The URGE Digital Music was a plus and one of the reason I switched to FIOS. This was a service that I enjoyed during weekends and my choice for switching from DirectTV that was not available through other services. As the customer, I think the removal was a direct reflection of the overall control of what we pay for and no control over if the provider decides to just change. During the agreement for entering the Fios contract I was clear of what I wanted. I see that Fios has customers that also have concerns of what was then promised during the initial agreement and now disappointed. I called and the only response was "Very sorry for the inconvenience and worth 10.00 a month deductible. I had to call for that response versus seeing this from Verizon as well. What services will not be available next? The customer has no recourse of action now that we are locked into the agreement or service.
Did you read the text of the email that Verizon sent? Or the message on the STB? It very clearly says that they are being removed because the Urge service is being discontinued:
"the URGE Digital Music Channels - currently located on channels 1900 through 1951 - will be removed from the FiOS TV lineup due to the provider’s decision to discontinue the service" (my bold)
Do you think going to another provider is going to get the Urge channels back for you? Go to the Urge website:
Sorry, www.urge.com is currently undergoing maintenance.
Do you really think that is a coincidence?
Have you read the Verizon Terms of Service (TOS)? Verizon clearly reserves the right to remove any channels at any time for any reason, and you agreed to that. But in this case, Verizon is very clearly not at fault, they are doing what they are being forced to do. There are plenty of things to criticize Verizon for, but this is not one of them.
The customer has no recourse? Of course you do, pay the termination fee and find someone else that will satisfy you, vote with your wallet if this is so important. Demand that the new provider compensate you for the termination fee, if they really want your business that badly they might do part or all.
Good luck.
__________________________________
Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
QIP6416-P1, IMG 1.7.1, Build 09.97
Keller, TX 76248
Verizon added those channels at no extra charge a while back, now they are removing them. Tough!
Anyone who wants to defend Verizon right now should STOP.
Next to my mortgage, Verizon is my biggest monthly expense, more than my car payment!
We have cell phones, phone lines, internet and Fios TV; they have me coming and going.
My issue is that they take away and don't replace what they took.
This week it's urge, a few weeks ago I found out they are taking out Sleuth. Sleuth was one of my favorite channels.
Did they replace it? NO they just TAKE TAKE TAKE!
Yes I have a choice to change and pay the ransom they set us up for; or I can be patient.
And I will change very soon; just like when I left AT&T and Direct TV. I won't be held hostage by these giant takers!
Be smart and wait till the contract term is done and then switch to somebody else. Then watch how much they beg you to come back. If you could see the amount of letters begging me to come back to DirectTV and AT&T, I could burn a fire for days with the stack of paper they use!
{please keep your posts courteous}
I agree with Justin. I wonder if it will free up any bandwidth. If it would, I say get rid of all the Music Choice also. I pay for TV, and if I want music I will play MP3s or turn on the FM radio. Get rid of all the non TV stuff and give us more video content, or move the Music to IP with a widget tuner. You know there are many IP radio stations why not have Verizon make the Music Choice IP Radio and give us video content? Considering how much spectrum the entire FM radio band takes. I do not think the music takes up enough to make a difference.
So let it go. It is not Verizon that is stopping URGE, it is URGE that is STOPPING URGE.
EvenStephen: Who said they are taking away Sleuth? No one else has this info.
Ok let's think about this....
1. Was verizon paying anything to Urge for the music service? Or was it covered by advertising...just asking.. I never listened or watched. If Verizon was paying, and now they aren't ...then maybe we deserve a price break or some other consideration. Or they should pick up something else to compensate. More HD for some SD "cable" channels would be ok with me.
2. Doubt if enought bandwidth would be freed up to allow more than a fewmore video channels.
@GaryDoug wrote:Ok let's think about this....
1. Was verizon paying anything to Urge for the music service? Or was it covered by advertising...just asking.. I never listened or watched. If Verizon was paying, and now they aren't ...then maybe we deserve a price break or some other consideration. Or they should pick up something else to compensate. More HD for some SD "cable" channels would be ok with me.
2. Doubt if enought bandwidth would be freed up to allow more than a fewmore video channels.
I read on DSLR that 1 QAM will open up. Enough for 2HD and a few SD. For those who ding Verizon, read this good article.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/456706-MTVN_Loses_Urge_.php
@prisaz wrote:I read on DSLR that 1 QAM will open up. Enough for 2HD and a few SD. For those who ding Verizon, read this good article.
Yes, that is correct. Unfortunately all the music for a supplier like Urge is/was on only one QAM frequency. For example, look at Music Choice. All Music Choice channels, 1800-1845, are on 477MHZ, one QAM. So we could trade all of Music Choice (Or Urge) for just 2 HD video channels (and a few SD).
Just my two cents worth but......... maybe what Verizon could do is to provide a set of internet radio stations as selections for the internet radio stations widget. I know I can add internet radio stations as I like...... but perhaps as a service to the customers, Verizon could create a set of stations equal to (and of the same genre type) as the removed Urge stations?
Certainly there are reprehensible things that Verizon deserves to be taken to task for...such as taking away channels simply as a ploy to get people to pay more for channels they DON'T want, just so channels like EPIX can pretend that they have strong subscriber numbers. But losing the URGE channels, as has been stated, is NOT Verizon's doing. It is Viacom that is discontinuing it. In other words, there is NO provider anywhere that will have URGE any longer. Instead, look at the bright side...for those of us who lost valued channels (I miss you, MGM-HD) MAYBE we'll get one or two new HD channels. Fingers crossed.
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