What has happened to the Hallmark Channel 239??
Hallmark is actually on 240 ... Hallmark Movie Channel is on 239.
Hallmark Channel is part of the Prime, Extreme, and Ultimate bundles
Hallmark Movie Channel is part of the Prime and Ultimate bundles
Both channels work fine for me on an Ultimate bundle.
I believe that HMC was moved to be only in the HD Ultimate package. And they just recently cut off some of those who had the earlier HD prime package. You probably also lost MGM HD, WFN, Gospel Music Channel, and the .TV channels.
This is one of the things that has bugged me the most with Verizon. Hallmark Movie Channel is available if you subscribe to the Prime or Ultimate Packages but it is not available if you subscribe to the current Extreme (2010) Package.
It makes no sense to me that you could actually pay more for a package (Extreme) but not get a channel that is offered on a lower package (Prime). For some reason, Verizon does this with the Hallmark Movie Channel. So if you want the Hallmark Movie Channel, you either have to downgrade to Prime (and lose other channels available with Extreme) or upgrade to Ultimate.
If you had the old Extreme Package (the 2009 Version), you had the Hallmark Movie Channel. However, Verizon has been sending out notices tellling the people who have thd 2009 version that they will be losing a group of channels, Hallmark Movie being one of them.
While it doesn't impact me because I'm on the Ultimate tier, I agree with you completely. The tiers would make much more sense if they were truly "additive" not missing some parts in the middle.
@lasagna wrote: While it doesn't impact me because I'm on the Ultimate tier, I agree with you completely. The tiers would make much more sense if they were truly "additive" not missing some parts in the middle.
Note the tiers in some areas are additive. And for awhile prime was not available in NY and NY, although it now seems to be available again.
In January 2010, Verizon restructured their packages into Prime HD, Extreme HD, and Ultimate HD.
A group of channels that were in the OLD Extreme HD - purchased before January 2010 - were moved to Ultimate HD. They include the .tv channels, MGM HD, Hallmark Movie Channel HD, and some retirement-based ones, among others. However, Verizon ALSO offered Hallmark Movie Channel and the retirement ones on the Prime HD tier, but not the NEW Extreme HD tier. An absolutely mind-boggling decision by Verizon that serves absolutely zero functional purpose.
Verizon began to "update" the old Extreme HD (prior to January 2010) packages in the spring. Basically, they gave a group of those customers 30+ day notices, saying that they would lose all of the above mentioned channels on their Extreme HD package if they did not upgrade to Ultimate HD. There have been a few rounds of those "updates" so far, with the last one coming on August 19. Right after that, Verizon sent another batch of emails to the next group of customers they decided to "update."
So basically, Verizon is taking away the channels that were agreed on whenever you signed your agreement for your pre-January 2010 Extreme HD channel. They're doing it slowly, but eventually it will get to you, or as it appears, already got to you.
They are trying to get you to upgrade to Ultimate HD. Not only does it include the channels they took away from your Extreme HD package, but also a movie package and NFL Red Zone. Of course, it also costs a lot more.
But, hey, what else would you expect? It's Verizon, after all. I think we all knew it would only be a matter of time before they engaged in questionable business practices.
I must say, out of all the crazy things that Verizon does, and they do some, the decision to drop channels mid contract and the Hallmark Movie Channel (and other channels) being in the low and upper tiers, but not the mid, really takes the cake.
First, as to the channels being dropped mid contract, this did irk me to some extent. I understand that Verizon has in its terms and conditions that it can change your channels at any time, to remove channels while you are still in contract is not right. I can understand if you get a notice saying that once your contract is over, channels will be removed, I could understand that. But to remove channels while you are in contract is not right. If I were to cancel my service while in contract, I would be penalized. If I were to change services while within my contract, they would start me on a new contract term. Just doesn't seem right.
As to the channels themselves, this is more of a question mark. It seems to defy logic that, for instance, the Hallmark Movie Channel would be offered in Prime and Ultimate, but not Extreme. Obviously, I understand why it is offered in Ultimate. But if it is offered in Prime, why is it not offered in Extreme? With any other cable or satellite company that I have had services from, if I paid more money for a higher tiered package, I got all of the channels from the lower tiers plus more channels. Here, I pay more and don't get some channels offered in a lower package. Does this make sense? I questioned customer service about this, but they don't have an answer. Not that I would expect them to. This was a decision made higher up and no one seems to have an answer for it.
I will not be paying more though for the Ultimate Package. I can't say I am really impressed with the extra channels to justify the $15 to $20 more a month to have it.
It would always be mid contract for someone. And the contract is for services and not channels. They advertise the channels withing a given package, and provide those channels, but channels can change with any provider at any time.
I received this notice yesterday:
http://www22.verizon.com/ResidentialHelp/FiOSTV/Guide/TV+Programming/QuestionsOne/127138.htm?CMP=DMC-CVZ_ZZ_ZZ_Z_DO_N_X007
This is the same nonsense I had to deal with when we had Cox Cable. I got the short lived satisfaction of telling them they could pick up their box themselves as it was sitting out at the curb. Short lived as in they told me I would have to pay for it. Well, at least I got to slam it down on their service counter.
I switched to FIOS from Direct TV and it is the worst decision I have made in a long time. The installation was a nightmare. They installed 100' of cable from the external box to the other end of the house so that they could connect to the existing Direct TV cable (duh) and then set up the DVR on top of my B&O Turntable (evidentially the installer had never seen a record player???). I even had one installer lie about having replaced my box. I still get pixillation and audio distortion, but Verizon told me they would have to charge me for a service call if they came out to fix it!
As for the loss of Hallmark Movie Channel 239, well, it's really just "Murder She Wrote" that my wife and I will miss. Sure, we've seen them all, but they have a lot more class than most of what passes for entertainment today.
It's a good thing you can order the downloads on Netflix!
