Flex 20...American channels now?

[greygables]

I'm half way through a two year contract (flex 20 + sports) and I just noticed that I now have access to NBC, CBS, Fox and PBS.  I've never had access to them before?

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[57]

With the various plans before Rogers rejigged all the channels/packages on November 1, 2023, these channels were known as the Prime Time Pack and were $3/month.  I suspect that these channels are included in all but the most basic new channel lineup, so maybe Rogers is providing them, even for people on the packages before November 1. 2023.

[greygables]

Yes that's likely, it's just happened though as I checked the other day.  The channels are now included on my channel list

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@57 wrote:

With the various plans before Rogers rejigged all the channels/packages on November 1, 2023, these channels were known as the Prime Time Pack and were $3/month.  I suspect that these channels are included in all but the most basic new channel lineup, so maybe Rogers is providing them, even for people on the packages before November 1. 2023.

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Actually, the US networks are even included in the new Starter bundle.  I sure hope that Rogers does reverse course and provide all Ignite customers with those channels.  However, I just checked and saw they are still selling the Prime Time Pack.

[greygables]

My in-laws are on the same plain but pay extra ($3) for prime time. I wonder what would happen if they dropped it

[greygables]

... and 4 days later american channels are gone!!

[jimk1]

They seem to be back for me today

[greygables]

me too. back again.  Maybe it's a long weekend type of thing...lol

[dmbcanada]

Showed up for me again as of yesterday afternoon.   Not sure if it is just for the weekend sports or what, hopefully it sticks around.  Guess we'll find out Monday morning. 

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@dmbcanada wrote:

Showed up for me again as of yesterday afternoon.   Not sure if it is just for the weekend sports or what, hopefully it sticks around.  Guess we'll find out Monday morning. 

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This is very odd.  This could just be an accident on Rogers' part, in which case, these channels could suddenly disappear again.  However, if Rogers is making these channels available to all Ignite customers, it is going to upset Prime Time Pack subscribers.

My parents subscribe to the Prime Time Pack and they have not been notified of any changes to their service.

@CommunityHelps , can you confirm whether or not the US networks are now available to all Ignite TV customers?  So far, I have not seen any change in status posted online and customers can still subscribe to the Prime Time Pack.

https://www.rogers.com/support/tv/channel-updates

https://www.rogers.com/support/iptv/ignite-tv-distant-channels

Thanks!

[greygables]

They show as part of my channel guide but they did last weekend as well and then went away for a few days

[dmbcanada]

And gone again this morning!

[greygables]

... and gone for me as well.. must be a weekendish type of thing

[dmbcanada]

Contacting Support to see, seems crazy.  Shows in my channel lineup in MyRogers and is included in all packages, so shouldn't have to pay extra on top of the money we already pay!

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@dmbcanada wrote:

Contacting Support to see, seems crazy.  Shows in my channel lineup in MyRogers and is included in all packages, so shouldn't have to pay extra on top of the money we already pay!

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Until we hear otherwise, if you subscribed to an in-market Ignite TV bundle on or after July 7, 2021 and prior to November 1, 2023, I would NOT expect to receive the US networks or any of the distant channels that are included in the Prime Time Pack.  Rogers made a business decision to remove those channels from the base bundles, and they costed and priced those bundles accordingly.

If they were to reverse course and make those channels available to all subscribers again, they would need to advise all customers of the effective date of that change, stop sale of the Prime Time Pack, and stop billing Prime Time Pack subscribers effective that date.

[dmbcanada]

Well they are listed in the starter package and are listed as available channels in myRogers channel listing.   Their is no reason why Rogers shouldn't be available to everyone at no extra cost.  Cannot get a straight answer from a Rogers employee as to why the channels have appeared the last two weekends and then vanished on Monday morning,  

[57]

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@dmbcanada wrote:

  Their is no reason why Rogers shouldn't be available to everyone at no extra cost.  

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Actually, there is. As has been discussed several times previously, people on the Flex Grandfathered packages are currently paying $3/mo for these (prime time pack) channels and their Flex packages reflected that price (was lower).  Although it may seem reasonable for Rogers to "give" these channels to everyone on Flex, why would they?  Also, there are negotiated contracts between the service providers (Rogers) and the various broadcasters so it's often not a simple matter of "giving" the channels to "everyone" based on those contractual obligations.

[mebe]

I still have the US channels as part of my digital legacy Starter pack, and although I am not privy to the contract dealings between the Canadian broadcasters and USA broadcasters, there might be a way to financially punish both countries for removing the USA channels from the basic package of channels that everyone must subscribe to.

If the USA Prime Time package was let's say $5 (instead of $3), but none of the channels were simsubbed by the Canadian broadcasters -- except for the NFL games, that would at least offer some extra value to those without OTA Antenna access. But since we know the Canadian broadcasters won't remove their sumsubbing cash grab, you have to join forces and get rid of it yourselves. And by adding the Prime Time theme pack, Rogers has made it quite simple to punish all of them for their greed.

These weekend free previews are most likely planned to increase ratings and awareness of the non-simsubbed content you are missing (PBS isn't simsubbed, but has original regional content that might hook you to buy the Prime Time pack).

These free previews are a sign of weakness because as more digital legacy subscribers and IgniteTV subscribers switch to new packages without the previously-free USA channels, both the Canadian and USA border channels lose advertising dollars.

Next step is to boycott your regional Canadian and USA channels during all simsubs, and instead watch the out-of-market regional Canadian and USA channels (that are quite often not simsubbed, and contain many useless ads not designed for your local region. Sure, you'll .need to pay $6 for the US and Canadian time-shifting package, but at some point, the US border stations will either ask to be added back to the basic package, or ask for more money. Rogers will then raise the price of the US Prime Time pack, and perhaps even the timeshjftjng package, to try to counter the losses. This will lead to even more subscriber outrage, and perhaps an even more unified stand against corporate greed.

Too bad this is too much work to try and save $3/month, while spending $6/month with no guarantee of success.

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@mebe The only Ignite TV subscribers not receiving the basic US networks these days are whose who subscribed to an in-market package (new subscribers, those who effectively changed their package to get promotional pricing or other benefits) between July 7, 2021 and November 1, 2023.  Rogers doesn't care about advertising revenue for these channels; they wanted to raise the price for their packages, remove channels to make them even more profitable, and get as many people as possible to subscribe to the Prime Time Pack.

Over the last two years, Rogers did other things, such as changing "Flex 20 + Sports" to "Flex 20 Including Sports", which raised the price AND dropped 8 Flex Channels.

They also dropped the number of Flex Channels in Premier from 86 to 63, while also raising the price.  (And they made this material change to the package without changing its name, which REALLY surprised and upset some customers.)

Typically, when financial and other KPI metrics slip, the business pulls whatever levers they can to boost ARPU and (hopefully) keep churn to a minimum.  These measures improve numbers in the short term but have long-term repercussions.  That is probably also why they had to dump the old Ignite TV bundles and launch totally new packages (with fixed channels, a different cost structure, and even higher prices) back in November.

[dmbcanada]

This is why I have no loyalty to any provider, they find a way to squeeze more money out of you.    Not worth the hassle for $3 or $5 dollars.   I'll keep my money.

[dmbcanada]

It's Friday, guess what is back this morning. LOL. No indication from Rogers as to why this is happening.