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The Cable/Satellite Wars - Page 2

post #51 of 81
7/12/12 at 9:44am

I gotta get on that free NFL Sunday Ticket.

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post #52 of 81
7/12/12 at 9:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dalyn View Post

NOOOOOOOOO!  Not MTV India!!!


Fucker.  You beat me to it :)

 

I am just glad I have overpriced cable at this point.  This is the biggest reason why I am glad I have continued to drag my feet in moving to a satellite provider.

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post #53 of 81
7/12/12 at 5:14pm

just want to congratulate AT&T for coming out to our house, and going a BANG up job installing our new TV service.

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)

room.jpg

 

 

These guys really take their time, and do a great job.  Lord knows I couldn't lay the cable across the rug!

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post #54 of 81
7/12/12 at 5:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Disciple_72 View Post

 

 

So we get $5 credit for one month (I called DTV up too and was offered exactly the same) and what I was told was a free month of Encore aka the shittiest premium movie channel collection of them all. Vs Dish/AMC people who got a free Roku box and $30 credit? Hmmm....

 

Bite thy tongue!  They are showing my favorite Stallone movie on Encore Romance right now,  Rhinestone.  You know how out of print that movie is?

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post #55 of 81
7/12/12 at 8:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Judas Booth View Post

 

FWIW:

Everyone on DirectTV has all of the Encore channels free as of now.  The indication that I received from the customer service rep that I talked to is that it'll remain free while this Viacom issue is in dispute.

 

Also, I got a $5 monthly credit for my inconvenience.  I could have pressed for more but...in all honesty...I'm backing DirectTV in this dispute and I honestly have no quarrel with them.  

Calling tomorrow to get that account credit. I am definitely backing DirecTV in this dispute, but I do feel they should do something like an account credit.

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post #56 of 81
7/13/12 at 4:33am

I called on the first day and didn't get shit.  No credit.  No Sunday Ticket.  Nothing.  I think I'm too much of a softie and don't push it too far.  I always fear I'll threaten to cancel and they'll call my bluff.

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post #57 of 81
7/13/12 at 5:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dalyn View Post

I called on the first day and didn't get shit.  No credit.  No Sunday Ticket.  Nothing.  I think I'm too much of a softie and don't push it too far.  I always fear I'll threaten to cancel and they'll call my bluff.

You are weak.

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post #58 of 81
7/13/12 at 6:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Waaaaaaaalt View Post

You are weak.

 

 

Yeah...

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post #59 of 81
7/13/12 at 6:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dalyn View Post

I called on the first day and didn't get shit.  No credit.  No Sunday Ticket.  Nothing.  I think I'm too much of a softie and don't push it too far.  I always fear I'll threaten to cancel and they'll call my bluff.

I used to work in such a department for a cell phone company.  If customers threatened to cancel we had a pool of options to keep the customer on.  Pretty much every company will have this type of department.  However, choose your words carefully.  “I may be canceling my service soon because…” works way better than, “I want to cancel…”  The problem is, 99% of the people in these departments are young 20-somethings.  They often don’t care, or hate their jobs.  If you find one that really doesn’t care at all, they may just cancel.  I made this mistake – even knowing the ins and outs of it all. 

 

I was trying to save money on a cell phone bill and called to “cancel”.  I was hoping they would give a credit, drop my plan or provide some sort of monetary compensation.  Instead, the rep pulls up my account, verifies my info and says, “ok, it will be deactivated in the next twenty minutes.”  Of course, I was flustered as shit and said, “well cancel that – I didn’t know it was going to be so quick.  I will call back later today.”

 

I don’t think you have to be stern at all.  In fact, I would say you may not get as far that way.  Just explore the option of canceling and choose your words wisely.  And, if you have a contract then follow-up with “…I know I have a contract and I don’t want to cancel, but I may have to just pay whatever fees rack up unless…”

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post #60 of 81
7/13/12 at 7:03am

The other day I called to cancel XM, and the guy offered me two free months, and I took it right away.  After I hung up, I thought I should have held out just to see how much they would offer me.  With a service like XM, I really didn't care if I had it or not.  When I call back before my two months are up to cancel again, I may try to see how much they will give me.  If they just up and cancel it, then I'm perfectly fine with that. 

 

Something like DirecTV, though, I didn't want to risk them actually cancelling it.  But yeah, if I went in with more of a plan and chose my words carefully, as opposed to just asking "Hey, are you going to give me anything for losing these channels?  No?  Okay, then."

