Lost channel
bigfeet
Newbie

Everysince I got FIOS TV I have had  the ESPN  Classic channel. Now it is gone and the onscreen message says I have to subscribe to get it. Is this a mistake? I thought they were adding channels as time goes by, not taking them away. Especially channels that are good enough to watch.

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Re: Lost channel
film111
Specialist - Level 1

Verizon has been taking away channels from people with PRIME and EXTREME packages.  They want you to sign up for the ULTIMATE, package where ESPN Classic still remains.  That way, you pay even more money for a bunch of channels you don't want, just to keep the one youy lost.  They've made sure that everyone will feel the loss, no matter their viewing preferences. You're a sports fan and you lose one of your favorites.  Like unaltered movies in HD?  Say bye-bye to MGM-HD. etc, etc. etc.

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Re: Lost channel
ScottM
Enthusiast - Level 3

I will NEVER subscribe to the Ultimate package as long as it contains the six ".TV" channels.  I do not understand why Verizon continues to use valuable QAM bandwidth on this garbage while there are so many quality HD channels such as BBCA-HD which they refuse carry. 

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Re: Lost channel
film111
Specialist - Level 1

@ScottM wrote:

I will NEVER subscribe to the Ultimate package as long as it contains the six ".TV" channels.  I do not understand why Verizon continues to use valuable QAM bandwidth on this garbage while there are so many quality HD channels such as BBCA-HD which they refuse carry. 


Probably contractual.

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Re: Lost channel
sexxyredbone
Newbie

That's what I'm talking about. Less channels, same money(more0


@film11 wrote:

Verizon has been taking away channels from people with PRIME and EXTREME packages.  They want you to sign up for the ULTIMATE, package where ESPN Classic still remains.  That way, you pay even more money for a bunch of channels you don't want, just to keep the one youy lost.  They've made sure that everyone will feel the loss, no matter their viewing preferences. You're a sports fan and you lose one of your favorites.  Like unaltered movies in HD?  Say bye-bye to MGM-HD. etc, etc. etc.



@film11 wrote:

Verizon has been taking away channels from people with PRIME and EXTREME packages.  They want you to sign up for the ULTIMATE, package where ESPN Classic still remains.  That way, you pay even more money for a bunch of channels you don't want, just to keep the one youy lost.  They've made sure that everyone will feel the loss, no matter their viewing preferences. You're a sports fan and you lose one of your favorites.  Like unaltered movies in HD?  Say bye-bye to MGM-HD. etc, etc. etc.


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Re: Lost channel
ekem015
Specialist - Level 1

The January 2010 split into Prime, Extreme, and Ultimate HD continues to be one of the worst moves Verizon has ever made.

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Re: Lost channel
spacedebris
Master - Level 2

This is going to be a continuing issue for the remainder of the year. Its because they are removing the channels, area by area instead of doing it nation wide all at the same time. So we hear complaints from one area of the country when it is removed from the service. Then about the time that dies off, the next area is affected and the complaints and issues are re-visited all over again. Cable companies move and remove channels all the time. This is nothing new. This is the same complaint that people have been making since the inception of paid cable systems. On the whole they add more than they remove (over time) but in the short term there are always complaints. For the most part they fall on closed ears however. No one ever complains about channel adds (and Verizon has added more then 150 channels in the last 4 years). Just think of the complaints that would happen if they raised the price for every channel they added. No, its just you have to take the bad (channel removals) with the good (channel adds). Just watch this will be a hot issue in Sept when the next bunch of people have the same channels removed also.

Re: Lost channel
Hellstorm1
Contributor - Level 1

@spacedebris wrote:

On the whole they add more than they remove (over time) but in the short term there are always complaints. For the most part they fall on closed ears however. No one ever complains about channel adds...


What you're saying is, people don't complain when they get more than they bargained for, only when they get less?

Really?

