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Optimumizing the state of confusion
(by Trish Reynolds - June 12, 2008)
AS I SEE IT
Optimumizing the state of confusion
Confusion. There seems to be a lot of it in the world of cable TV lately. Masses of it in fact. Like being a cable customer so not needing a digital conversion box, but being a cable customer and now being required to get a ‘set up’ box. Then there is the difference between receiving a cable box in two to three business days or having it shipped in two to three business days, or being able to get a tracking number in two to three business days but not actually getting the box for seven to ten business days. Apparently it all depends on the time of day or the “Sales Professional” you talk to…or some formula I have yet to understand. There also seems to be some confusion about the reason for needing said box. I subscribe to the Family Basic Package a lower cost option (if you can call $50 lower cost) for people who don’t need all those premium channels or digital perks. After all, according to their Website: “
“Cablevision will continue to provide an analog signal. Cablevision intends to provide a version of broadcasters' digital signals in analog to its customers. As a result, customers connecting a cable line directly to the back of a cable-ready analog TV, without the use of a digital cable box, will continue to receive the analog signal of such broadcasters on that TV.
Only those customers using an over-the-air antenna in combination with an older analog TV will be affected by the DTV broadcast transition change. If you are currently using an antenna with an analog TV, you will need to connect that TV to a cable line with Cablevision service.”
So when my favorite channels suddenly disappeared from my TV on May 20, that confusion was transferred to me. I called to find out why I suddenly needed a cable box to view my most beloved stations and was told those certain channels now required a digital conversion. I read the statement from Cablevision to my Sales Professional; S'Diquah who explained that Cablevision wasn't making the change, that they had no control over what the broadcast channels do (ie: A&E, Animal Planet, SciFi etc.). She also kindly explained to me that I was actually receiving the signal via an "antenna"; that the cable plugged into the back of the TV "acted as an antenna" rather than as a direct connection hence the set up box requirement.
Right.
Confused yet?
Since it was lose Animal Planet, SciFi, Travel and A&E or order, I went ahead and ordered my one “free for a year box” with digital navigator hoping that within the free year Fios would become available in my area. S'Diquah explained that I would receive the box via UPS in 2-3 business days. I planned on arranging my schedule to be home to receive the precious box when it arrived and settled in to suffer a few days of Jeff Corwin withdrawal.
While waiting I started doing the math. See what happens when you don’t have Doctor Who, Anthony Bourdain or Chimp Eden to distract you?
While the box is free for the first year, it then becomes billable at the rate of $6.50 per month. If you have more than one TV and don’t want to walk around from room to room switching the box from set to set, but you do want to get all the channels you pay for, then you need to cough up another $6.50 per month per set now. Figure an average of 3 sets per household (a low average in this area) that amounts to a $13.00 increase immediately (26%) and another $11.45 (additional 22%) in a year when that “free” box and “digital navigation fee” (remote) starts billing, this a mere three months after getting a 10% increase just on account. Which brings us to a staggering 48.9% increase in the cable bill in just one year…unless you don’t care about not getting those nine channels (A&E, Animal Planet, C-Span, E, SciFi, Travel Channel, TLC, TruTV (formerly Court TV) and WFME TV) in which case, never mind. But you will still be paying for them on the Family Basic package even if you can’t access them. You don’t get a discount if you don’t get the box and skip the channels. But if you do go digital you get some other perks that I personally would just as soon live without. If you are living paycheck to paycheck in these financially troubled times or on a fixed income you will just have to make do with less.
The day after I placed my order I called to get a tracking number so I could arrange my schedule to accommodate UPS and sign for my box. I spoke to Vaughn at 11 p.m. (journalists keep odd hours) and he apologized for any confusion…but the order would be processed in 2-3 business days at which time I could call in and get my tracking number. He was very pleasant and put me on hold to do some digging. He came back and confirmed that my order had been approved and my tracking number would be available shortly! He took my cell-phone number and said that if he got the tracking number before the morning he would call and leave me a voice mail.