 

Truth be told, my plan a few months ago was to cut the cord and cancel DirecTV.  At the last second my girlfriend put the kibosh on that plan.  She didn't want to live without NFL Sunday Ticket.  I love my girlfriend.

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post #61 of 81
7/13/12 at 7:10am

"due to the recent depature of all viacom channels, I have decided to look into changing carriers.  Besides the offering the channels you now don't offer, XYZ company is offering a rate of xx.xx a month, and offering me free HBO and Showtime for 6 months if I join.  Since you have been my provider for x-amount of time, I wanted to see if you could match, or offer me something comparable."

 

I say something to this regard every year with Time Warner, and I always get their "new customer" rate and half a year of HBO free.  So pissed that I changed to AT&T, bunch of jerk offs. 

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post #62 of 81
7/13/12 at 7:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Monster Pete View Post

"due to the recent depature of all viacom channels, I have decided to look into changing carriers.  Besides the offering the channels you now don't offer, XYZ company is offering a rate of xx.xx a month, and offering me free HBO and Showtime for 6 months if I join.  Since you have been my provider for x-amount of time, I wanted to see if you could match, or offer me something comparable."

 

I say something to this regard every year with Time Warner, and I always get their "new customer" rate and half a year of HBO free.  So pissed that I changed to AT&T, bunch of jerk offs. 


Also a good approach.  I do something similar with Comcast every time my promo expires.  But that is a necessity.  I can get a good cable and internet deal for about 110 bucks, however, when that promo ends, I get a bill for like 160 bucks.  FUCK that.  So overpriced.  Therefore, about every six months I call Comcast and ask what deal I can get.  Why they don't just keep my promo as long as I stay a customer is beyond me.  I guess enough people just deal with it and it's way to get extra cash in their pockets.

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post #63 of 81
7/13/12 at 7:31am

I knew a guy who worked for Time Warner Cable, he told me his job was to always keep the customers with them.  Giving exisitng customer, new customer promotions, was standard play.  He said that they did that all the time, because 95% of existing customers never ask about getting that promotion. 

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post #64 of 81
7/13/12 at 7:49am
It's all in the way you ask. Be friendly with the rep on the phone and you'll get everything that you want. Be an asshole and they'll shut you down right away. It's a simple concept, bit it's amazing how many people go with the asshole method.
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post #65 of 81
7/16/12 at 8:41pm
Thread Starter 

OK, rage building.....

 

Sure I was able to get 3 free months of Showtime + Starz and a couple bucks off of my bill to keep me happy but now The Daily Show and Colbert are back from vacation and still no deal between DirecTV and Viacom. 

Not that the episodes won't show up online in one form or another, but this shit better not go on for much longer.

 

to top it off, Louis CK is supposed to be on TDS tonight.

 

...just read that Stewart went after Viacom in his opening monologue.
 

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post #66 of 81
7/17/12 at 5:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dalyn View Post

The other day I called to cancel XM, and the guy offered me two free months, and I took it right away.  After I hung up, I thought I should have held out just to see how much they would offer me.  With a service like XM, I really didn't care if I had it or not.  When I call back before my two months are up to cancel again, I may try to see how much they will give me.  If they just up and cancel it, then I'm perfectly fine with that. 

 

I cancelled a sub on one of my radios that I sold (I replaced it with a new radio).  For months after, they continuously sent me offers for 6 months of free programming if I re-activated the radio on my account.

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post #67 of 81
7/17/12 at 7:22am
Thread Starter 

color me somewhat surprised....it looks like last night's episodes of TDS and Colbert are up on their websites.

 

I can't help but think that this only occurred because some executive at Viacom talked to their kids and realized that it would be pointless to try and keep it offline.

 

Jon even discussed it..... :)

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-july-16-2012/tv-banned

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post #68 of 81
7/19/12 at 6:37pm
Thread Starter 

first off.....DirecTV is now showing TCM in HD !!

They are showing Forbidden Planet as I type and it looks freakin' great.

(I suppose I could have put in my DVD in...)

 

anyway-

apparently Viacom is losing quite a bit of advertising revenue

 

this bit of propaganda is from direcTV....truth? bullshit ??

Quote:
You may have heard that Viacom is trying to upset customers with some very loud rhetoric about negotiations breaking down.  Their statement, intended for dramatic effect, is completely false.  Please know that we are indeed continuing to negotiate with Viacom so they can return the channels to our customers as soon as possible.  Just last night, Viacom made a proposal for the return of the 17 channels they dropped  from DIRECTV. Earlier this morning, we accepted all material terms for those channels including an increase that was more than fair.  We are ready to sign that deal immediately.  What’s holding things up right now is that they are insisting that we launch the EPIX movie channel (an extra channel that DIRECTV has never carried) at the additional cost of more than a half billion dollars. Whatever way you slice it, the main issue remains the same.  Viacom’s total price tag to continue carrying channels is just too high and will adversely affect our customers.  And so, as we have done every day since this began, we will be back on the phones negotiating with the Viacom executives tomorrow so we can get closer to a final deal.  We are too close to turn back now. The fact is Viacom and DIRECTV need each other so we will get this done.
 

