V, I only got the Int'l Package because I had to, in order to have the 2 US channels I wanted (channels 284 and 286). Well, as it turns out, I watch more shows on the Int'l Package channels than I do on the basic plan or my US channels. go figure. I'm very pleased with that package and hope you'll come to love it as well.
Susan, As V and I discovered, the new box has CNN and BBC as part of the Int'l pkg on the new box, yet they are shown on their brochures as being in the Plus Pkg. I lost 284 and 286, at least for the moment, and they tell me you will too before the end of this month. Well, not you by name but those who have not swapped out the old box for the new one. And BBC and CNN Int'l now appear in the 600's on the new box, 651 and 656 I believe but I am too lazy to go check.
TJ, So, what's the deal?? Should I trade out my box so there's no major issue with 284 and 286 down the road? Susan
Susan, As long as it works, keep the old box. The new one sucks. 1. The remote is not universal so you must turn the TV on and off with the TV remote. 2. The new one does not show the time. How often do you use your current box for a clock. 3. The new one does not show the channel you are viewing. 4. The Guide on the new one sucks. You can barely read the information. So, to answer your question, no, no, no. I am told that at some point your old box will be obsolete and not work. I would wait till then. Had I known then what I know now I would still be using my old box, getting 284 and 286 and not be aggraveted by 1-4 above.
Thanks for the info, TJ. So, what is the reason why you don't, and the rest of us won't, have 284 and 286 and when Cablemas says "temporarily", how long do you suppose that means?
Susan, the reason is that when I switched to the new box, it automaticlly did not activate 284 & 286. I have begged them to activate those channels on the box but they will not. Not sure where you got "temporarily" from but I know one of the supervisors who told me, as I said a couple of my posts back: "I am told that NBC and ABC should be part of either the existing Int'l Pkg (as they have been for years for about $14 per month each) or of a new Int'l Pkg that will be put together, by the end of June." The way it was explained is that mgt was negotiating with the providers for the rights to rebroadcast these channels. Furhter, they are trying to package a group of English language channels that they can sell to the fairly large English speaking population. Time will tell.
The new boxes don't look very substantial: how long they will hold up under use remains to be seen. Mine "froze" today, much as a computer does at times: I disconnected it from the power for a few seconds, then reconnected it and it once again began functioning as before. Never had that with the older model.
I guess this company must be drowning in its own success, as they just can't seem to provide the service they promise. With us, it's ended up that the CNN-BBC service we have included in the international package is "sin signal" more often than not. We, like others, have recently lost channel 43, American Network, from the basic package. Universal, which is supposed to be part of the digital package is "sin signal" much of the time, and we have to turn off the digital converter and go to the basic package to get it. Finally, and most annoying perhaps, is that the digital box interferes with the basic cable service when it's turned off! We have to turn the digital box on, then off, which solves the problem for a few minutes at a time. (Probably the first hint that the digital box is beginning to go: I commented on its apparent flimsy construction, earlier). What a bad joke this all is.... I may just cut the service back to internet and telephone, and look elsewhere for the cable package we would like to have.
I urge everyone having discomfort with Cablemas to go to their office and complain. If you can get to Juan, the guy at the near end of the long desk, he assures me that he registers every complaint. He gets a weekly visit from me. Like V, I am thinking of other alternaties for my TV and Internet service. Enough is Enough as S.A. (identity hidden) said after 35 years of marriage. This ABC/NBC thing is ridiculous as some people still get these channels but then they evaporate, WITHOUT NOTICE, when you trade in your old box. The new box sucks - Overheats, No clock, No channel indicator, Guide is useless without a seeing eye dog. If I got it right there is a new parent company and a policy change is going to cause the perfectly fine boxes to be obsolete while they cram these terrible boxes down our throats. Probably they will raise prices on their crappy service too.
V and others: American Network is currently showing on 233 in English. Not sure what it was with the new box before it disappeared from V's TV. I think I will find something to complain about and go over there on Tuesday and raise hell. I can always vent about 284 and 286 being stolen from me AND MANY OTHERS. THE LIST IS GROWING. I just heard from a poster by PM that he or she swapped boxes and these two channels vanished without explanation. Oh how we wish we had not honored the invitation to come down and trade for the new high tech boxes that are really just cheap POS.
