Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Unscramble all testing channels please.......

There has been an explosion of blog comments regarding the issues of the new channels being scrambled for some and the channels being available for some.

We understand that this is a TESTING PERIOD but there is no harm in allowing all the subscribers to view the testing channels regardless of whether they are old subscribers or new subscribers.

We urge all Dialog Subscribers not to upgrade their packages to the highest package just to watch the testing channels unless of course you want to upgrade to watch HBO and HBO Signature.

In addition we urge Dialog TV not to increase any package rates or introduce any packages higher than Rs 1400/= since it will be utterly unsuccessful and only the rich will be able to afford it. Dialog TV should be affordable for the middle class to purchase it and the middle class is what Dialog should concentrate on, otherwise the problems that befell Comet Cable will come upon Dialog TV. If they do increase then more prospective subscribers will either buy Dish TV/Tata SKY since they are much cheaper and present subscribers may also switch over.

It is now proven that calling Customer Care is of no use, then the best option is now to call (011) 4606000 and speak to someone from senior management and ask them for explanations and pressurize them to unscramble channels during the testing period.

1) Dialog TV if this is a technical fault then "why suddenly and why has it not been sorted out still" or "are some subscribers being discriminated against specially the ones from the CBNsat era". Is this a marketing ploy to get them to change packages?
2) Why are subscribers who upgraded packages during the last few days able to view the testing channels. If so why can't the testing channels being given to all subscribers to view during testing times only? In fact giving the testing channels now will tempt many subscribers to move to higher packages once they are packaged.
3) Why most subscribers have not received programme guide and mainly those who have new Rs 1400/= have got them?

Watch out now, senior management may have meetings each time a customer calls but remember the customer is King and being persistent always pays. Subscriber Unite has also expressed their concerns to Dialog TV about this scrambling and we should lend a helping hand by calling and applying pressure. Remember calling their hotline is of no use, you have to call the general number (011) 4606000. Remember their is no need to be sarcastic and use unnecessary language, lets do this decently. If Dialog TV has a valid reason for not unscrambling the channels then lets allow them to continue as they do now. However it is very difficult for us to see any valid reasons for scrambling the channels but we can see many reasons why they should allow subscribers to view the channels.

Dialog we hope that the problem of audio being available only on the left side sound signal on AXN is sorted out soon.

46 comments:

Vishkid said...

Thanks admin. This shows that the blog carries a certain power to influence.

At the same time, as I always said, Dialog is a big corporate and they will play to the market and employ any means to maximize their return. We can't blame them for that.

We hv to employ our own strategies to convince Dialog to be fair to the customer (at least until some strong competition arrive and change the market) so that the relationship is mutually beneficial. So we can only hope Dialog realizes the damage being done to their brand and rectify any shortcomings.

Hey, I also hope Riky et al will be back here to give us some solid info. Will update after I've called DTV and spoken to someone there ...

Mario said...

Tks admin.

Riky - can we hav ur comments pls.
Whats happend to kalu ?

DLR said...

Menna Attha,

Yester day I called Cus care, with my friend's details who has 1375+ old pakage. When I claim about scramble that guy said if i change my package to 1400+ new one I will be able to watch new channels.
again I called with my details (I'm old 850+) then also another cus guy said only if I change my package to 1400+ can watch them
DTV is trying to screw us. Get ready

riky said...

Yes the problem persists with the package sreucture and exsisting software.I dont know how to explain but its with the old 850/- package(Where you get ESPN),Even DTV wants everybody to see the the test channels and it will be sorted out very soon.

And realisticaly we may have only three packages for everybody in future 500/-,900/-1400/- as complications arise in the software when having smaller groups having differant packages.

I hear that it will be done without penalizing any of the exsisting subscribers.

Be patient, its only a small issue which will be resolved in a couple of days.

DLR said...

Can anybody pl give some small description about these channels

HBO, HBO Sig, HBO Hit, HBO Family, Cinemax, Star movie, Hallmark.

Then we can evaluate & decide weather they r worth o not , to change our packages in future

(I can remember some one post chanel details in earlier thread but I couldn't find it )

Lightning_Struck_Tower said...

I didnt switch on my CBNsat decoder yet after they restarted transmissions. In fact i temporarily disconnected DTV since i have dishtv.
But guess what, even after disconnection i'm getting the programme guide. I even got the June program guide some 2 weeks back. ( i even got a bill after disconnection :) )

I had the old 850 package CBNsat had.


d.l.r.,
Just check program schedules of the channels. Usually one whole month's schedules are online.

HBO channels: www.hboasia.com

Mario said...

Tks Riky.

cableguy said...

