more sports channels leaving
srxdba
Enthusiast - Level 2

Just got a notice that 3 sports channels are being moved out of a package I'm paying for and into packages that will cost me extra, but no new channels are being added to the packages I'm paying for...meaning a net loss of channels...again.

Is this an approach to stay competitive with Xfinity?

0 Likes
22 Replies
Barbara241
Newbie

I got the same message today. What a run around I got from India and the Philipines about it. Tech in India said their "back team" verified the message, but I needed to speak to billing to get some answeres Billing in the Phillipines told me there was no such message sent out, so I was sent to Tech again and was told the message sent to me was a fraud. What a joke as the email reply was the same as the Verizon website.

I just signed a new contract in Sept largely based on our college sports viewing. This is WRONG, To be told you must upgrade to Extreme or u Sportspass to get the channels you just signed up for. Isn't that  yet ANOTHER class action suit in the making?

VERIZON has the world's worst customer service on planet Earth. Either you get bold faced lies, promises to call back that never come, misleading info, more bold faced lies, or "we don't have that information in our dept." It isn't the fact you can never get an American to speak with (Verizon would outsource their mothers if they could), or that no one, but no one has the authority to DO anything, but that their MO is clearly to waste so much of your time you just give up.

But not this time.  If they break my contract by reneging on my channels , I am under no compulsion to stay with them.

0 Likes
jbeening
Enthusiast - Level 1

i got the following email today from verizon " "

Dear Valued Verizon Customer,

  

We are writing to notify you about certain upcoming programming changes to your Verizon 

FiOS TV channel lineup.  On or after April 16, 2015, the following channels will be removed from the FiOSยฎ TV Extreme package you are currently subscribed to:

 

Fox College Sports Atlantic  โ€“ Channel 300

Fox College Sports Central  โ€“ Channel 301

Fox College Sports Pacific   โ€“ Channel 302

 

Should you wish to continue viewing these channels, you may upgrade to the Verizon Ultimate HD package or purchase our Sports Pass at verizon.com/myverizon."

 

How much will my monthly fee be reduced by to reflect the diminished services offered?

I didn't think so....

SCTexan1
Enthusiast - Level 2

I'm complaining too.  That just isn't right.  You agree to a 2 year deal with certain stations and they take them away and charge you more to view them.  Hey Verizon, wait till my contract is up, then renotiate the package and price.

RHhandy
Enthusiast - Level 1

Another stab !  After losing ch 307 308 133 and the HD versions now our GO TO channel 49 "the weather channel" suddenly goes blank in favor of an "inferior" weather version. Widget is useless, press a half dozen buttons to get nothing pertinent. I want Pittsburgh weather, not N.Y. Connecticut, Louisiana etc. I want to see the progression of the weather as it approaches where "I live".

The bean counters decided, look we can save money by shafting our customers to improve the bottom line. Well I am the bottom line. I enjoyed Jim Cantore and the towing company on slow weather days. Need I go on???

kbl1
Enthusiast - Level 1

Why can Verizon just decide not to carry channels that I paid for but I can't decide how much to pay.  A contract is a contract but I'm sure there is a loophole that benefits Verizon and not me.  I will look elsewhere for service unless they reduce my rate.  This has happened with several channels over the years and I'm fed up with them.

dprstevens
Newbie

Agree. I do not like the idea that they can take away a channel, in this case a superior product and replace it with a significantly inferior product. Weather channel is more than just the local forecast.

0 Likes
PPM2
Enthusiast - Level 2

I would rather they charge me for only the channels I want to watch.  I don't watch MTV, BET, LATINO NATION, ....  I am sick and tire of not being able to watch the Yankees because they are blacked out.  The time has come for the Customers to stop this insanity.  

0 Likes
Strong2
Newbie
Dear Values Verizon Corporation,

I see a lot of take without any give. First the Weather Channel and now Fox College Sports? No refund, no better channels. Only lesser quality or nothing in return for our 'valued' commitment to faithfully honoring our end of the contract. Simply reaffirms my decision to drop Verizon when my contract expires.

Signed,

A Valued Customer

Dear Valued Verizon Customer,

We are writing to notify you about certain upcoming programming changes to your Verizon
FiOS TV channel lineup. On or after April 16, 2015, the following channels will be removed from the FiOSยฎ TV Extreme package you are currently subscribed to:

Fox College Sports Atlantic โ€“ Channel 300
Fox College Sports Central โ€“ Channel 301
Fox College Sports Pacific โ€“ Channel 302

Should you wish to continue viewing these channels, you may upgrade to the Verizon Ultimate HD package or purchase our Sports Pass at verizon.com/myverizon.

Thank you for being a Verizon customer.

Sincerely,

Your Verizon Team
0 Likes
cyclestrong
Newbie

I reached out to Verizon to ask about adjustments to our bill due to a loss of product.  I received the fine print about Verizon being able to change lineups with or without prior notice at not change to rates (except to increase them, I suppose).  Dropping channels without rate adjustment is more profit in Verizon's pocket.  Has me looking at Comcast again as well as DirectTV. 

This is poor customer service...

0 Likes
CRobGauth
Community Leader
Community Leader

So should they be able to increase the price when they add new channels?

Unless they sync everyone's contract to start and end at the same time, they would never be able to make a change.

