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frankpf3
verizon.net
join:2007-08-09
Huntington Station, NY | Re: Ho HD Boxes Can we believe this anon poster? So if my HD box craps out, I am stuck with an SD one? | |
|  kes601
join:2007-04-14
Virginia Beach, VA | Re: Ho HD Boxes My guess is they have enough in reserve to replace any that may break, but are not giving out new ones. But, again, only a guess. | |
| FFJOHNL312
Premium
join:2007-12-16
Pawtucket, RI
| Frank:
The anonposter is correct. There is a shortage of HD boxes from Feb. 1st to March 10th. The instructions to the techs are that whatever DVR boxes we have (and the release only said the shortage would be on the DVR's, but we have been told it pertains to the HD boxes also) is we are to try and preserve them on our truck for repair calls, and not to 'upsell' (i.e. order calls for SD box and customer wants an HD once we get there) on installs.
We are also trying to get the boxes in our service centers here in RI released to the field; this requires a request to the PUC, as they stated as part of our franchise agreement was we had to maintain a seed stock in the centers. No new service orders are being written for these boxes until the shortage ends.
John Loesch | |
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frankpf3
verizon.net
join:2007-08-09
Huntington Station, NY | Re: Ho HD Boxes So explain this, is it Verizon's fault for not ordering enough or Motorola's for not producing enough? | |
| | | FFJOHNL312
Premium
join:2007-12-16
Pawtucket, RI
| Re: No HD Boxes Frank:
I try to maintain the attitude that it's nobody's fault, demand just outstripped supply.
An example: We just opened up to two more 'service areas' here in RI on January 6th to sell the video product. The announcement about this happening occured shortly after Xmas. The potential households we opened up to with these areas numbered close to 150,000.
So, what to do? We have about 1-1/2 weeks to order X number of set top boxes. What if not all of the customers decide they don't want to go with us. Now we're stuck with inventory that does us no good sitting on a shelf somewhere. No return on the investment. We order based on anticpated demand. We can't not sell the product to someone just because we don't have the materials to do the job.
Not the best solution, but it happened.
John | |
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frankpf3
verizon.net
join:2007-08-09
Huntington Station, NY | Re: No HD Boxes Between the IMG fiasco that went on, the shortage of HD boxes, their HD content being behind other providers, they better get their act together quick, otherwise they will be losing that amount of people! | |
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GeekNJ
Premium
join:2000-09-23
Waldwick, NJ
1 edit | Re: Ho HD Boxes said by frankpf3  :So explain this, is it Verizon's fault for not ordering enough or Motorola's for not producing enough? Yes. 
Most companies will likely create a contract for the relationship such as what Verizon and Motorola has. Verizon (most any company) would, as much as possible, like to go to "on demand" with their suppliers as long as they are confident those suppliers can deliver. That way Verizon doesn't need to pay for product it is storing and provide storage space for the product.
"On demand" has been around for a very long time. It's what helps companies not get stuck with 2 million pink "widgets" when they needed 100k pink and 1.9 million blue "widgets". It better allows them to react to changes faster. It also causes issues like this like there has been with other
There's probably contractual issues that will arise with Motorola unable to fulfill demand if that is indeed the case. I don't know if Verizon can source the products from multiple vendors which is something most companies would try to do in order to cover their butts in situations like this as well as a bit more competitive pricing with two or more vendors.
Not like there is anything you can do about as a customer. Maybe if there's a box on eBay, they'd activate it for you 
Edit: spelling, valid but invalid. Sort of like who is to blame.