Hi LST! Long time No See!!

Thanks Riky for that update

So we will trust you and wait a few more days to see what happens.

In the meantime, DTV reps should be advised not to capitalize on the technical problem and NOT to use it as a marketing tool(as d.l.r has explained very clearly above).
As the Blog Admin very clearly explained, DTV customers should try NOT TO upgrade to the highest pckge just because the customer rep asks you to. Do it only if you want HBO and HBO Sig. Share this with other DTV customers who are not on this blog. This is REAL PEOPLE POWER. Some of the long-term bloggers will remember how effective we were during the CBNSat closure and court proceedings etc.
I have the old 850 package(with ESPN and POGO) and I am waiting to see what will happen when the new channels come along.

Until then, lets accept Riky's explanation and wait. After all, he has been giving us correct info most of the time.

Hanees said...

I THINK DTV GENERAL NUBMER IS (011) 4606060
-NOT (011) 4606000

Hanees said...

IF DTV GIVES TENSPORTS IN 1400/- , ESPN SHOULD BE IN 900/-
IF DTV GIVES HBO FAMILY, HBO HITS IN 1400/- HBO AND HBO SIGNATURE SHOULD BE IN 900/-
AM I CORRECT ?

Unknown said...

I dont think it will happen the way hanees thinks and dont expect that.

The Australian share holders of comet has sold their holding to a Indian entity and we may see some further investment from them.

deathrow said...

@ Hanees...

YES . U R Correct..

Lightning_Struck_Tower said...

cableguy,
was reading the blog all the time mate. Just commented after a while.

btw does anyone know about Star Cricket launch date? Will it come on Dialog tv?

firi said...

d.l.r.

Normally the good films shown on SIGNATURE, HITS, FAMILY & CINEMAX are already the films which has aired on HBO.
What happens is STAR MOVIES will show movies which HBO wouldn't show & HBO shows what STAR woudn't show. (for recently released movies)
So even if we get all the 5 HBO channels we may miss some good movies if we do not have STAR MOVIES in our line up.

Priyantha De Silva said...

Great Admin !Thanks.
That's the power of our Blog.

The number (011) 4606000 is the real number. I've called it yesterday for a reason.

Then call (011) 4606000,
Not other one. I think the othe number is the late CBN.

Vishkid said...

Thanks Riky for your assurance. Glad to see you back.

Called DTV office number twice but only got the operator the 2nd time to be told (rather politely) to speak to customer service and the management will get their feedback from them. Seems that they are aware that subscribers are not happy with the situation. Anyone got through to someone who'd listen?

Although it might carry some risk, I too think that maintaining two structures of packages (old CBN and new DTV) doesn't serve any purpose. A revised, single package structure is OK as long as nothing is taken off anyones channel list. (i.e. if the two 900 packages are to be merged then new DTV customers should get to see POGO and ESPN as well, rather than the otherway). There is a legal issue in that and Dialog knows this too well, so I hope they wont try to take anything off from existing packages.

I'm wondering why Terry said it wont happen though .. you got further info on that Terry?

I can't speak for others, but I'm all for pay-per-view premium channels if the basic channel rentals remain unchanged and more non-premium channels are made available to normal packages (500,900,1400 packages).

TechnoGuy Sri Lanka said...

I have a friend who bought CBNsat in September 2005 but still has the test channels available. Lucy him. I'm a bit jealous.


@ Lightning Struck Tower
As Riky said earlier, STAR Cricket will be coming on DTV later after the official launch of the third transponder. As for the launch of the cricket channel, I have no idea when.


@ Hanees, Priyantha
both 4 606060 and 4 606000 are working. I called the second number. But it is likely that both numbers link to the same place.


@ Riky
thanks for information

Unknown said...

@ Ricky
You said in your comment that their will be only 500, 900, 1400 packeges on the future.

Does It mean we (850 packege holders) will miss ESPN and Pogo from our lineup. After that If we need to watch those channels we have to change on to 1400 package.

Gyus, Thats what Iam saying. Ready for the Big change in your channel Line up. 10,000 Subcribers (as Dtv marketing managet said on last May)will miss ESPN and Pogo

Whole 10,000 Subscribers will change (I think Their will be more than 6,000 subscribers who having great sports entertaniment with ESPN. They wont like to miss it.

We must face to The REALITY Guys,

Let's See....

------------------
Tata Sky and Dish tv have put Star sports and ESPN (Their premire Sports channels) on Lowest packeges. When Tata Sky or Dish Tv come to the Business on Sri Lankan DTH market What will hapen to DTv.

This is not Good for Dtv,

riky said...

