Re: The Weather Channel
plumbago
Enthusiast - Level 3

SinCara - We all pay big dollars for our Verizon FIOS service. I don't need to spend big dollars on a new phone just so I can get weather information that I was previously getting from my TV service. Verizon has the capibility to provide good weather programming for it's customers and they choose to have a low quality weather channel with worthless information (unless you live in the northeast , as everyone keeps saying). So why is it that Verizon wants everyone to search elsewhere for weather information, phones, computers, weather radio, look out the window, etc., when we can simply push a button and get quality weather information from The Weather Channel or channel 49 with our Verizon service. It makes sense to have many options, and getting good weather programming on TV from TWC is one option that is easy to access and that many Verizon customers want. It doesn't make sense to have such low quality weather programming as AccuWeather on such a high quality service as Verizon. It almost seems like someone higher up at Verizon has a personal financial investment in AccuWeather. We love our Verizon service in every other way and would hate to switch to another service. Verizon seems to strive for good quality in every other way, but they choose to have very low quality weather programming. It makes no sense.

Re: The Weather Channel
CRobGauth
Community Leader
Community Leader

Verizon is not saying you have to upgrade your phone.

Obviously, everyone posting here has Internet access.
Therefore, you can get weather other places.

Verizon made a business decision that the cost of TWC was not worth it based on the number of people acutally watching.

BTW, the cost to Verizon is not just the low per subscriber costs that keep getting quoted.

There are costs to connect to TWC for the channel as well.

People have stated they will pay more.

But that is only those that have stated they miss the channel.

How many people will be on the board if prices go up and it is said to be because of costs to provide TWC?

Yes, we all want a la carte, but that is a ways off.
For now, if your service provider doesn't provide the channels you want at the price you are willing to pay, then your only option is to switch.

Re: The Weather Channel
MidnightDawn
Newbie

I strongly agree.  AccuWeather pales in comparison to The Weather Channel. Verzon should bring back The Weather Channel on FIOS.  AccuWeather is worthless for weather-related news and not worth watching.

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Re: I want The Weather Channel back
SinCara
Specialist - Level 2

@DFWKen wrote:

Thank you, SinCara, for being a spokesperson for Verizon Fios.  We all appreciate your carrying the water for Verizon.  


I'm no spokesperson. It's called common sense.

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Re: The Weather Channel
SinCara
Specialist - Level 2

@plumbago wrote:

SinCara - We all pay big dollars for our Verizon FIOS service. I don't need to spend big dollars on a new phone just so I can get weather information that I was previously getting from my TV service. Verizon has the capibility to provide good weather programming for it's customers and they choose to have a low quality weather channel with worthless information (unless you live in the northeast , as everyone keeps saying). So why is it that Verizon wants everyone to search elsewhere for weather information, phones, computers, weather radio, look out the window, etc., when we can simply push a button and get quality weather information from The Weather Channel or channel 49 with our Verizon service. It makes sense to have many options, and getting good weather programming on TV from TWC is one option that is easy to access and that many Verizon customers want. It doesn't make sense to have such low quality weather programming as AccuWeather on such a high quality service as Verizon. It almost seems like someone higher up at Verizon has a personal financial investment in AccuWeather. We love our Verizon service in every other way and would hate to switch to another service. Verizon seems to strive for good quality in every other way, but they choose to have very low quality weather programming. It makes no sense.


There are smart phones for $50 or less sold at walmart so saying big dollars on a phone isn't accurate. You choose not to buy something else to get the information you want. Verizon has a choice to carry whatever they please just like we as consumers have a right to do business with whatever cable provider we choose. No one forces us to stick with them and if we aren't happy then coming here on a peer to peer forum isn't going to solve any issues or bring the channel back. The biggest statement for those who are that unhappy would be to take their business elsewhere, but instead people act like losing TWC is the end of the world and just post here which makes 0 logical sense. The people who deal with channel contracts sure don't come here.

If Verizon did come to new terms for TWC their per customer rates would probably increase and who do you think those fees would eventually be passed onto? The consumers then before you know it there will be a thread on here with people complaning about how their bills went up because of the TWC.

I said it already, but what would one do if the power went out and you couldn't access TWC? Then what? What do you think those that don't even have cable do? That's why there is no excuse for anyone to not have an alternative method of getting the weather information. If you choose not to spend as little as $10 on something even as a backup then that's your choice, but you either stick with what you have or go elsewhere that has what you want.

Even as CRob has said everyone posting here has internet access so one can easily go on the weather channels website or elsewhere and get the information that they want. Also, if the weather is that bad 99.9% of the time the local news is covering it.

No one has to be happy with them dropping TWC, but posting here isn't going to bring it back. 

Re: The Weather Channel
gs0b
Community Leader
Community Leader

@SinCara wrote:

I said it already, but what would one do if the power went out and you couldn't access TWC? Then what? That's why there is no excuse for anyone to not have an alternative method of getting the weather information. If you choose not to spend as little as $10 on something even as a backup then that's your choice, but you either stick with what you have or go elsewhere that has what you want.. 