Edited by VTRan - 7/20/12 at 7:47am
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post #69 of 81
7/19/12 at 10:19pm

They're both giant monopolistic corporations but I have to fall on the side of DirecTV on this one.  Viacom is being greedy.  DirecTV and most of the public wants the option of a la cart channels; Viacom doesn't.  Then again, if cable/satellite were regulated and competition enforced, we'd not only get innovation but we'd all be paying a lot less and have a lot more options. 

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post #70 of 81
7/20/12 at 7:51am
Thread Starter 

apparently a deal was reached and the viacom channels are back

 

Quote:

 

DIRECTV and Viacom Reach Agreement for Return of Viacom's 17 Channels Including Extensive New Digital Rights for DIRECTV Customers

 

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- DIRECTV has reached a new long-term agreement with Viacom to restore 17 channels (including Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV, BET, Spike, CMT, TV Land and ten other channels) that Viacom had taken away from DIRECTV customers on July 10. Viacom has returned all affected networks.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

In addition to the channels' return, DIRECTV customers will also gain the ability to see Viacom programming on tablets, laptops, handhelds and other personal devices via the DIRECTV Everywhere platform. Carriage of the EPIX movie channel is not required as part of the new agreement.

<cont.>

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post #71 of 81
7/20/12 at 6:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by VTRan View Post

first off.....DirecTV is now showing TCM in HD !!

 

Got a shock when I noticed that TCM had disappeared from my fave channels list- turns out it was only because of the upgrade. But yeah, this is awesome.

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post #72 of 81
7/20/12 at 6:04pm

Is TCM uncut?

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post #73 of 81
7/20/12 at 6:06pm

I believe they have a rule where they only show films in uncut form.

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post #74 of 81
7/20/12 at 6:08pm

I mean I know they play mostly older stuff so there isn't always much to cut but then checking the guide, later tonight they are showing Near Dark.

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post #75 of 81
7/20/12 at 9:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Waaaaaaaalt View Post

I mean I know they play mostly older stuff so there isn't always much to cut but then checking the guide, later tonight they are showing Near Dark.

 

 

TCM has started showing films of more recent vintage (into the 70s and 80s) on certain occasions - I think they do a Friday or Saturday horror block and you might see at least one post-1970/pre-1990 movie per week. 

 

I also saw this absolutely awful, awful movie called Stunt Rock - I'd say it had to be seen to be believed but I wouldn't wish that on Hitler. Well, maybe Hitler.

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post #76 of 81
7/20/12 at 9:22pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Waaaaaaaalt View Post

I mean I know they play mostly older stuff so there isn't always much to cut but then checking the guide, later tonight they are showing Near Dark.

 

and they are showing * Rollerball tomorrow morning !!

 

 

* I refuse use the term "original".....because that other similarly named film does not exist in my world.

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post #77 of 81
7/23/12 at 6:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chavez View Post

 

I also saw this absolutely awful, awful movie called Stunt Rock - I'd say it had to be seen to be believed but I wouldn't wish that on Hitler. Well, maybe Hitler.

 

Holy crap!  They showed Stunt Rock on TCM?  That movie was so hard to find for a long time.  Yeah, it's bad, but I love it.

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post #78 of 81
7/23/12 at 1:10pm

I shall continue to enjoy my spoils from this latest war--my Roku box arrived about a week ago.

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post #79 of 81
8/17/12 at 9:51am

I laugh every time I catch a snippet of AMC's digs at Dish.  "Not on Dish"  But then I feel bad for the Dish users here that don't get to see Breaking Bad or Mad Men.  Sad.

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post #80 of 81
8/17/12 at 10:13am
Thread Starter 

This Dish/AMC 'war' has been going on for a long time now, hasn't it?  I wonder how many people have bailed on Dish because of this?

 

On a good note, I see that BBC is in HD now on DirectTV.

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post #81 of 81
8/17/12 at 10:45am

I noticed some other channels that posted notices about dropping Dish. Looks like it's starting to affect the bottom line:  http://www.dailyfinance.com/2012/08/08/dish-network-earnings-amc-fight-subscriber-loss/

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