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Liveblogging My Call To Verizon

by IwoCPO on 09/17/07 at 09:57 AM ET
Comments (5)

0957: been on the phone for 11 minutes trying to determine whether they’ll offer Center Ice.  Have spoken with 1 live person who I couldn’t understand and dealt with 17 recorded operators. None were helpful. I swore at them.

0959:  On the phone with Ms. Wynn.  13th time I’ve given my phone number.  “NHL...that would be hockey?.  Bear with me one second please.”

1000: Tom from the Verizon Fios Solutions center doesn’t know what “the NHL” is, but he’s tracking it. Good on ya Tom.

1002: Now on the phone with Skip (really). He “doesn’t know if they’ll be offering it.”

Me: How can you “not know”? The season starts in two weeks.

Skip: We won’t know until it becomes available.

Me: But you don’t know now if it’s going to be available?

Skip: Right.

Me: So you’ll know it’s available when you start to see it on one of those tiny screens you geeks sit in front of?

Skip: What’s your home number again?

Me: Why?

Skip: Standard procedure.

Me: Skip, are you offering Center Ice or not?

Skip: silence

Me: Skip, you still there?  Hockey or no hockey. I want my frigging hockey Skip.  Yes or no?

Skip: No.

1018: I just hung up on Skip. Violently. 

That was an actual transcript of my experience with Verizon.  It was painful.  Now, I have my sights set on Center Ice Online.  Supposed to be available to order today.  Haven’t been able to.  If you have, please let me know so I can put this to rest.  It hurts.

Filed in: | Abel to Yzerman | Permalink
 Tags: Watching+The+Wings,

Comments

And they wonder why the NHL is less popular than lacrosse in the US.

Posted by aleagle on 09/17/07 at 09:30 AM ET

I feel your pain. I just switched to Comcast (from RCN) so I can access the NHL Ticket… let’s see if, when I call for it, they even know what hockey is.

Posted by OrderedChaos from Washington DC on 09/17/07 at 10:21 AM ET

One big drawback with Verizon FIOS TV is the issue with InDemand. InDemand is a company that offers the two InHD channels along with PPV On Demand titles and many of the Sports subscriptions. InDemand is partly owned by several of the top cable companies such as Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks, Comcast Cable among others. Because of this they are pulling some unfair pricing tactics that are keeping DirecTV and Dish Network from offering the two InHD channels but these tactics are hurting Verizon more as its not just the two InHD channels but the sports subscriptions as well.

DirecTV and Dish Network have deals in place for the sports packages while Verizon is a new entrant without a deal so they are getting the hard end of the stick. I expect this to be handled quicker than most think but until that time the following channels and packages aren’t on Verizon FIOS TV.

The two InHD channels of course.

Sports Packages include the following below.

MLB Extra Innings.
NBA League Pass.
NHL Center Ice.
Nascar InCar.
MLS Direct Kick.

Until this InDemand issue gets cleared up these sports packages listed above and the two InHD channels will “not” be offered on Verizon FIOS TV.

http://www.longhornxp.net/Verizon.html

Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 09/17/07 at 10:22 AM ET

You could switch from Verizon to DirectTV. No OnDemand, but there’s a lot more customization and they may even be offering a discount on the Center Ice package if you buy it before the season (I already renewed it, so I don’t know if this is still the case).

The only real downside is that the signal cuts out just before a thunderstorm and again during the heaviest downpour of the aforementioned thunderstorm. Other than that, I’ve had no problems with it.

Unless Verizon DC is part of your high-speed package, this looks like your best bet.

Posted by Steve from Pittsburgh on 09/17/07 at 12:50 PM ET

I was able to sign up for the free trial (the full season package was another choice) at about 3 PM EDT today.

I posted some details earlier at KK and some comments in your Who’s The Guines Pig?

Posted by BobTheZee on 09/17/07 at 05:12 PM ET

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