Nishantha.- Dont mix up what i said,What i said was they may have the new structures WITHOUT PENALIZING THE OLD SUBSCRIBERS.

What terry said may be correct as DTV may not be able to have HBO and Signature on the 900/-package,simply due to the cost factor but may give thought to having ESPN on the 900/- block.

Unknown said...

Thank you administrator.

Hi Friends,

Thro' the general line when I asked for a Snr person the operator after awhile, connected me to one Kasun who identified himself as Snr.Executive Call Centre. After listening to my complain about the Test Channels, he explained that their Top Management have flown to Singapore last Friday including the Snr.Technical Mgr and they are still there trying to sort out the distribution of channels among the pkgs. Meanwhile they have decided since Saturday to provide Test Channels only to the new pkgs(DTV customers). When I mentioned about one lucky guy among old CBN customers, he said yes there is one Indika (I do not know whether its our friend 'Bank Dude') who got that chance. However, I told him we consider it as discrimination & is not fair. Further I said, like in other countries it will be mutually beneficial if they permit Test Channels to all 'Free to Air' for a period. He also mentioned that certain channels are already considered as part of the pkgs. such as Neo Sports and that they had to delay the official launch owning to these issues. So if an old CBN customer upgrades to a new pkg tt's considered as a new DTV customer.

I requested him to consider my suggestions which he agreed to take up with their Chief Mktg Mgr, Mr.Anthony & reconsider their decision.

I believe that all what we have been discussing earlier boils down to this.

HSJAYA said...

So now what happens to the software problems and decoder problem. This was an illusion. As I said earlier there was no problem at all. Only problem was DTV's bullshit marketing strategy

Priyantha De Silva said...

As I've said earlier,
I've requested 2 days ago to Upgrade my 1,375 package to 1,400.They called me @ noon & tell me They did it. When I switch on nothing happened . Now, ( after 8pm) I again switch on.

Now I can watch every test channels except Hbo Hits.

Now every one can see what happening with DTV old customers of CBN. I think it's better for the future happening if anyone can Upgrade to DTV packages. Because this won't be the first time they're neglecting old customers like us. ( Please note I've requested to Upgrade 2 days before )

Mario said...

Riky - any thing to add to what laksirif has said ?


@ laksirif - So i guess all we can do is sit and wait until the 30th ?

SAG said...

Hi every buddy I’m SAG and new to this blog. I got DTV (1400 pkg) about 2 months back. I also can see the test channels once after a resetting STP in to factory defaults. I can see TEN Sports, Hallmark, SET, HBO Hits, Australia Net, SAB, NEO Sports +, NEO Sports and SR TV(only the colour strips). Can any one see any channels other than these?

Unknown said...

@amd,

True. Tts all we can do. But should not givein meekly.

Unknown said...

Hi Friends,

I wish to share the latest from DTV.

Spoke to Cus/care as I can not get the weekly EPG. Then a guy called Mohamed informed after verifying my a/c no: that since mine is an old decoder(Purchased in March 2006)I wouldn't be able to get the weekly EPG. When I said that there are others using the old decoder who could get it he challenged me to get a single customer who had purchased the decoder before me,who enjoy this facility. So friends among you if there are any please let me know, with the date.

Then just to tease him I inquired from him for his version for Test Channels(since I know the correct position). After consulting somebody he said those are no longer considered as 'Test Channels' and they are paid channels. Further, if any of the old CBN customers wish to have those channels they should upgrade to 1400 and become fully DTV. This he said DTV have decided a little while ago. I requested him to give it in writing or at least display a mail msg, which he said will be done.

Its not the Rs.25 that matters. But the dirty way they did it. There is something really wrong with their marketing stratergy. They should have done it, more diplomatically while continuing to provide the Test channels.

Blog Man said...

Subscribers unite eka apahu patan gamu...

Api kawruth balamu mokada wenne kiyala.. Eth eka deyak therenawa..
Apita issarahata cust.lage aitheen rakaganna DTVekath ekka loku game ekak denna thiyenawa..
Api danama ekata ready wenna ona.. CBN , DTV kiyala wenasak wena ekak na.
Thawa tika dawasakin mun api kawruth alle natawanna ganeewi.. Muntama giya lankawe DTH...........
DTV hithan inne customer king kiyala nemei...un api otuwo karanna hadanne....

Api DTV Subscribers unite eka apahu patan gamu...

DTV eketa ona ona widihata sellam danna bari widihata api ekathu wemu.....

Kawda mekata mul thana ganne..... Priyantha..Technoguy...& other senior bloggers..
Oyalage ideas denna.... Api ready una nathnam apita budusaranai dewipihitai...

