robjlevin
join:2002-10-30
Millington, NJ
| [CATV] INHD 2
It's been public knowledge for several months that INHD2 was going dark. So today I get a letter from Patriot telling me this. Well thank you for sticking to the 30 day rule.
So what gets added? Who knows. But it seems that losing this channel doesn't result in a price decrease. What a surprise.
Any guesses as to what gets added? I can already see what's not getting added and that's MSG and FSN HD feeds. |
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icepop456
join:2002-08-27
Somerville, NJ | I'm hoping for what was UPN-9 in HD. They have agreed to pick up some games (I believe Giants and Yankees) in HDTV format when it is not provided by the other networks or ESPN, YES, etc. |
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robjlevin
join:2002-10-30
Millington, NJ | Well, they're running their annual "go ahead and vote, but we don't really care" poll on their website. |
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Hound
join:2006-03-08
Princeton, NJ | Still rooting for Comcast to buy the system. |
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njcablguy
join:2005-05-06
Somerset, NJ | at this point the big rumors are an investment co. |
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robjlevin
join:2002-10-30
Millington, NJ | I've said it before and I'll say it again. Any company buying Patriot at its current asking price is being run by idiots.
Especially in the face of upcoming competition from Verizon. |
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submrge
join:2004-10-10
Mine Hill, NJ
| did you read that article about patriot in that trade paper that named them independant operator of the year?
this co is a gold mine. even with fios in the mix. they've essentially locked in most of their subs in the north. also for the fact that most people don't know or care about fios. |
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Hound
join:2006-03-08
Princeton, NJ
 ·Verizon FIOS
| The company was a gold mine. They had licenses from
every municipality that allowed them to charge more than
Comcast and Cablevision and provide less. Fios will grow
by word of mouth and the success of its channel lineup.
It is not yet a household name. There is a cloud of uncertainty whether the gold mine grows or shrinks. Fios with its TV offering has brought into play its core telephone business. Subs are going to discover that there is choice in telephone provider as well as TV and high speed internet. TV channel lineup is going to determine who provides all three services. As HD continues to grow,
for many subscribers the HD lineup will determine who provides all three services. |
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submrge
join:2004-10-10
Mine Hill, NJ
| Dish Network and Direct TV already offer more HD channels than cable and probably more sports channels as well. Patriot is still getting back video subs.
The reality that the Patriot haters on this board don't want to face is that in the end cable, satellite and FiOS will coexist. Will patriot loose subs, of course. (though even with FiOS internet avaiable for almost a year now, patriot hsd sub count continues to grow). But they aren't going out of business. |
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Hound
join:2006-03-08
Princeton, NJ
·Verizon FIOS
| That is not correct. Cable offers more HD sports channels
than Dish and Directv. Dish has never offered HD regional
sports channels, but plans to offer them in the near future. In the Philadelphia DMA, the FCC has blocked Dish
and Directv from Comcast Sportsnet Philadelphia. CSN is only available on cable and Verizon also has a carriage agreement to provide it. Verizon just started providing
both the SD and HD versions of CSN in Pennsylvania and
presumably will provide it in NJ where allowed.
Dish does offer more HD channels than cable but does not
have regional sports networks and many of the Dish HD channels are not compelling enough for a sub to make a decision to subscribe. Cable offers more HD channels than
Directv.
I agree that all three will co-exist, cable, Verizon and
satellite. Cable and Verizon because of triple play, phone,
high speed internet and HDTV offerings will begin to take
subscribers from satellite in the NY, NJ and PA areas.
Satellite cannot offer triple play. Many subs still do
not realize that there are choices of HDTV providers,
telephone providers and high speed internet providers and all three can be bundled to save money. My point is the
HD channel lineup is going to affect the battle for not
only TV subs, but also internet and phone. |
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submrge
join:2004-10-10
Mine Hill, NJ
| availability of local sports is important for some people but it isn't nearly as important for alot of poeple - contrary to what you would like to believe.
also the fact that if push comes to shove patriot (or their successor) could offer those hd channels that the competition has. |
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Hound
join:2006-03-08
Princeton, NJ
·Verizon FIOS
| I agree, the sports channels are important to less than
50 percent of subscribers. I also agree that when push
comes to shove, Patriot or its successor will compete
with Verizon and offer additional HD channels just like
Verizon is going to compete with Comcast and Cablevision's
offerings. Patriot which has not had to compete with Comcast and Cablevision in the past will end up improving
its channel lineup because of Verizon. |
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robjlevin
join:2002-10-30
Millington, NJ
| reply to submrge
And therein lies my beef. Why wait til push comes to shove? Why wait until you have unhappy customers?
