VOOM Goes BOOM - update Dish Drops all 15 VOOM Channels

**mckinney_man** · 05-14-2008 08:15 AM

I would personally wait before you go jumping off of cliffs about this stuff. This is either a ploy by Charlie to get VOOM in line or he plans on adding something in to replace those 15 channels. They seem to be sticking to that 100 National HD tagline since they have channels up in the 9000s telling us it is coming. I understand if some people are upset by losing VOOM. But in all honesty the people that really care are such a minority that I can certainly see why they would drop them. Most of my neighbors don't even have HD, they just have SD and have no idea VOOM ever existed. But, if suddenly Cartoon Network and Nick HD were available they might get excited because their kids know what HD is and know what those channels are, even if there isn't any HD on them right now. And as a side note, Cartoon Network might not have any HD but the PQ on my HD set is night and day over what it was before.

Like I said, ploy to get VOOM in line or ploy to get all those kids and younger people who know what HD is into the picture. Either way we benefit in the long run.

**Bradp56** · 05-14-2008 08:20 AM

I am going to wait and see before I jump ship. The only other thing I like about Dish is the DVR other than that it was MonstersHD.

**Weezknight** · 05-14-2008 08:25 AM

I'd be anxious to know how much people are paying, though? Everyone seems so quick to jump ship based on programming, but is anyone looking at the difference in price?

For me it's a no-brainer. To get exactly what I'm getting with E* from D* (including the channels, fees, & receivers) I would actually be spending $25/month more...and that's a BIG deal. To go to Comcast the difference is an astounding $30-$35 more per month!

Is losing VOOM that important that you'd be willing to pay more?

**Bradp56** · 05-14-2008 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by Weezknight

I'd be anxious to know how much people are paying, though? Everyone seems so quick to jump ship based on programming, but is anyone looking at the difference in price?

For me it's a no-brainer. To get exactly what I'm getting with E* from D* (including the channels, fees, & receivers) I would actually be spending $25/month more...and that's a BIG deal. To go to Comcast the difference is an astounding $30-$35 more per month!

Is losing VOOM that important that you'd be willing to pay more?

If Voom went to DirecTV then yes but if Voom goes away for good I will have to decide because then I would want to go to Direc for the NFL package.

**darrencp22** · 05-14-2008 08:32 AM

Come on folks! Lets be honest... this is all fallout from the AMC-14 failure. This action was taken so E* could remain competitive... E* has probably done research on this.. They will retain and gain more customers with the increased HD offering with this than lose through this.

**Bradp56** · 05-14-2008 08:41 AM

Originally Posted by darrencp22

Come on folks! Lets be honest... this is all fallout from the AMC-14 failure. This action was taken so E* could remain competitive... E* has probably done research on this.. They will retain and gain more customers with the increased HD offering with this than lose through this.

I see what you are saying but they could have atleast kept the 5 Voom channels because they were not on any other company and they offered a variety, and then you would have 10 slots for other national channels.

**mckinney_man** · 05-14-2008 08:49 AM

But the contract as it stands does not allow them to just keep the five channels. That is what part of the dispute was about. DISH wanted to tier VOOM since it knew that there are some channels that are watched and many that aren't. And since VOOM failed to spend $100M it gave them the opportunity to try and force VOOM to agree or they would drop them. Since VOOM failed to agree DISH dropped them. DISH didn't have the legal legs to just keep 5 channels and ditch the rest.

**Bradp56** · 05-14-2008 08:54 AM

O ok, that makes sense to why they didnt just keep the 5. I wonder now that they were dropped Voom will let them Tier the channels if they bring them back?

**mpeltz** · 05-14-2008 08:56 AM

I've been under the impression that the reason Charlie didn't add channels like SCI-FI HD, USA HD, BRAVO HD, etc. back in Jan or earlier was because of contract issues and/or bandwidth limitations. Now we know that was a lie.

He was able to add 22 new HD channels and I believe the only reason he did that was because he knew he was removing VOOM. I feel really cheated.