When I woke up there was no message, so at 10:52 I called Cablevision and spoke to Linda. I explained that I wanted the tracking number for my box which was being shipped to me via UPS so I could arrange my schedule to be home for the delivery. She looked at my order and said I only placed it on Tuesday. Yes. Two days ago would have been Tuesday. She then proceeded to explain to me that it takes 7 – 10 business days to process and ship the box and was so sorry for the confusion. I asked to be put in touch with a supervisor and was told one would call me back within an hour.
At 12:02, without a single ring, I called back. I was told that they were sorry for the confusion but the 7 – 10 days was in fact the correct information. Okay then…now I am getting more than confused. I asked for a supervisor and a sincere sounding man named John Caparso came on the line. He was so sorry for the confusion and offered to have a technician dispatched to my home to install the box and wave the charge! Finally, I was getting somewhere. Unfortunately the next service appointment was next Thursday – yup 7 – 10 days.
I am somewhat ashamed to say that at this point I lost it. I mean how long can a gal be expected to go without JEFF CORWIN? I explained that it simply would not do and if I couldn’t have an appointment for tomorrow I would cancel the UPS order, find my way to the nearest Optimum store, and stand in the line with my camera making small talk with all the other happy Cablevision customers while I waited to take home the precious box. Oh yes, I think I mentioned that I was an editor and feature writer for a large NJ media group and was documenting the whole process for an article.
John put me on hold to see if there was a better appointment available. I am happy to say that indeed I will have my box delivered and installed tomorrow within the 2-3 business days I was originally quoted. So this weekend I will have my Corwin fix and my Twilight Zone. It really does just go to show that the pen is mightier than the sword…but I have a few of those around too.
So, that is the story of my Cablevision adventure. I contacted media relations liaison Jim Maiella who kindly supplied the following statement:
“Cablevision carries virtually all of the programming we offer in a digital format, and over the last few years have been eliminating the duplicate analog feeds of some channels, as our customer base has become predominantly digital and the entire nation transitions to digital television. Unlike our competitors, we still offer a robust analog line-up that includes more than 60 of the most popular cable networks and local broadcast stations, and we have offered benefits to our analog customers to ease in the move to digital.”
Cablevision’s digital penetration is now in excess of 85 percent of all cable customers, the highest in the nation.
Fewer than 10 current analog channels will be affected – including Travel Channel, TLC, A&E, E!, SciFi, truTV, Animal Planet, C-SPAN2 and QVC.
Current analog customers are being offered a free digital set-top box and digital navigation (which allows access to VOD, digital music and interactive services) for free for one year to ease in the transition.
Analog customers who accept the offer of the free digital set-top box and digital navigation will also experience additional benefits, including access to video on demand (including hundreds of free titles), interactive services like News 12 Interactive, Optimum Autos and Optimum Homes, 48 channels of commercial-free digital music and other channels that are carried in digital including Turner Classic Movies (TCM), GSN (Game Show Network), Speed Network and others.”
In the course of our email conversation I shared the journey I was on with him and my frustration. He responded promptly and courteously:
“I'm sorry for any confusion... The federal digital transition of broadcast stations in February of 2009 has nothing to do with the elimination of these few analog channels. Our most popular offer continues to be the Optimum Triple Play, which allows both new and current cable television customers to purchase a full suite of digital cable, high-speed Internet and Optimum Voice phone service for $29.95 per month for each service, for one year. After the promotional year ends the price of the three services increases to about $125 per month. [40% increase after initial year] More than 60 percent of our new customers purchase all three of our services under our triple play offer.”
So there you have it and I hope I have been able to shed some light on this very confusing issue. For now Cablevision will keep their analog offering, but I've no doubt they will continue to chip away at it, advancing their digital penetration until there are so few subscribers they can safely eliminate analog service altogether, and don’t expect to get kissed. In the deregulated world of cable television pretty much anything goes. So keep calling and keep asking the same questions. When you have a selection of responses you can average them and come up with something close to an answer.
Trish Reynolds' e-mail address is reynolds@northjersey.com.
| Comments (1) |
On June 13, 2008, trish said:
Wow! I couldn't have said it better myself! |
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