I've blamed Cablevision for the lack of MSG and FSN HD feeds for years. I blamed them when we couldn't watch games on Metro. But they've apparently had some kind of change of philosophy since everyone else is getting those games now.
Why does Patriot insist on being the last? This was a very promising company a couple of years ago. But their customer service has gone into the toilet. Nobody knows anything. Nobody returns calls.
I do agree with you that most people don't care about about HD sports. In fact, most don't care about sports at all so there's no doubt in my mind that Verizon and Patriot (and it's successors) can co-exist but only if Patriot can compete on price for cable, internet, and phone.
In the end, competition will be good for everyone. Take a look at Verizon's current offerings and costs and compare it to Patriot's. For me, Verizon wins. For others, maybe not. But when you combine it with internet and phone, I don't think Patriot stands a chance head to head. Their channel line up isn't as good. They don't come close to providing the speed for internet and their digital phone service isn't exactly winning any awards.
The next little while is going to be very interesting.
In any event, you've been the only person even remotely connected to Patriot that seems to give a rat's ass and for that I say thank you. The company could use more like you. |
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DaveNJ
No Fear
join:1999-09-01
New Jersey
 ·Comcast
·Patriot Media
| I think phone service will be free with video in a few years. Verizon cant just compete with more, and cable cant compete with less. So in the end something is just going to be automatically free. Plus considering you can get voip for as little as $10 a month. Then again there is that build out thing, and i don't see verizon rushing to build out in patriots areas. Hunterdon and parts of Somerset barely have DSL. Probably Princeton and Hillsboro will get Fios the rest i just dont see Verizon willing to invest in.
--
Say NO to the "holidays" this Christmas!
What "holiday" season Its Hannukkah!
Happy New Year too... |
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robjlevin
join:2002-10-30
Millington, NJ
| Aren't you in a Sprint area? Verizon will certainly not be doing anything there.
But the entire area served out of the Long Hill headend is wired for FiOS. And they've finally started burying fiber in underground areas. I got the internet service on Monday.
I do agree about the convergence of services. In fact, I'm going to likely port my ATT Callvantage numbers over to VoiceWing to save a few dollars and avoid the problems with their equipment not being very compatible with the Verizon routers. |
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Hound
join:2006-03-08
Princeton, NJ
·Verizon FIOS
| Comcast has this ad in today's Star Ledger. This is obviously where push comes to shove preparing for competing
with FIOS. These are Comcast HD channels. Comcast also
provides Mercer County and some other areas with a full time Comcast Sportsnet Philadelphia HD feed.
In the sports section of the Star Ledger today:
"Games from MSG, FSNY, YES and NFL Network will now be available on channels, 201, 206, 210 and 211
Applies to: Comcast of NJ II(Union), Plainfield, NW, Jersey City, Meadowlands, Monmouth County, Ocean County, Central NJ, Toms River, LBI, Mercer County(Trenton) and SE PA(Lambertville)." |
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dsEAGLES
join:2004-12-29
Princeton, NJ
| Basic issue with Patriot is that they don't belong in Mercer County. The FCC considers Mercer County (Princeton) to be a Philadelphia market, that is why Princeton has its own lineup, but Patriot treats us like a NY market. I understand that most of the footprint does not care about Comcast Sportsnet, but many of us in Princeton do. As soon as I can get Verizon I will. That's 200 per month (for all my services) that Patriot will never get back. |
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Hound
join:2006-03-08
Princeton, NJ
·Verizon FIOS
| I agree UnPatriot should not be in Princeton. UnPatriot has
thumbed its nose at all the Philadelphia Sports fans.
The Montgomery zip codes all fall within the Phillies television territory as well. There are many Philly phans in Montgomery as well. UnPatriot does not belong there either. Montgomery is another town that qualifies for CSN, YES, SNY, MSG and FSNY. At our country club in Montgomery, we are going to remodel the club house and will be putting in new high definition tvs. We currently use UnPatriot but are looking to get CSN Philly as well. |
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dsEAGLES
join:2004-12-29
Princeton, NJ | How are you going to get CSN in Montgomery? |
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submrge
join:2004-10-10
Mine Hill, NJ
| reply to robjlevin
"And therein lies my beef. Why wait til push comes to shove? Why wait until you have unhappy customers?"
i've always thought that they should offer as many channels as they could. but from a business standpoint, i guess they pick a lineup that *most* people want and go from there. they only offered SNY because subs complained - and believe me, they weren't happy about that.
people keep complaining about the lack of philly sports - understand something, the amount of subs served by the princeton nodes is very small compared to the rest of the system. (just prin boro and township) montgomery subs are served by the general line up. not the prn line up. if they offer those channels in montgomery i'd assume they would have to offer to all the other subs (except those in the north). |
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