I'll 2nd that.  If you live in an area where access to accurate, timely weather information is important, then TWC is not the primary solution.  A good weather radio is a must have.  And they don't have any monthly fees associated with them.  Compliment that with a smartphone, and you can have access to good info regardless of the state of power in your home.

Here's an example of the type of weather radio that should be standard issue for anyone in tornado alley:

http://www.amazon.com/Midland-WR120EZ-Weather-Certified-Trilingual/dp/B00176T9OY

Enjoy.

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THE WEATHER CHANNEL removal; aka another VZ scam
bherran
Enthusiast - Level 1

I find it ironic that Verizon advertised the removal/ shift for every (previous) line-up change of Verizon/ FiOS programming - well in advance - to its subscribers. BUT, with the removal/ failure to renew the contract with TWC, Verizon's (unannounced) "excuse" is that "there's an app for that, and we think people would rather view weather on their smartphones."   Which is the answer/ excuse I received when I called Verizon to complain about the change.  And, like most of the rest of you, I find "ACCUWEATHER" isn't even in the same league as TWC.  Admittedly, it is a win-win for Verizon as they want you to use some lame-xxx app and then charge you for using your "data" on your wireless plan (aka PROFIT).  Smart move for Verizon's profit margin - bad move for Verizon's customer satisfaction ratings.  I have yet to find any weather app that even comes close to the actual "THE WEATHER CHANNEL" program that was part of my TV line-up.  You can't get the "Local on the 8's" anywhere else.  Waiting around for a half hour+ watching ACCUWEATHER in hopes that you may happen to catch the weather in you "vicinity" is absurd.  Do yourself a favor Verizon and get rid of ACCUWEATHER altogether if you want to save some money – no one watches it anyway!  Too bad I recently renewed my 2-year agreement (like many others here).  It’s becoming clear that it's worth the early termination fee and find another service provider. Too bad, been with VZ/ FiOS since 2004...

 

Re: THE WEATHER CHANNEL removal; aka another VZ scam
CRobGauth
Community Leader
Community Leader

@bherran wrote:

  Admittedly, it is a win-win for Verizon as they want you to use some lame-xxx app and then charge you for using your "data" on your wireless plan (aka PROFIT).  Smart move for Verizon's profit margin - bad move for Verizon's customer satisfaction ratings.  I have yet to find any weather app that even comes close to the actual "THE WEATHER CHANNEL" program that was part of my TV line-up. 

 


You couldn't access TWC outside of your home.

So if you compare apples to apples and are accessing weather apps (TWC has an app which should have the same data as TWC) in your home, then you should be able to use WIFI (I assume you have Internet access to be able to post to this forum).

I don't believe there was anything nefarious to drop TWC other than cost cutting.

Weather Channel
JoeB4D
Enthusiast - Level 2

Well here we are at the beginning of thunderstorm/tornato season in New England, and tonight, as a severe line of thunderstorms was heading my way, I tuned in what use to be The Weather Channel, where I could follow the radar progress, and county warnings would run across the bottom of the screen.  But instead I get Accu-Weather, without a trace of local warnings.  I can't tell you how disappointed and **bleep**-off I am that Verizon still has not come to an agreement with The Weather Channel.  Accu-Weather, in a word SUCKS.  I would even be willing to pay a fee to get it back.

**bleep** Verizon, doesn't cutomer opinion count for anything?

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Re: THE WEATHER CHANNEL removal; aka another VZ scam
plumbago
Enthusiast - Level 3

Of course everyone writing here has internet access! But those people that do not have the internet, of course can't write their concerns here...grandmothers, great-grandmothers, great-aunts, and they are not being counted. Much of that generation will never learn to use the internet, and the ones that do try, at least in my circle, get frustrated trying to navigate the web, have no idea what an app is, and do not know what cut and paste is. That group of people are not being heard, even when calling Verizon on the phone. Verizon is telling these 65+ people to use weather apps and websites. Imagine telling your 80 yr old grandmother to download a weather app on her smart phone that she does not own . It is not realistic. Not everyone is young. Not everyone was born with a smart phone in their hand. Not everyone has this technology in their home. Someone here mentioned using other options to replace TWC. That's fine for some people, but The Weather Channel was ALSO AN OPTION that worked perfectly for many people. Why take away a perfectly good option to help keep people safe, especially during these horrible storms we have. Simply push the remote and there it is, The Weather Channel, no surfing through a bunch of frustrating technology. I agree with the previous posting that said Verizon could save money by removing AccuWeather. I honestly tried to be open minded about AccuWeather, but it has no value and frankly Verizon should feel ashamed for providing this low quality substitute. And for the posting that said it was worthless for us to be wrting here because Verizon doesn't look at it. I'm sure someone from Verizon is reading this stuff. And even if they aren't, there is no place else to discuss our concerns, so why not do it here. And why not switch providers? A contract.  

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