Cable Forum - View Single Post

japitts · 05-06-2012, 08:30

Just had a tech come and go, off the back of our SA V+ trying hard to die. Agreed a replacement box is needed... but he doesn't have any. I'm not blaming the engineer for any of this, but from what he said and reading between the lines a little...

Someone in VM towers has the great idea of restricting the number of V+ boxes the techs can carry at any one time, to 2. TiVo.. no problem, carry plenty. Presumably customers in our situation, with a faulty V+ will think "ok, faulty box, downgrade or give TiVo a shot" and try TiVo. (with the extra monthly cost)

Crafty... but quite frankly, a poor show. Whatever my reasons for wanting to stick to V+ are irrelevant - had we had a courtesy call-ahead to warn of no stock, then I may have considered a TiVo trial *provided there was a financial incentive. Instead of that, VM have let us down and left me with a bad taste.

On the one hand, I'm tempted to negotiate with VM and then see if I can get the tech back - he lives locally and seems "a nice guy". On the other, why should I? I'm happy with V+, it does what we want - and if it wasn't for some wally in VM-towers having a short-sighted idea, we'd have a working one fitted and running now.

Am I right in thinking TiVo makes up 20%-ish of the TV-base these days? Which means VM are effectively letting-down 80% of TV customers just to strong-arm TiVo in.

Rather hacked off, and totally undermines the VM model of free-servicing and repairs.

05-06-2012, 08:30	#1
japitts cf.geek Join Date: Apr 2008 Services: V6 with Maxit, Sky Sports HD, TNT Sports, Sky Cinema. 250Mb broadband, Talk Anytime. Posts: 645	Replacement V+ boxes Just had a tech come and go, off the back of our SA V+ trying hard to die. Agreed a replacement box is needed... but he doesn't have any. I'm not blaming the engineer for any of this, but from what he said and reading between the lines a little... Someone in VM towers has the great idea of restricting the number of V+ boxes the techs can carry at any one time, to 2. TiVo.. no problem, carry plenty. Presumably customers in our situation, with a faulty V+ will think "ok, faulty box, downgrade or give TiVo a shot" and try TiVo. (with the extra monthly cost) Crafty... but quite frankly, a poor show. Whatever my reasons for wanting to stick to V+ are irrelevant - had we had a courtesy call-ahead to warn of no stock, then I may have considered a TiVo trial *provided there was a financial incentive. Instead of that, VM have let us down and left me with a bad taste. On the one hand, I'm tempted to negotiate with VM and then see if I can get the tech back - he lives locally and seems "a nice guy". On the other, why should I? I'm happy with V+, it does what we want - and if it wasn't for some wally in VM-towers having a short-sighted idea, we'd have a working one fitted and running now. Am I right in thinking TiVo makes up 20%-ish of the TV-base these days? Which means VM are effectively letting-down 80% of TV customers just to strong-arm TiVo in. Rather hacked off, and totally undermines the VM model of free-servicing and repairs.