Why are Channels Unavailable tv.verizon.com

achilders23
Enthusiast - Level 1

I have been watching various channels (which I obviously pay for) via tv.verizon.com using the chrome browser on my Win11 laptop, and Windows 10 PC. It has been working fine for months, then in the last 3-4 weeks a majority of my channels in Guide say "Unavailable Channel" and then clicking on a channel to watch results in this error: Out of Home - You are currently watching out of home, so some channels may be unavailable to view live.

Problem is I am 100% sitting inside my home and nothing has changed. It was working fine for a long time and now so many channels are not. I tried connecting directly to the verizon router and it did not resolve it. I've spent the last 1hr 45min on with support getting the run around. Reset and rebooted set top boxes, rebooted router etc. only in the end to hear support tell me they don't guarantee channel availability via tv.verizon.com, on or off home network... Very very very frustrating.

There are many posts on this topic but most of them are for teh Fios TV App on iphone/ipad. I just checked my iphone app and I am able to view all the channels (and I'm on the Eero mesh wifi), so why isn't it working in Chrome Browser?

Labels (1)
8 Replies
iontyre
Enthusiast - Level 2

Interesting to hear it was previously working for you!  I switched from Comcast a couple of months ago and have NEVER been able to get most channels from a HOME PC.  This is absurd.  From what I can tell NO OTHER CABLE TV SERVICE has this issue, I got EVERYTHING including my DVR programs available to me when I was on COMCAST/XFinity from ANY device on my home network.  If FIOS works fine on a phone, why the heck can't it work from a PC?

twa73
Enthusiast - Level 1

Having same problem. Just switched from Xfinity to Fios and it is beyond bizarre to be told so many channels that I want to watch, even  PBS, can only be watched from the "set top box due to content right restrictions".  They  have 20 days  to fix or I'm dropping this service and posting a warning to all potential customers.

0 Likes
Reply
dexman
Community Leader
Community Leader

The answer still boils down to Verizon not having the rights to broadcast channels over the Internet.  The rights to broadcast content to televisions doesn't necessarily mean that the same content can be transmitted to mobile devices.

Comcast is a much larger company than Verizon and even owns stakes in various networks.  As such, Comcast can negotiate better deals than Verizon can.

0 Likes
Reply
Syndil-Lucian
Enthusiast - Level 1

I am currently paying over $200 A MONTH for cable/internet service and I am being told, sitting in my home, that I have 'channels unavailable'.  For what I am paying, it should not matter if I am on my PC, I should be able to view any content that my subscription to Verizon entitles me to watch if I was watching using the cable box/TV.  If Verizon can't do better than this, I will consider going back to Comcast as I could watch live channels on the PC with that ISP.  This is honestly unacceptable.

dexman
Community Leader
Community Leader

Agreements to carry a particular channel over the Internet are separate from those inked to carry the same channel via cable television.

If a channel (or even some professional sporting events) are viewable on a television, but not on a computer it is because Verizon does not have an agreement in place to broadcast the content via the app.  😐

iontyre
Enthusiast - Level 2

This NOT an acceptable excuse.  How come Comcast provided EVERYTHING on a PC?  Verizon can't get the same agreements?  Why?  I was screaming at the TV yesterday during a Verizon commercial where they had the nerve to say they provide everything 'at home or on the road'.  WHAT!!!  Not even close - blatant LIE!!!!

dexman
Community Leader
Community Leader

Comcast is a much larger company than Verizon. Comcast has a larger customer base,  as well as ties to NBC & studios.

The explanation about agreements might seem unacceptable, but it is the reason why some channels are not available via the app, but are available via the Fios traditional cable television platform.

clem21
Community Leader
Community Leader

@iontyre wrote:

This NOT an acceptable excuse.  How come Comcast provided EVERYTHING on a PC?  Verizon can't get the same agreements?  Why?  I was screaming at the TV yesterday during a Verizon commercial where they had the nerve to say they provide everything 'at home or on the road'.  WHAT!!!  Not even close - blatant LIE!!!!


Call the FCC and report Verizon for false advertising then. Maybe that will make you happy.