Mata therenne echcharai.........

Priyantha De Silva said...

@ Sinhala Guy Sri Lanka ,
&
Everyone,


Yes, now it's the time to rock . There'll be more thing to come. Now, the answer to get test channels is to Upgrade. But , What Next ? There'll be more important channels to come in the future. What they do next ?

Up monthly charge ? or Pay per view for each channels is not the answer. as Gamini's said, TV isn't the Life. But it must have & keep going. Some months comes in very busy even don't switch on the Tv in every life. But must pay the monthly charge , it doesn't matter if the charges are remain the same .
But,
what we do if they're going to increase the charge ? & lowest number of channels to lowest rate ?
There intention must be increase number of customers, Not charges.Like Dialog GSM.

We're very proud to have a connection like Dialog GSM/KIT Etc.
But, How about Dialog TV ?It's like Earth & Sky.
You don't know what I did today. I've called the Customer care then, he got angry & came to tell " Look After"( Aka Gena Balannamm). Then I tell him I wright in the DTV Blog & The Sri Lanka's Most unfavorable Customer care is DTV . Then, His voice changed & apologized.

That's the power of Subscriber's Unit. I think we can kneel them if we united in practically.Today, Admin. has got a position But before that I've changed the package. Now I can't do anything for that, But I always appear for others who are not able to watch.

As I did, 2nd thing today is,
I've FAX'ed them a letter,(01:31 pm If anyone want to check in DTV )
There I written down below,blaming them,
"It's Unfair DTV".
If anyone want to FAX today the number is,
0114_619207.

If anyone has time to FAX, do it with as Admin. Say & as I did. Then they can't behave like MONOPOLY.

Sinhala Guy Sri Lanka ,
Yes, It's a good Idea to break the Monopoly Of DTV.


( If any of you FAX,
write down " Attention Kasun " or any other manager's name of DTV Above the page. He has to submit it to the others.The name I've asked months before. If not, they'll throw away )

bank_dude said...

@laksirif,

I'm not Indika and the true identity is only known to Lisura. By the way where is our old mate Lisura. I like to see him in this blog again.

yakuza said...

hi

whats up guys?
Plase dont shift to rs.1400 package at this moment to view the test channels(until 30th). Lets see what they got for out lineup before.

there is no chance in hell i will change my rs.900 package to a rs.1400, i'd rather get rid of this bullshit and get a SLT adsl connetion.

YES FM Morning Show Community said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Laksirif Thanks about Your information.

Ricky.....
Now What doyou think about your
''WITHOUT PENALIZING THE OLD SUBSCRIBERS''

619 said...

How about the new(DTV) 900/= pkg customers? Can they watch test channels? or only new 1400/= pkg customers only can watch them?

justavisitor said...

This is very unfair. The so-called biggest investor is treating the old cbnsatcustomers badly for 25/=. Let's see what will happen on 30th.

Mario said...

Guys, lets wait till the 30th. Different people are telling us different things now and we really dont know who to beleive. Lets wait and by the 30th if nothing improves then we will all decide what action to take.

riky said...

Nishantha- Whats your fucking problem? Yes they will do that and they will not remove any channel you have at present,But when allocating new channels,less will be allocated to the lower packages and thats a fact.

As for the technical team,Yes they are in Singapore attending the broadcasting exibition and will sort out the matters from the 25th.

Mario said...

@ laksirif

I have the old decoder ( April 2006 )I was able to get the weekly EPG after i did the IRD update. I dont know what channels the weekly EPG is active for at the moment, but so far i get it for HBO, SIG, CMAX,AXN, ESPN
BBC & CNN. But sometimes its active all the time.

My understanding is that there was a software update which maybe DTV put on for trial or what im not sure. Maybe they had some tech problems and then deactivated it and will launch it on the 30th.

My assumptions may be wrong so anyone who can clarify, please do so.

Unknown said...

@Bank Dude,

In fact I mentioned in my comments tt it may not be you. I noticed in a subsequent comment there is another old CBN customer with 1375 pkg, who had got these test Channels.

@Jesika,
According to Kasun, Test channels were available to alklDTV pkgs, which includes 900. However, according to the late last night situation DTV now consider those 'Test Channels' as 'Paid Channels'. T4 I do not know whether they will permit all those for lower pkgs.
Anyway give a little time I want to verify this Mohamed's story with Kasun this morning.

@Sinhala Guy,
You are right if we all unite, we can show the customer power(like Mahajana Balaya)which is generally lacking among we Sri Lankans. However, DTV Bloggers have already shown the unity so far to a great extent. At least they should have allowed everybody to enjoy Test Channels & then Diplomatically appeal to customers to agree to a uniform structure. But yet there should have been a'Give & Take Policy' adopted.
If DTV do not play fair all of us should write to TRA (since we are located in different areas its not practically possible to do it collectively)& place the facts before them.