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frankpf3
verizon.net
join:2007-08-09
Huntington Station, NY | Re: Ho HD Boxes You think they would temporarily roll out Tivos. Boy, would that cause a riot!!!!! | |
| | | | jvanbrecht
join:2007-01-08
Bowie, MD
| said by GeekNJ : I don't know if Verizon can source the products from multiple vendors which is something most companies would try to do in order to cover their butts in situations like this as well as a bit more competitive pricing with two or more vendors. This is something that Moto should be doing as a manufacturer. The service provider (in this case Verizon) cannot really source from multiple locations unless what they are sourcing is reference based (similair to Nvidia graphics cards, they have a reference board which others like evga and such take and modify, but they are essentially the same card) and many different manufacturers make similair devices that could utilize the same support contracts, so you do not have to train people on 500 different models.
So yes, this is technically Motos fault for not sourcing enough manufacturers to build their products.
But, as an end user, my contract is with Verizon, not Moto, so in that aspect it is Verizons fault for not being able to keep up. | |
| | | | | DMS1
join:2005-04-06
Carrollton, TX
| Re: Ho HD Boxes said by jvanbrecht :So yes, this is technically Motos fault for not sourcing enough manufacturers to build their products. Motorola builds all its products itself. | |
| | | | | | jvanbrecht
join:2007-01-08
Bowie, MD
| Re: Ho HD Boxes said by DMS1 :said by jvanbrecht :So yes, this is technically Motos fault for not sourcing enough manufacturers to build their products. Motorola builds all its products itself. Motorola designs its own products, rather then using reference products (all thos ppc phones you see out there, and the Moto smart phones included, are almost all made by 3 manufacturers based on reference designs from Quantas, HTC [this is the dominant one at the moment], and a third that I do not remember their name), but they do not manufacturer the products themselves, they are all made in China and Taiwan. | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | knarf829
join:2007-06-02
1 edit | Re: Ho HD Boxes I wonder if all the Verizon apologists will note this paragraph:
quote:
According to Chambers, Motorola currently is experiencing no issues filling orders for cable set-tops.
...and amend their above-posted comments (lies).
And how about this:
quote:
Wilner would not confirm the date. “We don’t have a set date for when we’ll be filling any backorders that we may need to place, but we certainly expect to fill them as quickly,” she said.
They can't even confirm that the shortage will be limited to a month and a half?
Disaster. | |
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GeekGirl1
The Medium IS the Message
Premium
join:2007-01-28
Morrisville, PA
1 edit | Re: Ho HD Boxes So that's what the QIP stands for: "Quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) technology and IP".
I'm still waiting for my replacement STB. Will give it another day or so then ping Verizon for an update. | |
| | | | | | | | | FFJOHNL312
Premium
join:2007-12-16
Pawtucket, RI
| Please let me clarify my position as previously stated, based on the definition of 'apologist'.
I work for Verizon as a FiOS I&M tech in RI. I have 11 years in with the company. I started doing FiOS as my primary job function last April (when I transferred from NJ to RI), but have been doing it since November of 2005. Before that, my function was that of a maintenance splicer. I was then, and am still now, regarded by my coworkers and most managers as reliable and guaranteed to get the job done right the first time.
You would think this makes me loyal to the company. I like what I do, but by no means would I rise to their defense for something like this. Every week, I get a paycheck. Do you know what it says on the front? "Brought to you by our customers". Many think this is a feel-good pile of crap statement, but I believe it. This is why it takes me 9-1/2 to 12 hours to put in your FiOS video, internet, and phone service when the company wants it done in 8. I want to do it right the first time.
The information I shared was on an official company release that at the bottom specifically says 'Not for use or disclosure outside the Verizon companies'. Translation: I could get fired for sharing this information publicly (which is why some of my co-workers post anonymously), but I felt it was in the best interest of the readers of this forum topic to assure that while this shortage is happening, it does have an end in sight, and he company is taking steps to sate customers while the shortage is happening.
In the truest sense of the word, you want an apology? How about this:
I apologize for sharing this, but it is what it is.
