Channel 501
PMD3
Contributor - Level 1

Syracuse University sports are carried on Channel 501 in the central NY area. Apparently Verizon picks up a feed from Time Warner under a contract with them. Why can't they list it in the programming guide for the area?

Also every year the first game of the season doesn't start until 20 minutes into the game. One year when I called I was told someone forgot to turn the feed on. It happens every year without fail. It would seem that someone at Verizon would get this right just once. They sell the FIOS service in the area with the assurance that you will get Syracuse games but yet we face this problem every year. Could someone look into this and get it straightened out before next year.

Thank you!

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Re: Channel 501
Caps09
Specialist - Level 2

From experience, I know that Verizon only carries full time feeds, so any game being turned on is up to the content provider. This and the lack of programming information leads me to believe it's because Time Warner Cable doesn't invest much time in their local upstate NY network. The channel does have a website with the listings though- www.twcs.tv

I don't know much about this channel other than that Verizon carries it upstate. Is it actually in HD on channel 501? Last time I heard anything about it, the channel was only in SD on FiOS.

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Re: Channel 501
PMD3
Contributor - Level 1

Channel 501 belongs to FIOS TV. It is in both SD (Channel 1) and HD (Channel 501). The program listings on it and the screen message that appears on it when there is no programming are both Verizon. So I have to assume that the feed is something they control as well. Without Syracuse University games Verizon would lose thousands of customers in the Central NY area. When they first obtained the contract with Time Warner they did a large sales campaign to sign us all up. Since someone at Verizon tech support once told me the problem was Verizon not turning on the feed I have to believe it is their responsibility. However if it happens again I'll try calling Time Warner and see what they say.

As far as Time Warner and investing in their network in upstate NY they seem to be much more responsive now that they have Verizon as a competitor. Verizon seems to be the one dropping the ball at this point. Several of my neighbors have switched back to TW due to that. Personally I prefer Verizon overall but if they keep having these issues I'd probably switch back as well as the rates are better at TW.

Thanks for the information. It sounds like you might be a former Verizon employee.

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Re: Channel 501
Caps09
Specialist - Level 2

Not a former employee, I've just seen a lot of posts about stuff like this over the last couple years. While I'm sure TWC puts a lot in their systems, I was only trying to say that the lack of production may because this particular channel is kind of local, not even covering the whole state.

From what you say, they could be using the signal sent by the programmer to turn on the channel automatically, just like when a channel will switch to a local inserted commercial. This means that Verizon will blame the channel, and the channel will blame Verizon. Hopefully things will improve if you report them to one party or the other.

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