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Channel deactivation

Why does verizon deactivate channels that a customer pays for under the preferred HD plan just because verizon thinks the customer is not watching the channel frequently enough? This then requires a call to tech support to have the channels reactivated and takes a long time. Also why doesn't verizon advertise this policy when someone purchases their plan?

Comments

CRobGauth

Far as I know, FIOS does not have such a policy.

Is it always the same channel or random channels?

bobbo527

Verizon does not deactivate channels due to lack of watching. Sounds like you have a lower tier plan (preferred) and either you were getting a free preview or they reconfigured the package (which does happen). The do not just deactivate a channel because you don't watch it.

podatverizen

After I lodged a formal complaint with MoCo, I got an answer from someone in Verizon that knew what was going on. Starting in early July (7th or 10th) Verizon implemented a new pilot for those with the Preferred HD TV plan (and one other one I don't remember which one) where they deactivate a channel if you haven't watched it for at least 5 continuos minutes in a 30 day period. I had downgraded my plan from the Ulltimate package to the Preferred late July which is why I began to see the problem start to show up in late August or early September. You should be able to get the channel back by pressing ok but I told them that most of the time that didn't work nor did the trouble shoot option work (except one time). Their own tech support doesn't know verizon had done this. One of them even sent me a new cable box to see if that corrected the problem. I told them that their method of collecting information was not acceptable. I told them to change their If-then statement in their program from if channel not watch - deactivate it to if channel not watched - count and report. They claim they are using the information to get lower prices for their customers. I siad I don't want to call tech support and spend 30 to 60+ minutes to get the problem fixed because their ok button is not working. I have not found any place where they have let their affected customers know that they are running this pilot and so your not getting the package you think your paying for. If you want to watch something and it takes 30 - 60 minutes to get the channel back you may have missed the program plus their not paying me for the time I'm wasting with them on a problem they created. They did give me a special number to call if the ok button does not work but no one mans that number so I have to wait for someone to check their voicemail. I guess I'll be watching even more of the free MeTV channel.

tns2

Personally I don't believe it in general, except for what I mention in the next paragraph. That would require a bunch of monitoring and custom tailoring for your Package.

But they do this for the sports packages e.g, the ones included in the Ultimate package, and the reason there is simple. If you are not watching the sports channel they save costs by removing them until You reactivate. They pay the contant providers by the number of customers they have who can see the contant for each period.

podatverizen

They deactivate based on groupings of channels (subpackages I guess you'd call them). As I said they have done this only on two TV packages, the Preferred HD and one other. They said they have not done this with the Ultimate HD package (the one I used to have until I downgraded). I asked about them saving money by doing this and the guy claimed that they do not. I don't know that I believe that response. I've told both Verizon and MoCo that I don't consider this issue closed until they stop deactivating channels I'm paying for.

SinCara

I know if channel modules are messed up on their end there can be channel issues with ones account, but I've never heard of channel deactivations nor experienced them myself when I downgraded from Ultimate to preferred.

Makes me wonder if it's something they are only doing in select markets.

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