more HD channel removals?

Did anyone else get the email below? I didn't, or perhaps I missed it. I came across it in another forum.

Dear FiOS TV Customer,

From time to time channel lineup changes are necessary to improve our content offerings. We will therefore, be making some changes to our current TV service packages on or after August 19th, 2010.

If you ordered the FiOS TV Extreme HD package prior to January 17, 2010, the channels below will no longer be available in your TV package.

Channel Name Channel Number
Cars.TV 599
Comedy.TV 695
ES.TV 558
Gospel Music Channel 224
Hallmark Movie Channel (SD/HD) 239 / 739
MGM HD 744
My Destination.TV 674
Pets.TV 633
Recipe.TV 676
World Fishing Network (SD/HD) 317 / 597

Discuss...

Some folks are saying that MGM-HD and HMC-HD are already gone. I just checked and I still have them. Good riddance to the .TV channels. I hope we get decent replacements. My fingers are crossed for FSC-HD and BBCA-HD.

Accepted answers

prisaz

They are not being removed from FiOS, but only removed from the Extreme package. There were some West coast premium feeds that were removed and replaced with new channels already.

The Ultimate HD line up includes those removed from the Extreme HD. But when the .TV channels kept saying comming soon, people like me complained that the HD channels never came for like six months. Now I wish the Infomercial type .TV channels would never have come.What a waist of QAM space. I have not seen anyone that had anything good to say about them. I am sure Verizon has a contract to carry them, and I could only hope it expires and they go down the dain where they belong.

All comments

prisaz

They are not being removed from FiOS, but only removed from the Extreme package. There were some West coast premium feeds that were removed and replaced with new channels already.

julesism

Ahh... I apologize for the confusion. I'm a FiOS TV noob.

prisaz

@julesism wrote:
Ahh... I apologize for the confusion. I'm a FiOS TV noob.

No apology required. Welcome to FiOS. I have been around since launch in I think 2005. First FiOS Internet and Phone, then TV. Yes I like the service. There are always things that could improve.

ekem015

Yet the Gospel Music Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel are still available in the Prime HD package, but not the Extreme HD package. One of the most head-scratching moves I've ever seen Verizon makes.

This change affects me. Seems unfair that the channels I agreed to in the contract last year are now being taken away from me.

prisaz

@ekem015 wrote:
Yet the Gospel Music Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel are still available in the Prime HD package, but not the Extreme HD package. One of the most head-scratching moves I've ever seen Verizon makes.
This change affects me. Seems unfair that the channels I agreed to in the contract last year are now being taken away from me.

I know it does not make sense to many people. Which includes me. But I upgraded to the Ultimate for the 35/35 speeds.

ekem015

How much more did it cost you?

prisaz

@ekem015 wrote:
How much more did it cost you?

It all depends where you are in your current bundle agreement. If your bundle has expired and you start asking about cost of service without phone, or cutting services, it could vary. What I did was ask for the bundle at the $119 cost advertised for "new customers, or or customer receiving a new bundle", or give me 35/35 with TV and drop the phone service. They may have changed the wording on the bundle web site. The retention department gave me a $30 discount for 1 year on a two year commitment. So that is $109 a month for the first year, and what I was paying, and then the full $139 price during year two. Divide that over two years my bill cost $5 a month more. A deal I was happy with. So it depends on your current agreement, and how well you can barter. I have heard of Verizon working with customers to keep them happy, and be fair. But your mileage may very.

kanders801

What I don't understand is there are 4 channels including the HallMark Movie Channel that are available on the Prime (cheaper option) and the Ultimate (more expensive option). Why have these available in the Prime and also not on the Extreme?

myword

My reaction to them removing channels from my package will be to reduce the package.

I have the Extreme Package and still have MGM and Hallmark HD. My suscription ends in October. If they take any channels away, I will move to a lower tier, less expensive package. I will NOT pay more for LESS. Everyone should do the same. They will get the message quick enough.

And please no one post that they have to pay more for the channels - they are offiering those channels in the less expenisve prime package.

ElizabethS

Hello myword.

You have received information in your private message box -- > . It is a small gold envelope on the upper right of the screen. Please Read.

RayA1

Doesn't make sense to offer the channels being removed on a lower tier. I complained via email to Verizon and the response I got was to look at the new package offerings for 2010. They look the same as the old packages. So you either pay less and get less or if you want to keep some of the channels they are dropping, pay more for the higher package. Cablevision does the same thing and they wonder why they lose subscribers. Complete arrogance. Want to take something away? How about all the Spanish channels that are completely useless to me. Put them in a separate package and let someone else pay for them. Verizon boasts all these channels in their packages but tell me, how many people have any use for many of them? And one that I will never understand is why I have to pay more for Soapnet (the wife saod she can't live without it)? If it weren't for that, I would drop down to the Prime package. Cable did this too.

RogT

I received a postcard to the same effect. See my previous post, they didnt just go away, they moved them to a more expensive package. So, if you want them all you have to do is pay Verizon another $35 per month or so additional. Some game isnt it?

spacedebris

@myword wrote:
My reaction to them removing channels from my package will be to reduce the package.
I have the Extreme Package and still have MGM and Hallmark HD. My suscription ends in October. If they take any channels away, I will move to a lower tier, less expensive package. I will NOT pay more for LESS. Everyone should do the same. They will get the message quick enough.
And please no one post that they have to pay more for the channels - they are offiering those channels in the less expenisve prime package.

In theory, good Idea. BUT, while moving to the lower tier would get you back those 4 channels...

hallmark movie channel
RFD
gospel music channel
retirement living

You would loose many others that you may watch reguarly. For example....

MLB

NFL

NHL

Nat Geo

DIY

Fox Movie channel

boomerang

funimation

sprout

just to name a few. For me, its not worth loosing all those others to gain back those 4 (and actually the hallmark channel is the only one of interest to me).

BTW, you WILL be loosing those channels if you are on the extreme HD package. EVERYONE will (who are on those packages). They are just removing them a region at a time. If I remember right, the timeline they posted earlier this year said it would complete sometime in Oct. Its just a matter of time.

[Deleted User]

As this thread is now over two years old, it will be locked in order to keep discussions current. If you have the same or a similar question/issue we invite you to start a new thread on the topic.