Will FiOS add TBS HD in time for the playoffs?

[StevenA]

I noticed that BHN is adding TBS HD in time for the baseball playoffs. Anybody know if Verizon FiOS is going to do the same? TBS has exclusive broadcast rights to the entire Divisional Playoff Series and to the National League's League Championship Series. Unless FiOS adds that channel by Wednesday, FiOS customers are going to be locked out of seeing the first part of the playoffs in HD.

[Harry]

Well, I don't know the answer and I am not much of a baseball fan but for the past year or so, FIOS has been advertising about having more HD channels. Now both Direct and BHN seem to be passing them by. There is no technical reason why they could not do better so I have to expect that at some time they will make a move to increase the number. At least, I hope so. Otherwise, I will have to start reconsidering my FIOS position.

Harry

[bdraw]

Also not a baseball fan or a fan of TBS and their stretch-o-vision, but FIOS is starting to fall behind.

With BHN latest addition of HD channels, they now have quite a few HD channels that FIOS doesn't have.

A&E HD
Versus/Golf HD
The Science Channel HD
Animal Planet HD
The Learning Channel HD
TBS HD
History HD
Mojo

Channels FIOS has that BHN doesn't.
NFL Network HD
National Geographic HD
Wealth HD
FSN HD

This is not including premiums -- which I don't subscribe to -- but at this point most of the channels FIOS doesn't carry don't have much HD programming and are probably going to be delivered via SDV, which means my TiVo's wont work with them.

I have DirecTV during football season so I have access to these channels now anyways, and so far I'd say they all suck. I have yet to catch one HD program on any of them, despite checking every day.

[Palmateer]

So, what happened? Did local Fios customers get to see baseball playoffs in HD or not?

[Bschneider]

Not if it was on TBS.

[bdraw]

Nope, in fact I believe they are the only national provider not to carry TBS HD.

Something is going on, it's been 6 months since they've added an HD channel, which is very odd at a time when most other providers are adding them faster than ever before.

[chupacabra]

I think the reason they are not adding right now is because they have their hands full with the new menu deployment. I've read it's not ready for prime time as it was rolled out to the field.

[bdraw]

Hmm, makes sense, but you'd think they'd have two different teams, one for IPG and one for programming.

[chupacabra]

Hmm, makes sense, but you'd think they'd have two different teams, one for IPG and one for programming.

Yeah, well it makes sense if you and me are running the company, we'd have two seperate teams...

[anthony_b]

Maybe they're not making money....I might just jump ship after my year commitment expires in December...Also the fact there was no sports packages last year like MLB just killed it for me.

[StevenA]

So, what happened? Did local Fios customers get to see baseball playoffs in HD or not?
During the Divisional Series (first round of playoffs), all of the games were on TBS, and no HD for FiOS customers. However, if game 2 on a given night started before game 1 ended, the second game was carried on TNT-HD until the first game ended. So there were a few innings here and there in HD, but no complete game. For the League Championship Series currently going on, the National League games are on TBS so no HD again, but the American League games are on Fox-HD. Since I'm a Red Sox fan, that makes me happy.

However, I agree with others that Verizon has dropped the ball when it comes to adding HD channels. If they don't play catch up pretty soon, I think they are going to start dropping customers as well. I don't care if they give me a fancy new menu system or not. I want my HDTV.