U-verse U200 vs. Brighthouse digital tier comparison

[galfert]

I've created a spreadsheet to compare AT&T U-verse U200 Orlando channel lineup with Brighthouse digital tier. It seems worth it to switch. See attached excel spreadsheet.

[CANDY76MAN]

It looks great but is it coming to the Tampa market?

[Bschneider]

I highly doubt it will be heading to Tampa. Orlando is probably geting U-verse while Tampa is getting FiOS.

[galfert]

Tampa is a Verizon market. So I woud say probably not. U-verse is making its way through Florida in the current AT&T markets. Currently AT&T U-verse is available in Jacksonville, South Florida and soon Orlando.

[HDOrlando]

Very good writeup.

When you mean given provider, do you mean Bright House Orlando or could the ones with no channel number be HD that we might be getting soon?

[galfert]

By given provider I mean either Brighthouse Orlando or AT&T (for the Orlando market). You need to see if what is highlighted in blue is on the left (AT&T) listing side or on the right (Brighthouse) side of the spreadsheet.

So for example if you see a channel on the right that is blue and it says "1335 Disney Channel HD" that means that Brighthouse Orlando has the channel in HD but it is also available on AT&T but it is only available in Standard Definition. The opposite is true if you see a blue channel on the left hand side. That would mean that AT&T has the channel in HD and that Brighthouse Orlando only has it in Standard Definition.

It does not mean that we are getting it in HD soon on AT&T. It is possible and probably likely but I'm not implying that.

I have read elsewhere that some new HD channels are coming soon...and Disney HD is one of them.

Here is the list taken from the AT&T Forum where I read about it (I can't vouch for validity):

1. Family HD - 1178
2. BIO HD -1272
3. Disney HD - 1302
4. Toon Disney HD - 1304
5. ESPNEWS HD - 1604
6. ESPNU HD - 1605
7. NHL HD - 1638
8. Golf HD - 1641
9. Tennis HD - 1690
10. AMC HD - 1795
11. IFC HD - 1797
12. PPV HD - 106
13. CBSCS - 1658

[HDOrlando]

Is there anyway you can cut and paste that file onto a basic post?

[skottey]

It looks great but is it coming to the Tampa market?

Not happy with having BHN and FIOS in our market? haha.... I doubt U-verse will come here and FIOS seems overall better or about the same.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1058081

[skottey]

Tampa is a Verizon market.

That doesn't matter anymore.. I mean, the franchise agreements are with the state now, not the local cities. However, why would they want to come to Tampa Bay? Hillsborough already has FIOS, BHN, Dish, DirecTV, and Pinellas has all that plus Knology. It probably wouldn't be worth them digging up the community and marketing it.

As far as Verizon territory, there is probably a gentleman's agreement between FIOS and U-Verse not to overlap, although there is certainly nothing legally stopping them in FL.

[HDOrlando]

Skottey,

Your probably right about the gentlemen's agreement.

I do love the competition though as Bright House has stepped up their game a bit in Orlando here because of U-Verse despite it being limitedly available.

Apparently they are competing to buy Direct TV though.

[skottey]

Skottey,

Your probably right about the gentlemen's agreement.

I do love the competition though as Bright House has stepped up their game a bit in Orlando here because of U-Verse despite it being limitedly available.

Apparently they are competing to buy Direct TV though.

Oh, the competition is great. The more the better, being on the customer end. I'll bet if it wasn't for 100% digital satellite coming about in the 90's, we wouldn't even have digital cable, let alone HD at this point in time. Until last year I had BHN since moving to FL in 95, back when it was Paragon in my market and then Time Warner. Off and on I for a long time felt the need to have a second provider as well in order to get all the channels I wanted. I had Knology (back when it was Verizon Americast) and BHN for a while. Most recently I had Dish Network and BHN and then DirecTV and BHN. It wasn't until I became FIOS serviceable that I finally said goodbye to BHN for TV (still have them for biz Internet).

But one key thing about Bright House. I have for a long time felt like they were trailing and only doing what they had to do to compete. They have been late to the game with so many things since the late 90's. I would say after they got digital cable and all those multichannel premiums, they have lagged in just about everything else since. I am really glad to see them adding HD channels now. FIOS and U-verse are so far ahead as far as channels that closing the gap is only a good thing with BHN for the consumers.

I hate so much about FIOS but the channel lineup is killer and the picture quality is top notch. But come on, their customer service, DVRs, and shared bandwidth between video on demand and Internet stink. I would certainly consider going back to BHN in the future but they would have to at minimum, match all premiums in HD that FIOS has (both east and west feeds) and I'd almost have to say I wouldn't do it until they got rid of analog. Just because channel adds even with SDV are going to be limited until they do. I have no love for FIOS that is so deep that I am with them forever. They just happen to have more channels I like and now BHN is starting to get serious about HD, which is great for all of us in both metros along I-4.

[HDOrlando]

I never thought of satelite bringing on digital cable. It's a great point though.

When U-Verse was announced here in Orlando, we started getting more HD and free Showtime cause of couple of hour outage when I was not home.

I'm a guy who likes to have all channels available to me even if I'm not going to watch them.

Compared to Direct TV when you take out the church, regional sports nets and HD, it's not bad at all and even better in Tampa as we are the only BH affiliate without GSN.

FIOS though has like every channel even little known ones. The only thing they seem not to have is NBA TV and I expect that to change as NBA TV is doing new contracts to get off sports tiers.

In Tampa, it's been even better with FIOS adding MLB Network and getting the extra Rays games quickly to match up to BH Tampa.

I could not leave BH unless they slowed on the HD channels because of having News 13 (easiest to watch compared to garbage news here) and it seems less complicated with no satelite contracts and the phone company sounds more complicated as well.

Now, if only U-Verse and FIOS having NFL Network spurred BH to do so but then again, they overdid it there in attempts to lure cable companies.

All in all, competition is great.

[SomeRandomIdiot]

That doesn't matter anymore.. I mean, the franchise agreements are with the state now, not the local cities. However, why would they want to come to Tampa Bay? Hillsborough already has FIOS, BHN, Dish, DirecTV, and Pinellas has all that plus Knology. It probably wouldn't be worth them digging up the community and marketing it.

As far as Verizon territory, there is probably a gentleman's agreement between FIOS and U-Verse not to overlap, although there is certainly nothing legally stopping them in FL.

They are only going into markets where the can consolidate their local phone service.