John | |
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Digger262
@ameritech.net
| said by jvanbrecht :said by GeekNJ : I don't know if Verizon can source the products from multiple vendors which is something most companies would try to do in order to cover their butts in situations like this as well as a bit more competitive pricing with two or more vendors. This is something that Moto should be doing as a manufacturer. The service provider (in this case Verizon) cannot really source from multiple locations unless what they are sourcing is reference based (similair to Nvidia graphics cards, they have a reference board which others like evga and such take and modify, but they are essentially the same card) and many different manufacturers make similair devices that could utilize the same support contracts, so you do not have to train people on 500 different models. So yes, this is technically Motos fault for not sourcing enough manufacturers to build their products. But, as an end user, my contract is with Verizon, not Moto, so in that aspect it is Verizons fault for not being able to keep up. Of course Verizon can do this. DTV does it with their boxes. This is VERY common in many industries to prevent exactly this type of thing from happening. This is VZs fault, plain and simple. | |
| | | | | | JPL
Premium
join:2007-04-04
West Chester, PA
 ·Verizon FIOS
| Re: Ho HD Boxes said by Digger262 :said by jvanbrecht :said by GeekNJ : I don't know if Verizon can source the products from multiple vendors which is something most companies would try to do in order to cover their butts in situations like this as well as a bit more competitive pricing with two or more vendors. This is something that Moto should be doing as a manufacturer. The service provider (in this case Verizon) cannot really source from multiple locations unless what they are sourcing is reference based (similair to Nvidia graphics cards, they have a reference board which others like evga and such take and modify, but they are essentially the same card) and many different manufacturers make similair devices that could utilize the same support contracts, so you do not have to train people on 500 different models. So yes, this is technically Motos fault for not sourcing enough manufacturers to build their products. But, as an end user, my contract is with Verizon, not Moto, so in that aspect it is Verizons fault for not being able to keep up. Of course Verizon can do this. DTV does it with their boxes. This is VERY common in many industries to prevent exactly this type of thing from happening. This is VZs fault, plain and simple. Yeah, DirecTV is doing this, but it's not the same situation. DirecTV commissioned the creation of those boxes. That's not the case with the boxes that verizon is using - those are boxes they're using off the shelf, as it were. I know that Verizon put an RFP out there for a new box. When they do that, they can structure the contract such that multiple suppliers are used. But for Verizon to do it now, they would have to find totally different boxes, that are speced totally differently. With DirecTV, all the specs are similar - or similar enough so that they can get away with having three different manufacturers. | |
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Digger262
@ameritech.net | Re: Ho HD Boxes Yes, DTV had the foresight to do this and Verizon did not. I realize it's a problem to do it now. That's my point. The mistake was in the management decision originally. | |
| | | | | | | | bicker
join:2007-05-10
Burlington, MA | Re: Ho HD Boxes Calling this sort of thing a "mistake" is like saying every time a parent tries to calm a baby down, and the baby cries instead, the parent made a mistake. The American consumer is as unpredictable, and as uncontrollable, as a baby. | |
| | | | | | | | JPL
Premium
join:2007-04-04
West Chester, PA
·Verizon FIOS
| said by Digger262 :
Yes, DTV had the foresight to do this and Verizon did not. I realize it's a problem to do it now. That's my point. The mistake was in the management decision originally.
I'm sorry but this makes no sense. DirecTV uses RCA, Philips, and Humax as its main suppliers for their boxes. Say one of these suppliers - say RCA - has production issues. You mean to tell me that DirecTV would be all fine and dandy on the supply of STBs? No, I don't think so. They're going to order so many from each supplier. Granted, going to multiple suppliers does give them some more flexibility longer term, but if one of their suppliers hits a snag, they have a shortage too. For short term issues (like what's happening with Motorola) having multiple suppliers really doesn't help. It would still take time for the other suppliers to ramp up production to meet the short-fall caused by the one supplier, and chances are they would still fall short.
