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Ted Shekler
join:2011-03-10
West Chester, PA

Ted Shekler

Member

addong Local TV only without STB. do i need a tech

I am adding local TV to my internet/phone double play to make it a triple play to save money off the bill. One CSR said I needed a tech to come out and one CSR said no tech was needed. I dont even want the TV part (I have Directv). can anyone here shed some light on this?
JPL
Premium Member
join:2007-04-04
Downingtown, PA

JPL

Premium Member

If you're not even planning on hooking up the TV service, then no, you definitely don't need a tech. If you are going to run coax to your TVs to get your local channels, then it would depend on how comfortable you are with running the coax. It's not hard, and you could definitely do it yourself.
UnnDunn
Premium Member
join:2005-12-21
Brooklyn, NY

UnnDunn to Ted Shekler

Premium Member

to Ted Shekler
said by Ted Shekler:

I am adding local TV to my internet/phone double play to make it a triple play to save money off the bill. One CSR said I needed a tech to come out and one CSR said no tech was needed. I dont even want the TV part (I have Directv). can anyone here shed some light on this?

I'm fairly certain that local-only TV service is not enough to qualify for Triple Play pricing. You have to get Prime HD, Extreme HD or Ultimate HD to get bundle discounts.

In any case, if you already have FiOS Internet service active, adding TV service will not require a tech visit. You can do the installation and activation yourself. Verizon will ship you all the equipment and instructions you need to do it yourself.

Vztechjoe
@verizon.net

Vztechjoe

Anon

Select hd is the cheapest package that qualifies for bundling. Plus, there is no regional sports fee tacked onto that package. It's perfect for satellite subs who want to save with a triple.
thetick
join:2009-06-22
White Plains, NY

thetick to Ted Shekler

Member

to Ted Shekler
So why not drop DirectTV and save much more? I can't see any reason to have DirectTV unless the NFL package is a must have.
Ted Shekler
join:2011-03-10
West Chester, PA

Ted Shekler

Member

I switched to directv from fios because constant issues with the STB's and not getting any help from them to fix the issues. I was able to get local TV added to my bundle. this is what it will look like
FiOS Digital Voice Unlimited
FiOS TV Local Service
FiOS Internet 15/5
$5 24 Mo. FiOS Digital Voice Discount Included
$10 Bundle 24 Mo. Credit Included
$5 24-Month Contract Discount Included
I am not even going to hook up the Fios TV. I can watch it on the mobile app if I really need to. I am very happy going back to Directv. Saved me about $40 per month doing it this way.
JPL
Premium Member
join:2007-04-04
Downingtown, PA

JPL

Premium Member

If you're not even going to hook up your TV service, then you really don't need a tech visit. Not sure what the tech would even do at your house in that case.
Ted Shekler
join:2011-03-10
West Chester, PA

Ted Shekler

Member

that is what I am trying to get them to understand. just adjust my internet speed and let me be on my way
tlbepson
Premium Member
join:2002-02-09
dc metro

tlbepson to Ted Shekler

Premium Member

to Ted Shekler
>>ted shekler: I switched to directv from fios because constant issues with the STB's and not getting any help from them to fix the issues. I was able to get local TV added to my bundle. this is what it will look like

Can you tell me what Verizon is charging you for that bundle? With the except of the TV tier, that's what I currently have.

What plan do you have with DirectTV? Cost?

Given the fiasco with the new 1.9.5 Guide software with respect to closed captioning--1.9.5 has total screwed up closed captioning--I'm considering doing what you are doing but haven't had a chance to research it yet.

Thanks!
Ted Shekler
join:2011-03-10
West Chester, PA

Ted Shekler

Member

verizon is charing me around $79.99 per month. directv is around $70 for the TV
tlbepson
Premium Member
join:2002-02-09
dc metro

tlbepson

Premium Member

.

Thanks for the info! I'm about 8 months into a 2 year contract with Verizon and I'm going to see what the termination charge would be if I were to drop TV and what the resulting double-play would cost. I suspect that the double-play might be more than $79. I need to go to DirectTV's website and check out what they have to offer.

Teasip
join:2001-05-14
Plano, TX

Teasip

Member

Double plays don't result in a termination fee, or at least haven't. I downgraded by dropping phone and keeping Prime TV and 15/5 and no extra charge was incurred.
tlbepson
Premium Member
join:2002-02-09
dc metro

tlbepson

Premium Member

>>teasip: Double plays don't result in a termination fee, or at least haven't. I downgraded by dropping phone and keeping Prime TV and 15/5 and no extra charge was incurred.

