Prime West and Comedy West gone

[Darryl]

Any reason they moved em to N2 until Jan04? Or are they just messing with us again?

[Lancster]

I am really pi**ed off about this! :evil: :evil:

They could have removed 60 or 70 other channels that I only watch occasionally. But I had gotten addicted to watching Beat the Geeks on Comedy West when I was making supper. And after that, The Daily Show (don't watch it at 11:00 on Comedy East).

Channel 299 indicates that "the channels are still available to customers with Nimiq2 access". How many subscribers is that? 5%, 10% at best.

I should demand a partial refund.

Let's start a petition. :x

[I_Want_My_HDTV]

Sure enough, I just checked and these two channels are on N2 now. I guess BEV had to make room for those new PPV channels somehow. :roll:

[velix]

You can file a complaint with the CRTC.
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/RapidsCCM/Register.asp?lang=E

I did. A package is paid for one month in advance. I paid for east AND west and will not accept their apology for the inconvenience. I want reparation of the diminuation of service. They charge my account $1 extra for the west us feeds, they can very well credit $1 off the package when they reduce the service for which it was sold.

I also called Bell to complain the night they did this.

[Darryl]

Thanks for the idea.
Complaint sent.

[Lancster]

Great, thanks - another complaint here.

Let's get 'em.

[audiofool]

I too, have registered my complaint. Now it remains to see what, if anything is resolved by that body.

[audiofool]

I just got my 'reply' from the CRTC.

Basically, they advise that their concern solely is ......" As long as certain required services are offered as part of the basic package (CBC network service in English and French, CTV, TVA and APTN), and all conditions of licence or other regulatory requirements (e.g. linkage) are satisfied, a satellite distributor is free to determine how it will package services. In other words, the CRTC does not generally regulate how they package, upgrade, change or market their packages so it's up to consumers to let them know how they feel. ..."
The CRTC contact goes on to say that they have forwarded this concern to BEV and advise that they expect a response within 3 weeks.

Perhaps this is moreso an issue for either Consumer and Corporate Affairs, as they continue to advertise these 'time-shift' stations as available, they do not indicate that extra equipment is required to do so at this time, and do not offer a price compensation for this withdrawl of services.

Or perhaps it's a matter for old fashioned 'voting with your dollars'. The equipment didn't cost me anything as it was provided and installed as part of a promotion to woo customers away from Rogers in my area where a test market was conducted for Bell's Totalvision digital cable experiment.... b*st*rds !

[Lancster]

I also got a response from the CRTC, same exact wording.

Hopefully BEV wonders what's going on when they get half-a-dozen complaints forwarded from the CRTC on the exact same issue.

Good!

[satphile]

Originally Posted by Lancster

I also got a response from the CRTC, same exact wording.

Hopefully BEV wonders what's going on when they get half-a-dozen complaints forwarded from the CRTC on the exact same issue.

Good!

These complaints will not take you anywhere. They need to make room on N1 and they have to drop certain channels. What you should do is vote with your wallet.

[audiofool]

Perhaps now with BEV's guidance in helpling me to understand that I don't actually need some of their channels, it will give me pause to take a closer look at my selection of themes so that I can cutout some of the dead wood and save some $ at the same time. Power to the correct people !

It might not be so bad, but to have done this just to make room for duplication of the PPVs for VU 1 thru 14 on ch 352 - 364!.... I don't see the point.

[Darryl]

I received the same CRTC email as the rest of you.

I agree with the statement about why do we need all these new PPV channels, drop them and you have your room.

With these new packages only availbe on N2 im seriously considering going back to cable.

[daveharr]

Aren't those PPV channels in the 300 range just remaps of the channels in the 700s, consuming no extra bandwidth?

[velix]

Originally Posted by daveharr

Aren't those PPV channels in the 300 range just remaps of the channels in the 700s, consuming no extra bandwidth?

I think you're right on this. The 300 channels are just a duplication that do not require more bandwith.

The root of this problem is simply this, BEV sold and received payment for a specific programming package. They have unilateraly decided to move a portion of the service it sold to a venue where many of their customers that had paid for the service on Nimiq1 can not recieve it on Nimiq2. They offer no compensation for the partial loss of the service, even though it should be only temporary. Their only offer is an apology for the inconvenience.

If the equipment that I posess was rented, this service would have been terminated a long time ago. This is not the first decision which is user unfriendly. Remember the reduction in the opening hours of their customer service desk. Others are the implementation of the $2.99-$4.99 multi receiver fee, the $2.99 monthly network fee. Thank god they grandfathered the existing users with multiple receivers. Even tohough I'm stuck with the 2700 and 3100 receiver. I can not upgrade to a PVR without adding the cost of the multiple receiver fee. If you want to upgrade your systems, you have to pay the multiple receiver fee.

Now, I read they are having a problem (as others do) with a high churn rate and have started locking new customers in a 2 year contract to prevent this. This will be their worst move yet. A good product with a genuine respect for your customers is a much better garantee that your customers will stay. Once again BEV is blind to this. In my book Bell ExpressVu does not respect their customers. New customers are not even told about the $2.99 network fee in the online montly fee calculator.

I've received the exact same letter in response to my complaint from the CRTC. I am waiting for Bev's response to it. I guess I should find out soon, since they suggest they answer within three weeks.

[starchoice]

Originally Posted by velix

This is not the first decision which is user unfriendly. Remember the reduction in the opening hours of their customer service desk. Others are the implementation of the $2.99-$4.99 multi receiver fee, the $2.99 monthly network fee. Thank god they grandfathered the existing users with multiple receivers. Even tohough I'm stuck with the 2700 and 3100 receiver. I can not upgrade to a PVR without adding the cost of the multiple receiver fee. If you want to upgrade your systems, you have to pay the multiple receiver fee.

I agree. I have both BEV and SC. I have a 2700 BEV receiver that is unused and sitting in its original sealed plastic wrap. SC is my primary provider. I piggybacked BEV onto SC to get additional channels not offered by SC (and maybe never will). Since I have only one (activated) BEV receiver and two SC receivers, I'm unlikely to activate any second BEV receiver. BEV charges me the $2.99 access fee and I pay an MRF fee with SC. I'm being killed with fees and am not prepared to activate any second receiver to be hit with a third fee by BEV. (These fees are strictly money grabs as far as I'm concerned as they did not exist previously and except for SC's MRF fee, provide no added benefit). Anyways, my point is that BEV is potentially losing additional programming revenue because they are limiting me to one receiver with their fees. One of my SC receivers is Doby Digital so I would not be prepared to drop a SC receiver to add a BEV receiver - BEV's loss.