Manufacturers don't run with gobs of spare capacity for production - that's wasteful. So they may be able to ramp up a little for a short period of time, but if one of their suppliers fell down on the job, they too would run into the same shortages that Verizon and other cable suppliers are hitting. | |
| | | | | | | | | DMS1
join:2005-04-06
Carrollton, TX
| Re: Ho HD Boxes said by JPL :I'm sorry but this makes no sense. DirecTV uses RCA, Philips, and Humax as its main suppliers for their boxes. Say one of these suppliers - say RCA - has production issues. You mean to tell me that DirecTV would be all fine and dandy on the supply of STBs? No, I don't think so. They're going to order so many from each supplier. Granted, going to multiple suppliers does give them some more flexibility longer term, but if one of their suppliers hits a snag, they have a shortage too. For short term issues (like what's happening with Motorola) having multiple suppliers really doesn't help. It would still take time for the other suppliers to ramp up production to meet the short-fall caused by the one supplier, and chances are they would still fall short. Manufacturers don't run with gobs of spare capacity for production - that's wasteful. So they may be able to ramp up a little for a short period of time, but if one of their suppliers fell down on the job, they too would run into the same shortages that Verizon and other cable suppliers are hitting. It doesn't cure the problem totally, but it can certainly help. If you have multiple suppliers and one runs into problems that affect supply, the chances are that you can ramp up production from the other vendors quicker than you can fix the broken one. Not to mention the fact that having multiple suppliers tends to keep them on their toes. | |
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Digger262
@ameritech.net
| said by JPL :said by Digger262 :
Yes, DTV had the foresight to do this and Verizon did not. I realize it's a problem to do it now. That's my point. The mistake was in the management decision originally.
I'm sorry but this makes no sense. DirecTV uses RCA, Philips, and Humax as its main suppliers for their boxes. Say one of these suppliers - say RCA - has production issues. You mean to tell me that DirecTV would be all fine and dandy on the supply of STBs? No, I don't think so. They're going to order so many from each supplier. Granted, going to multiple suppliers does give them some more flexibility longer term, but if one of their suppliers hits a snag, they have a shortage too. For short term issues (like what's happening with Motorola) having multiple suppliers really doesn't help. It would still take time for the other suppliers to ramp up production to meet the short-fall caused by the one supplier, and chances are they would still fall short. Manufacturers don't run with gobs of spare capacity for production - that's wasteful. So they may be able to ramp up a little for a short period of time, but if one of their suppliers fell down on the job, they too would run into the same shortages that Verizon and other cable suppliers are hitting. I have worked in manufacturing for 18 years, and this makes perfect sense. I've seen it work time and time again. Yes, it will not prevent shortages completely but it will significantly reduce the amount of time of the shortages. When entering into these contracts with suppliers, you specify a minimum and maximum quantity you will order from each. You then manage each supplier up to those maximums, trying to keep all 3(3 is optimal for reasons I won't enumerate here) close to but not at the maximum levels. If you approach those levels for a sustained time(depending on your algorithms) you either add a supplier or increase the maximums. It's all in the management. Unless you run into issues where a sudden and completely unexpected large spike in demand occurs, you can manange just fine. Verizon has failed to do this for whatever reason. But it IS a management mistake, of that I'm sure. | |
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frankpf3
verizon.net
join:2007-08-09
Huntington Station, NY | Re: Ho HD Boxes I F*ckin love it. So there won't be any HD boxes for new or current customers to watch all those supposedly "new" HD channels that will be rolled out. Comical.
Thanks Verizon Management. | |
| | | | | | vz tech 2
join:2005-11-19
Richmond, VA
| Well Direct tv does not do it anymore they make there own boxes and also smart card technology is done inhouse thus no pirateing as of yet. They just last year went through a 6 month stint with no hd dvr boxes all on back order. Call a number and get on a first come first serve waiting list. I was on that waiting list and then when i finally recieved my box, of course it was defective 3 times and had to be replaced thus loosing all of my recordings. So the blame game to me is not revelant we all just want our HD tv and we want it now | |
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