Thanks! I'd be very happy if there were no term fee.

This is such a pain in the ass that 1.9.5 has screwed up the closed captioining on my Cisco stb so badly because prior to 1.9.5, the Cisco closed captioning implementation was really good--especially compared to Verizon's Motorola stbs. At this point, because I have coax-cabled the TV's RF port to the stb's RF port, switched from Component Input to TV Input, I can use the TV's closed caption options but while I'm glad I have this option, I really shouldn't have to use it.

Someone in another thread said that they think that Verizon really isn't interested in TV (other than to haul in as much money as they can get) and I think it's true.
thetick
join:2009-06-22
White Plains, NY

thetick to Ted Shekler

Member

to Ted Shekler

Re: addong Local TV only without STB. do i need a tech

said by Ted Shekler:

I switched to directv from fios because constant issues with the STB's and not getting any help from them to fix the issues. I was able to get local TV added to my bundle. this is what it will look like
FiOS Digital Voice Unlimited
FiOS TV Local Service
FiOS Internet 15/5
$5 24 Mo. FiOS Digital Voice Discount Included
$10 Bundle 24 Mo. Credit Included
$5 24-Month Contract Discount Included
I am not even going to hook up the Fios TV. I can watch it on the mobile app if I really need to. I am very happy going back to Directv. Saved me about $40 per month doing it this way.

There is zero chance you are saving any money. I think you need to check your math.
thetick

2 edits

thetick to tlbepson

Member

to tlbepson

Re: .

said by tlbepson:

Someone in another thread said that they think that Verizon really isn't interested in TV (other than to haul in as much money as they can get) and I think it's true.

Well the competitive pricing with Cablevsion just proves you wrong, but in other markets I've read Verizon does not compete. I have 35MB/35MB / Extreme HD /DV triple-play for $89 a month. That's over $30 off the retail price.
tlbepson
Premium Member
join:2002-02-09
dc metro

tlbepson

Premium Member

That's a damned good price! Verizon doesn't offer pricing like that in the DC metro area--at least in VA. But...it says nothing about Verizon's TV offerings, their lousy VOD and, what impacts me personally, their crappy implementation of closed captioning.
thetick
join:2009-06-22
White Plains, NY

thetick

Member

said by tlbepson:

That's a damned good price! Verizon doesn't offer pricing like that in the DC metro area--at least in VA. But...it says nothing about Verizon's TV offerings, their lousy VOD and, what impacts me personally, their crappy implementation of closed captioning.

The CC do suck, customer service sucks and billing sucks. The internet speed, cost and TV picture quality are the best so I can live with the other issues since I don't need tech support and for billing issues I just ask for retention then get good service.
Ted Shekler
join:2011-03-10
West Chester, PA

Ted Shekler to thetick

Member

to thetick

Re: addong Local TV only without STB. do i need a tech

i went from around $200 with my triple play with fios to paying $70 for my new triple play local TV, 15/5 and phone and around $75 for directv extreme level (middle of the road pack) so I am saving about $50 or so per month
thetick
join:2009-06-22
White Plains, NY

thetick

Member

...and you forgot to mention you went from 50Mb or 75Mb to 15Mb internet access... and your TV goes out when there's a small storm or the leaves start filling in. I completely hated satellite TV.

At the same internet speed and similar TV packages only triple play would be cheaper.
JPL
Premium Member
join:2007-04-04
Downingtown, PA

2 recommendations

JPL

Premium Member

Not to nitpick, but why is everyone piling on the OP about his choice of services? He never asked about the deal he was getting or what his package now looks like. The package he got, and the services he went for (for whatever reasons) are utterly irrelevent to his question - which was: do I need a tech visit? He doesn't. I can't even imagine what a tech would do at his house.

Why does the OP have to justify his choices?
Ted Shekler
join:2011-03-10
West Chester, PA

Ted Shekler

Member

Thanks JPL. Some people just like to spout off like they know everything there is to know. Since I went from approx $200 per month to approx $140-150 per month yes that is saving about $50 per month.

Yes I lowered my internet speed. so what? I only use the internet to do basic stuff. Read news, some facebook/twitter nonsense and work from home some days. I didnt even notice a drop off in speed until the rep said it was lowered a few days ago. I went from 50/25 to 15/5. speed test came back around 22/6 I'm good.

Directv is fine picture wise. More channels in HD. More HD channels in the MLB package. No crappy IMG issues. I never said I didnt like the Fios PQ. Just fed up with the billing and lack of tech support to fix my problems. To those who helped answer my original question thank you very much. To those who just criticizaed and piled on (yes you thetick) go find something else to do