Well actually, I think many get it perfectly. In the case of URGE, this was not a planned thing. The service shutdown. Period. Now, what will Verizon do in the long run? Add more channels or perhaps backfill it with a new music service? Maybe. I think we just need to wait and see. They got caught by surprise as well and I suspect they are thinking about that right now. I would expect that the lost content be made up eventually with different content or the packages reshuffled to adjust for the change channel costs -- but that's not something you do in the blink of an eye.
Expecting a pricing adjustment for every change in the lineup is a bit extreme.
As for those who want their price reduced for the loss of a few channels which probably had minimal overall cost to the packages, I suppose you are also just as willing to have your price increase every time they add a new channel, right?
So, let's say they add two new HD channels that weren't there before? You'd be willing to pay a higher price, right? Oh wait ... they just did that ... Investigation Discovery HD, channel 623 and National Geographic Wild HD, channel 632. No change in price. You can reserve judgement on the value of those channels -- but by the same token, some might say the URGE channels were just wasted space as well and won't miss them one bit.
At the end of the day, people vote with their dollars. Verizon knows that and I suspect they are constantly looking at their pricing and package lineups and making adjustments to remain competitive.
@lasagna wrote:Well actually, I think many get it perfectly. In the case of URGE, this was not a planned thing. The service shutdown. Period. Now, what will Verizon do in the long run? Add more channels or perhaps backfill it with a new music service? Maybe. I think we just need to wait and see. They got caught by surprise as well and I suspect they are thinking about that right now. I would expect that the lost content be made up eventually with different content or the packages reshuffled to adjust for the change channel costs -- but that's not something you do in the blink of an eye.
Expecting a pricing adjustment for every change in the lineup is a bit extreme.
As for those who want their price reduced for the loss of a few channels which probably had minimal overall cost to the packages, I suppose you are also just as willing to have your price increase every time they add a new channel, right?
So, let's say they add two new HD channels that weren't there before? You'd be willing to pay a higher price, right? Oh wait ... they just did that ... Investigation Discovery HD, channel 623 and National Geographic Wild HD, channel 632. No change in price. You can reserve judgement on the value of those channels -- but by the same token, some might say the URGE channels were just wasted space as well and won't miss them one bit.
At the end of the day, people vote with their dollars. Verizon knows that and I suspect they are constantly looking at their pricing and package lineups and making adjustments to remain competitive.
Amen lasagna
What many people do not realize the agreement is for a bundle of services not channels. I just do not uderstand why people don't get it. Yes I was upset about changes, but I pleased most of the time when channels are added. Now the .TV channels could be filled with something better. If not for Verizon they would shutdown, and I wish they would. I suppose there are contracts in place to actually carry those channels .TV channels and an investment on the part of the provider. Verizon is stuck with them until the contract for said channels expire. I say continue to pay them and make them go away. But the contract probably prevents this.
3. SERVICE CHANGES.
Subject to applicable law, we reserve the right to change, re-arrange, add,
delete or otherwise modify the Service at any time, with or without prior
notice to you, including changing, rearranging or otherwise modifying
our Programming packages, the selections available in those packages,
the Equipment, and any other features, products and services that
we offer."
I have never seen Verizon not notify its' customers.
I believe both sides have a valid argument, and you have raised some good points about what happens when Verizon adds channels.
However, I can only speak from my own experience, I paid $105.99 for the Extreme Triple Play (2009), when at that time Extreme was the top package. When my contract came up, the price went up to $124.99. If I wanted Ultimate, it was $139.99. If I wanted to go down to Prime, it was $114.99. For the Extreme, the price went up while at the same time I lost channels such as Hallmark Movie, Tennis Channel, etc., because they were moved to the Ultimate Package. For me, it was not worth paying $35 more a month to up to Ultimate, and I did not want to move down to Prime. I live in a townhouse where Satellite usage is limited, so I have to choose between Verizon and C-cast. At least I get a choice there. I will say though that Verizon did throw in some credits for a year, so at least it offset the price increase some what.
This is one of those neverending arguments with no real right answer. Customers are always going to feel slighted when they lose channels and the prices either stay the same or go up, and customers are going to feel that they deserve more channels while paying the same or paying a little bit more. I think one thing that irks customers in general is that prices are never going to go down for existing customers. The deals are made for new customers. You might be able to negotiate something with a customer service rep if you get the right person on the phone, but that is no guarantee.
I left FIOs once before because of that. Went back after Optimum substantially raised the price. Now Fios is raising the price after saying they wont and I am loosing channels with out warning. I will probably be moving on soon.
For those that say Verizon never notifies customers of channels being changed or removed you are wrong.
They either let you know on a printed bill several months in advance (if you don't get a paper bill look up the bill in pdf format in your account online and any notes will be on it)
They also send messages to the message center in the menu on ones stb/dvr.
For all of the years I have been with Fios I have always known whats going on with channels.
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