Another thing I observed in the billing they call the monthly subscription 'Rental'. According to them, reason behind this is its 'Dialog Policy', like for the phone& charge the fee in advance. To my knowledge no other service provider does this.

In our agreement with CBN it clearly states customers are required to pay monthly 'subscription fee' and not 'RENTAL'.

My appeal to all friends in this blog is "PLEASE DON'T GIVE IN TO DTV BULLDOZING TACTICS"

Vishkid said...

This is fucking hilarious (or not - if you look at in a practical manner).

FACT # 1 - DTV is hoodwinking us - not just old customers but the new ones as well using this 'testing' period. there is NOTHING technical in it.

FACT # 2 - They can't take ANYTHING away from our existing packages. So 875/- CBN users if they take away your ESPN or POGO - it's TRC that you should call first.

FACT # 3 - They can allocate the new packages as they wish. But it's extremely unethical if they allocate FTA channels (like Australia Network) to premium bands and we can and we will write tho those channel broadcasters if DTV takes that route.

FACT # 4 - the situation will become clearest on the date of 'official' launch (maybe 30th June) and if you change your packages before that it might work against you - so best option is to be patient and wait.

FACT # 5 - Subscribers Unite (as it was before) is dead? Who has he contacts and who will revive this?

Anything to add guys?

hush said...

I am also from the old 1350 package and cannot view the test channels.

perseverance is the key and will wait to see what happens on 30th june, its a poson holiday by the way.

i will adopt a wait and see attitude.

Unknown said...

I told,Gamini is a real sucker,In a normel day the guy would have commented 10-15 times,Now with the test channels activated for him,he has slipped away like a real "milkworm".

He is now worried that because the others are shouting even his channels may be removed.

riky said...

Guys be patient,specialy the 1375/- old CBNsat customers,rest assured you will get everything once the engineering team is back from Singapore next week.

On the others it will depend on what channels will be allocated to the respective packages from the new content.

Dil said...

Good morning guys

Hi i'm a old cbn customer.Till yesterday i was using the old cbn super package of Rs.1,375/-. Because of that i didn't get the test channels except SAB & SET. But after changing my package to DTV 1,400/- i was able to watch all the test channels. All i did was fax a requst letter & ID copy..

cableguy said...

Well said Vishkid

My appeal to everyone is be patient until the 30th and see what happens. Yes Dialog is screwing us, but not much we can do during he "Testing Period".
In the meantime, they should not underestimate People Power. We have signed doc's(CBNSat agreements), TRC, contact info to FTA channels which we can collectively use against Dialog if the need arises. But I dont see why we need to jump the gun now. Lets wait and see.

Praveen said...

Hello everybody!

Yep, I also believe the same that DTV people are ignoring us all over. Seems they don’t have any respect for the customers who been there and back them up when they been shut down. None of the customers of CBN age seems to be getting the new channels in the testing period but the new connections do. That’s bloody unfair. I also believe that we should have the “CBNsat subscribers unite” back and running again because this DialogTV does not give anything for the customers who been there from the very beginning.

Having the 850/= package the DTV customer care told me that I’d only be getting Hallmark, Australia Network, and SET. No, Ten Sports! :-( I’d like to pull out something. When CBN started their service they only had two packages being the 850/= the largest. And when they introduced HBO, they created a third package for “850/= + HBO” which was 1350/= so they been charging the difference for the HBO. My point is that they should give all other channels except HBO series to the 850/=. Correct me if I’m wrong.

Highly agree with the post of “yakuza”, if this continues to be going on, and if they keep ignoring us, I’d rather get rid of this satellite TV connection and get SLT ADSL connection where I can download anything and watch when ever I want, not when ever they want.

Very disappointing DialogTV, externally disappointing.

sonik said...

well, for those of you who arent getting the test channels as yet... heres an update....

1. tensports, neo and neo+ all pixxelated... football matches very unclear.... john cena in little cubes on ten.

2. set sab and set continuosly freezing

3. hbo hits.. probably the only gud channel, but shows movies that have already been shown about a million times on hbo, sig, and cinemax.

4. srtv off the air

5. abc- the rugby matches are heavily pixxelated...

personaly, im waiting for star tv
there hasnt been any big difference in dtv service.... although i appreciate the fact that atleast some new channels have been added, but nothing much has changed in dtv service. its safe to say that those who cant see the new channels arent missing out on much....