Re: ATSC modulators

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

"Lewis Gardner" <lgardner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:483eca65$0$4964

<stuff snipped>

> Right now that reason people are NOT up in arms over the OTA transition
> is that their old TV sets still work on cable (and DBS). The chances of
> a cable company telling all their customers that they can't use their
> old TVs without some box is about ZERO.

FWIW, here's something I just came across today:

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Verizon-Pulling-Analog-FiOS-Channels-9340
4

<<Verizon recently cut a deal with the FCC to cease analog transmission well
ahead of the 2009 cutoff date. In exchange, Verizon got a waiver exempting
the telco from the ban on set-top boxes (STBs) with integrated security
implemented last July (that didn't sit well with the cable industry).
According to CED Magazine, Verizon will be handing out free set top boxes to
those FiOS TV customers who get only analog service without a cable box (we
can't imagine there's too many of those). The death of analog channels has
started happening in Verizon-land on a region by region basis.>>

Shows that they are getting around the three year analog sunset rule
precisely by giving away free boxes.  But they've figured a way to make the
giveaway anything but free.  Consider this post from the comments thread for
the news item:

<<Ok so I signed up for the free digital converter in accordance with the
letter Verizon sent out. Assured that I would not be billed for it, I waited
patiently for my bill to arrive.
Today is that day and the bill was $40.00 higher than usual as a direct
result of being billed incorrectly.
I called the FiOS help line 1 888 553-1555 and after speaking to a
representative for 10 minutes - she quickly acknowledged that the order for
the box was placed incorrectly and in addition, I was billed $19.99 for an
additional outlet (never ordered, never installed). She placed me on hold a
few times and then said she needed some time to fix the issue and would
reverse the 19.99 charge and had to figure out how to fix the recurring 3.99
charge for the digital box.
She took my reach number. We got cut off. No callback.

So I re-dialed. Got another rep who said a bunch of things such as:
1. oh this is billed to a credit card so I have to transfer you to someone
who takes credit card payments
2. So how many adapters do you have? I answered that I have a DVR and a
Digital adapter. Her answer: "So wht's is the problem"? I explained the
letter from Benigno Gonzales offering free equipment as long as you reside
at your current address. Her response: "Well did you call them back? - they
are the ones who placed the order for you so you need to call them."
I said at this point in a nice way: "you are telling me me one untruth after
the other, give me your supervisor please", and she did.
The supervisor acknlowledged that another rep still had the account open and
she was working on it. He spoke to her and she promised that as soon as she
was done, she would call me back.
One hour later still no callback.

If this is Verizon's way of offering free equipment, everyone needs to be on
the lookout for their bills because mine (picture above) shows what they did
wrong.

If this gets resolved I will report it here but I feel like the Maytag
Repairman sitting here waiting for the phone to ring.>>



Sounds very much like the Verizon I know.  (-:

--
Bobby G.