Verizon Offers Cable Channels by Genre

[Marshall Honorof]

Customers will soon be able to purchase Verizon's FiOS TV cable service with channel packs that are relevant to their interests.

Verizon Offers Cable Channels by Genre : Read more

 

[hokiecow]

So I have to pay more for less. For waht I pay now, I would get the basic channels and two channel packages. The shows we watch are spread out among 4 packages! I have to pay more to get the same channels. This is not a good deal! NOW, let me pick the 50 channels I want, sign me up!

 

[Mintas Lanxor]

The cable TV pay system should be set up just like the phone service: allow all the channels (including premium) to everybody and charge based on the minutes of monthly viewing. Of course this proposal, like the a la carte option, is utopian.

 

[Cun Con]

The cable TV pay system should be set up just like the phone service: allow all the channels (including premium) to everybody and charge based on the minutes of monthly viewing. Of course this proposal, like the a la carte option, is utopian.

Then you'll have to pay more for falling asleep wit the TV ON...sure, absolutely smart huh?

 

[Scooter 30]

It would certainly be nice to not have to pay for expensive channels like ESPN that I NEVER watch,ever.

 

[Martell1977]

Just let me pick and pay for the 12 channels I actually watch, instead of paying for 500+ to get those 12 channels!

 

[Grandmastersexsay]

i can't wait for the tipping point when more people subscribe to streaming services than cable television. The sooner it dies, the better.

 

[rcmaniac25]

So I have to pay more for less. For waht I pay now, I would get the basic channels and two channel packages. The shows we watch are spread out among 4 packages! I have to pay more to get the same channels. This is not a good deal! NOW, let me pick the 50 channels I want, sign me up!

The article does say that they don't let you pick more then 2 packages, as it would be more expensive then getting the normal service. So if you only care about a very finite number of channels, then it makes more sense.

I definitely like the direction streaming services are going, but for me, I also care less about movies and most if not all of the big-name shows on (they just don't get me), but that's all the streaming services seem to offer right now. So until then, I see this as a better deal then full service.

 

[BuffaloChuck]

This is still a situation where we are forced to pay for channels we may not want.

"Just don't watch" isn't the issue - WE STILL HAVE TO PAY for channels that we may object to. The a-la carte issue was exactly what the digital providers said was possible in the late '90s as they were paying Congress their rebates and kickbacks.

 

[stevenrix]

I don't watch TV, I think for myself. Problem solved.

 

[John Usa]

ESPN rates are ridiculously exorbitant and I am all for ala carte channel choices.
I will save lots of $$$ by dumping ESPN channels as I never watch them anyway.
I wish that Comcast will give me this choice as I waste a lot of $$$ on ESPN.
Get lost ESPN. I am sick and tired paying for your expensive and lousy programs that I never watch.

 

[velocityg4]

This won't be any help to most people. With all their data on customer viewing habits. I'm sure they tailored these genre packs so that for 95% of customers no two packs will have all their channels.

i can't wait for the tipping point when more people subscribe to streaming services than cable television. The sooner it dies, the better.

The chief barriers being data limits, live streaming (sports, news) and reliability. Reliability is a big one. It seems that every streaming services I have used, regardless of ISP, drops the connection at some point leading to buffering. The other reliability problem is commercials breaking the connection so you have to reload the show then rewatch the commercials.

 

[SteelCity1981]

getting rid of all of those shopping, infomerical and gospel channels would be nice!

 

[ubercake]

These companies get kind of tricky when they talk about pricing. There is no difference here.

Are we to assume these are HD channels? Also, I'm guessing this does not include the leased hardware charges they don't talk about in these "special offers" which can add up to another $40 / month for DVR capability on one box, an internet router/modem (if you also want internet service not to mention the additional charge for that service) and basic HD boxes on other television sets.

 

[KidHorn]

I would be happy if Verizon didn't drop channels I like or up their price with no warning. Even with a contract, they up their prices on me. What's the point of a 2 year agreement?