Verizon FiOS to Offer Custom Channel Packages for Cable Television

[NoShoes]

Verizon FiOS to Offer Custom Channel Packages for Cable Television

Too good to be true, or exactly what the doctor ordered?

Attention cord-cutters: Looks like Verizon FiOS wants your business back and they're willing to offer custom channel packages to get it. Sort of.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, "The Custom TV service...lets customers choose channel packs from seven different genres: kids, pop culture, lifestyle, entertainment, news and info, sports, and sports plus." But like with anything too good to be true, there's a catch. In order to receive said genre packages, customers must first purchase a base package, clocking in at 35 channels total for approximately $55 dollars a month.

"Every FiOS Custom TV package includes a base set of 35 channels... Subscribers then choose two genre packs as part of the $54.99 per month base offer. Customers who want more than two packs can pay $10 more per month for each additional pack. Each pack features 10-17 channels.

Tami Erwin, president of Verizon's consumer and mass business group, said that "this is an entirely new way to personalize TV," and that "FiOS Custom TV delivers consumers more choice and control over their TV. This package gives customers the flexibility to choose what they want and pay for just that. It's simple and personalized."

In my opinion, this doesn't feel as personalized as promised. If the goal here is to reach people who have ditched cable in favor of streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, this doesn't seem to be a particularly viable solution. To only offer these genre packages in addition to a base pack instead of standalone products seems like customers aren't given a solution, but instead a reworking of the same old problem: cable that costs too much for too little control.

What are your thoughts on FiOS' genre packages?

Source: The Hollywood Reporter [http://www.themarysue.com/verizon-custom-tv/]


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[aceman67]

Seems like they're taking a page from what the CRTC (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission) has mandated in Canada. All television companies within the next year or so have to provide a similar service to their customers. Much to the moaning and groaning of the big 3 content providers (Shaw, Bell and Rogers)

 

[XenoScifi]

It's a rip-off. I currently have FIOS and fucking hate the channel selection I have. The only reason I have the cable TV is because it's cheaper to have the 3 pack bundle then just having phone and internet. And the only reason I do not drop FIOS is because the only other option I have is Brighthouse which I am not pleased with as well.

On another note why can't I mute this fucking ad I am listening too! It's just a stupid loop of a service I will never use. I find if very intrusive to not have a mute button on the ad and if this continues I will discontinue to visit this site. Thx PLOX@!

 

[wetfart]

It's a rip-off. I currently have FIOS and fucking hate the channel selection I have. The only reason I have the cable TV is because it's cheaper to have the 3 pack bundle then just having phone and internet.

There was an anti-trust case in the United States which made that illegal.

OT: I don't have FIOS in my area. I cut the cable a while back. I've not missed it. My wife built a tv antenna and we get all the major networks.

 

[Hairless Mammoth]

This doesn't seem too different than the usual for satellite and some cable offers, where there is a base package and smaller packs, such as ESPN, movie channels, NFL Sunday Ticket, etc. can be added. The only real differences are the lower amount of base channels and slightly more variety in each pack. Calling it "custom" is a stretch, and it's still not enough to bring back cable cutters, who probably really enjoy not having to pay for 50+ channels they give 0 shits about.

It's a rip-off. I currently have FIOS and fucking hate the channel selection I have. The only reason I have the cable TV is because it's cheaper to have the 3 pack bundle then just having phone and internet.

There was an anti-trust case in the United States which made that illegal.

When did that happen? I thought Comcast still got away with that practice.

 

[Strazdas]

The title is misleading. Custom channel choices and custom genre choices are not the same thing.

Also if cable wants to survive internet they must allow custom channel choices. else they are just going to dissapear into obscurity. noone wants to pay for 10 channels they dont watch when they can pay for only what they watch on the internet.

a base package, clocking in at 35 channels total for approximately $55 dollars a month.

Wait what? Thats more than one pays for a premium package with ALL channels, not for base package.

Tami Erwin, president of Verizon's consumer and mass business group, said that "this is an entirely new way to personalize TV,"

No its not, this is something offered to me personally by at least 4 providers for over 3 years.
For far lower cost i might add.

This package gives customers the flexibility to choose what they want and pay for just that

Can i pay for a single channel i watch? no? well then this statement is a lie.

 

[CrystalShadow]

This is 'new'? Huh? Was cable really that bad in the US?

I've rarely had it, but in 3 different countries, this was the standard arrangement for cable TV for about the last 20-30 years... >_>

Weird...

 

[Baresark]

Ummm, the flaw is that it's no different than what cable providers currently do in my area. The problems isn't that people want package options, the problem is that you can't get a channel without getting 15 other things you don't care about.