When someone signs a contract that includes channels they want, and those channels get taken away DURING the term of that contract, it's still less than they originally signed up for, regardless of how many channels that don't provide similar content are "added".

For example, taking away MGM-HD and "giving" me sports, cooking or other channels I'm not going to watch - and don't provide uncut films - is less than I bargained for.

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Re: Lost channel
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

I personally have no problem with the channel adds / removes -- it's managing packages and services how they feel best suits the customer base.   Announce your packages -- advertise a price -- and let people decide on the value.   If you don't like the value, then don't use the service.

With that said, I share the underlying complaint of some which I see as valid ... that those in a "contract" with an associated ETF should be guaranteed the channels to which they subscribed for the duration of the period during which their ETF applies or should be either given a discount for the channels which were removed or allowed to opt out of their contract without an ETF early.   Anything else where the channels remain on the system, but have been moved to a different tier just seems to smack of a bait and switch tactic.    It's an easy problem to resolve, you would think Verizon would see the issue and come up with a reasonable offer -- either preserving the existing package or even offering an enhanced product at the lower tier price for the duration of the ETF period to those impacted customers (I imagine no one would complain if Verizon came to those ExtremeHD customers still on a contract with an ETF and said, hey, we're getting rid of these channels on your tier but we're going to upgrade you free to UltimateHD at the ExtremeHD price for the duration of your ETF period -- at the end of which you can revert back to ExtremeHD without the impacted channels and retain your lower price or keep the UltimateHD package and pay the higher price, or walk away entirely without an ETF -- your choice).

In my case, my contract expired in December and I was on a month to month basis before the package change hit me in May.  So, for me, I had no complaint.   For those in month 3 maybe of a two year contract however, that doesn't quite seem right.

Re: Lost channel
prisaz2
Enthusiast - Level 3

@lasagna wrote:

I personally have no problem with the channel adds / removes -- it's managing packages and services how they feel best suits the customer base.   Announce your packages -- advertise a price -- and let people decide on the value.   If you don't like the value, then don't use the service.

With that said, I share the underlying complaint of some which I see as valid ... that those in a "contract" with an associated ETF should be guaranteed the channels to which they subscribed for the duration of the period during which their ETF applies or should be either given a discount for the channels which were removed or allowed to opt out of their contract without an ETF early.   Anything else where the channels remain on the system, but have been moved to a different tier just seems to smack of a bait and switch tactic.    It's an easy problem to resolve, you would think Verizon would see the issue and come up with a reasonable offer -- either preserving the existing package or even offering an enhanced product at the lower tier price for the duration of the ETF period to those impacted customers (I imagine no one would complain if Verizon came to those ExtremeHD customers still on a contract with an ETF and said, hey, we're getting rid of these channels on your tier but we're going to upgrade you free to UltimateHD at the ExtremeHD price for the duration of your ETF period -- at the end of which you can revert back to ExtremeHD without the impacted channels and retain your lower price or keep the UltimateHD package and pay the higher price, or walk away entirely without an ETF -- your choice).

In my case, my contract expired in December and I was on a month to month basis before the package change hit me in May.  So, for me, I had no complaint.   For those in month 3 maybe of a two year contract however, that doesn't quite seem right.


They will if you are at the end of your commitment. My Extreme was $109 a month. When I started talking about cutting service and dropping my speed and phone service, there is a department called retention. I have been a FiOS customer since before the TV launch. I have been less than pleased with some of the bundle changes. But they have always worked with me. $139 Ulitimate HD bundle with $30 discount for 12 months takes it to $109 for the first year. Same as what I was paying. But renewed my 2 year commitment. So I am paying $15 a month more if you spread it out over the two years. Not $30 more. They keep me happy keep my loyalty and it's a win win situation. I get the channels I had, plus more, and the speed I was interested in. If you talk about not being happy with the changes and feeling what they did was not fair, they just may work with you when you inquire about an upgrade. If you are not interested in upgrading then you are rather stuck, and that makes many unhappy.

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