports is not a premium channel. NHL Network, MLB Network, NFL Redzone...those are subscription channels.

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The main NBC Sports site is free. You can watch video there without a TV subscription. I have watched video on NBC sports without logging in.

But when you go to a page that requires a login, the requirements have changed. Sometimes it is only a need to register. But when you go to a page that asks about and requires your TV provder info before you can login, you have reached a premium portion of the site. 

• From NBC Sports network:
• "This is a free service. For NBC Sports Network programming it's an added value to your regular cable, satellite and telco TV subscription through participating television providers."

Notice that while it says it is a free service, that statement is qualified by the following statement.

[staticvars]

It doesn't work even if you have a TV package which includes that channel. I get a message asking me to subscribe to that channel, whether I try to watch it through the verizon site or the nbc sports site. Verizon is not responding.

[PJL]

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@Firebird7478 wrote:

I just tried to logon to NBC Sports to watch streaming video...online content and it refuses to let me do so because I do not have FiOS TV. Why do I have to have a TV package to watch online content with NBC when I have a paid internet subscription? Paying for internet service to watch streaming video should be enough. I am watching this on my computer, not my TV and should not be penalized for a free service that NBC is suppose to be providing.

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Well because you don't pay for it.  NBC Sports Live Extra is NOT free -- it requires a subscription to a participating cable service.  That's how they get paid.  Simply put, you're requesting something that is not free for free.  I could say the same thing about an airplane flight coach ticket.  I pay fo the flight, so why don't I get free drinks?  It's because I didn't pay for a first class ticket that also includes free drinks.

[staticvars]

It doesn't work anyway, even if you have a paid TV subscription, such as Extreme HD that includes that channel. 

[PJL]

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@staticvars wrote:

It doesn't work anyway, even if you have a paid TV subscription, such as Extreme HD that includes that channel. 

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Not true.  It's working fine for me.

[tns2]

Some including me have had trouble at various times with getting the various signon's for those sites that require it.  I have found you MUST be sharing third party cookings in your brower and local storage in flash enabled and not have your cookies deleted on exit.  You may not actually be exiting, but FLASH (often used for this) immediately honors the order when you leave sites.