BTW, all cable companies do this.

0 Likes
SCTexan1
Enthusiast - Level 2

Don't add the station to my line up unless I ask for it and am willing to pay for it.

Based on what I see here, Verizon can drop us down to a single channel for the money we pay today and there's nothing we could do about it?

redeyes1
Newbie

Ah yes, the old 'reach out to customer service' action.  I've done so in the past with little to no help.  Difficult to  understand, simply follow a flow chart  until you are so frustrated you either hang up just to stop the delay and bumbling.  I too have lost channels.  Pay more for less is the motto today.  Any attempt to try to change the layout of the package or drop services may dropo your bill by five dollars a month.  An insult!  Drop the phone and tv portions to try to save but this then raises the 'internet only' cost so one might as well keep the package.  If I change to a contract with present programming I could savef five dollars a month!  Another insult 'all for being a long and loyal customer'.  Verizon cares! 

0 Likes
thisisnuts2017

So who do I contact regarding the email I received about 3 college sports channels now being removed from my extreme package and only available if I were to upgrade to a more expensive package?

I don't understand how this can be legal, since I had to sign a contract and I am held to the contract, I can't midway through say - oh remove XYZ channels.

So how is it legal for verizon to remove these channels that I am paying for and are in my contract - any not even adjust the pricing to reflect the now - four channels if I include the weather channel?

So who/how do I contact someone at verizon to find out about adjusting my bill now that these channels are gone, yet I am expected to still pay for them??

0 Likes
bobbo527
Specialist - Level 3

@ThisIsInsane wrote:

So who do I contact regarding the email I received about 3 college sports channels now being removed from my extreme package and only available if I were to upgrade to a more expensive package?

I don't understand how this can be legal, since I had to sign a contract and I am held to the contract, I can't midway through say - oh remove XYZ channels.

So how is it legal for verizon to remove these channels that I am paying for and are in my contract - any not even adjust the pricing to reflect the now - four channels if I include the weather channel?

So who/how do I contact someone at verizon to find out about adjusting my bill now that these channels are gone, yet I am expected to still pay for them??


I suggest you read the contract, because it does say they have the right to add/remove channel. The subscriber fees the content providers charge for these channels are constantly increasing so Verizon has two choices, they either change the channel line-up or they raise your rates.

0 Likes
DannyMac10
Enthusiast - Level 3

Verizon have the means to find out the least popular channels and believe me their are many.  Dropped them thus not pay for them and keep the popular channels without having to increase the consumer's price package by saving money by dropping the least popular channel. 

You know a give and take with the customer to make it a consumer friendly company.  Because lately with the withdrawal of the The Weather Channel a very very popular channel to be replaced with this Accu Weather is putting Verizon in bad light with customers.  I'm going on 3 years with Verizon and have a year left on the contract  but now I'm looking soon for a new provider since my TV experience has changed even if I have to pay the penalty to get out of the contract.. 

I don't need these thousand of useless channels and can stream with chromecast, netflix, and movie packages.  I am paying for the top package but found I only watch a hand full of channels if they don't drop them(poor Weather Channel) a travesty.  Believe me  a la carte programming is coming soon and already here.  Look at this article I found..finally the big guy is listening to me and thousands more...Good for you Verizon  

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-20141003-column.html

I hope they can give back to US rather then take AWAY.

0 Likes
redeyes1
Newbie

Call the great customer service in india or China. Let's see, which page of the book could that response be on?  Ah, here's another one I don't understand...........

0 Likes
PPM2
Enthusiast - Level 2

This is why Verizon does the "gift card" offer to get people sucked in and then changes the rules once you have signed a 2 year contract.  I won't pay of MLB, I'd rather listen to John Sterling on the radio when the Yankees play any way.  I was never offered a DVR, and I won't pay for one now.  I am paying for a second box, but it is the old version and doesn't display the time or channels.  I just got an email telling me that I need to see the newest version of Annie (that will never happen).  I am tired of Verizon's refusal to have an email contact to their "support team" like all other companies have.  I will not deal with their computerized answering cutomer questions anymore.  I will just wait however long it takes for someone to finally answer their Toll Free Number.  

Get their attention:   Call them every day until we get decent service.

0 Likes
Pdz7778
Enthusiast - Level 2
If you don't live in the Yankees home market, you won't see them outside nationally televised games and if they play your local team. That's not Verizon fault. That's an MLB rule.
0 Likes
vpasq
Enthusiast - Level 2
Until now, I really (after over four years of subscribing) have been very satisfied with my Verizon service. However, yesterday I received a notice from Verizon that I am losing three Fox Sports channels as they are "being removed from the Extreme Package to the Ultimate HD Package" and if I wanted to continue to watch them to either upgrade to the higher package, or subscribe to a sports package. No mention of three additions, so in other words, my package is being reduced, but the price remains the same. What kind of deal is that? This along with the no notice deletion of The Weather Channel (and the replacement horrible Accuweather channel) makes me wonder where are we going? Just doesn't seem right, but I know before I get told, so be it!
CRobGauth
Community Leader
Community Leader

This is somewhat in line with what a fair number of people have been asking for.

A lot of people say they don't want to have to pay extra for more and more sports channels.

So they either get moved to a tier where people pay the most or to a sports package.

0 Likes