This is 'new'? Huh? Was cable really that bad in the US?

I've rarely had it, but in 3 different countries, this was the standard arrangement for cable TV for about the last 20-30 years... >_>

Weird...

No, it's not new at all. It's what most cable providers already do, but maybe Fios wasn't dong it?

Either way, it's hardly news or a step in the right direction. An actual improvement would be allowing you to select the channels you want rather than sell you packages of channels which are mostly filled with things you don't want.

 

[Baresark]

The title is misleading. Custom channel choices and custom genre choices are not the same thing.

Also if cable wants to survive internet they must allow custom channel choices. else they are just going to dissapear into obscurity. noone wants to pay for 10 channels they dont watch when they can pay for only what they watch on the internet.

a base package, clocking in at 35 channels total for approximately $55 dollars a month.

Wait what? Thats more than one pays for a premium package with ALL channels, not for base package.

Tami Erwin, president of Verizon's consumer and mass business group, said that "this is an entirely new way to personalize TV,"

No its not, this is something offered to me personally by at least 4 providers for over 3 years.
For far lower cost i might add.

This package gives customers the flexibility to choose what they want and pay for just that

Can i pay for a single channel i watch? no? well then this statement is a lie.

For once, my friend, we are in complete agreement.

I don't care for how this showed up as news though. I wouldn't expect this site to act as an advertiser for a system that is no less broken than other in the US in regards to this.

 

[Baresark]

This doesn't seem too different than the usual for satellite and some cable offers, where there is a base package and smaller packs, such as ESPN, movie channels, NFL Sunday Ticket, etc. can be added. The only real differences are the lower amount of base channels and slightly more variety in each pack. Calling it "custom" is a stretch, and it's still not enough to bring back cable cutters, who probably really enjoy not having to pay for 50+ channels they give 0 shits about.

It's a rip-off. I currently have FIOS and fucking hate the channel selection I have. The only reason I have the cable TV is because it's cheaper to have the 3 pack bundle then just having phone and internet.

There was an anti-trust case in the United States which made that illegal.

When did that happen? I thought Comcast still got away with that practice.

I don't think there was an antitrust case about this, I believe he/she is incorrect. I know Comcast definitely still does this in my area.

 

[wetfart]

When did that happen? I thought Comcast still got away with that practice.

While bundling itself isn't illegal in and of itself, it is considered unlawful when the cost of the bundle is less than the incremental cost of all the products in the bundle. It has to do with excluding an equally efficient competitor and a lot of this was started in motion with the Microsoft case in 1996. There were some other cases in 2003/2004 that support this.

Other info:
http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/publishing/antitrust_source/Nov04_BundlingBB1129.authcheckdam.pdf
https://www.wsgr.com/publications/PDFSearch/jacobson0308.pdf

 

[XenoScifi]

When did that happen? I thought Comcast still got away with that practice.

While bundling itself isn't illegal in and of itself, it is considered unlawful when the cost of the bundle is less than the incremental cost of all the products in the bundle. It has to do with excluding an equally efficient competitor and a lot of this was started in motion with the Microsoft case in 1996. There were some other cases in 2003/2004 that support this.

Other info:
http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/publishing/antitrust_source/Nov04_BundlingBB1129.authcheckdam.pdf
https://www.wsgr.com/publications/PDFSearch/jacobson0308.pdf

Regardless this news is poor news. At the moment I watch, maybe a total of 12-15 channels on a regular basis, all of which would not be in the same genre of a package, making this package idea fucking dumb. At the moment I have just a local basic package of channels, which DO NOT include (get this) ANY childrens channels ie Disney, cartoon network or Nick. I have an 11 year old and how a basic package does not include at least 1 of these is retarded. I also do not get comedy central, AMC or food network. As you can imagine these are channels I would watch normally but because my basic does not include them I do not get them. I sure as shit get at least 30 other channel I WILL NEVER WATCH! If it seems I am a little salty I am. But with only 1 other cable choice in my area what am I to do?

 

[wetfart]

At least you have an option for cable. I have comcast and that's it. I guess I could go Satellite if I really wanted. About a year ago, I cut the cord and I haven't really missed it. The wife made a TV antenna out of coat hangers and a $6 part off of amazon. And if there's something else I want to watch, I wait for it to come to netflix/amazon and just binge on the season.

 

[RicoADF]

Why do people even bother watching cable, I haven't watched TV in years, just get shows on disc. So much cheaper in the long run. That said I bearly have time to play the games I want so perhaps I'm unique.