Starz/Encore with Ultimate HD plan?

[BelAirBill]

Can anyone confirm if Starz & Encore are part of the Ultimate HD package?  I'm considering switching from cable and trying to get a reasonable apples-to-apples comparison of my current plan vs. the FIOS offerings.

I've been trying to find the information myself, but I'm getting mixed information:

• When I go through the ordering process and start with a bundle that includes Ultimate HD as the TV programming, there are add-on packages for HBO and CInemax, but no add-on for Starz & Encore (but they are available as add-ons to the Extreme HD bundle via the Movie package, which also includes SHO/TMC)
• I've checked the channel lineup page, but the information there has changed 3 times in as many weeks, so I don't know how reliable it is (as of this writing, it shows that Encore is not available on any of the 3 tiers, but STARZ HDTV is available in all 3 tiers, but none of the other Starz channels are available in any tier)
• I got an e-mail from Verizon support that said "Starz & Encore are part of the Movie Package, and are therefore included in the Ultimate HD package.".  However, I'm skeptical of this response and think that if I reference that e-mail after ordering I'll get a runaround that sounds like "we're sorry you were given the wrong information, but those channels are not included"

Now that I've spent a week waiting for the forum registration process to finally work, I figured I'd ask here if anyone receives Starz & Encore as part of the Ultimate HD bundle (outside of any specially tiered NY or similar markets)

[PCR0829 · Accepted solution]

BelAirBill,

I upgraded to Ultimate HD a couple of weeks ago.  Starz/Encore was not part of the package.  There is a seperate Ultimate HD Movie package for $9.99 a month that you'll need to subscribe to in order to receive Starz and Encore. 

And just as an FYI, I had to call in to upgrade to the bundle as well since the Starz/Encore package wasn't available for me to order online during the upgrading process for some reason.

Hope this information helps!

[ekem015]

It may vary by region (NYC gets every movie channel with Ultimate HD), but in my area (MA) it's just Showtime, TMC, and Epix.