XM Holiday channels, A Nashville Christmas

[mkatts]

873 is "A Nashville Christmas". When I dial in that channel I get "channel not available". I called customer service and was told it is because it is only offered for those that subscribe to the latin channels. Now why would a 100% american christmas format only be offered to spanish speaking people and the majority of the people that would listen to that format would not have the latin package? It just does not make sense to put a country music channel in that package and make us pay for a bunch of channels just for a single channel and get no bennifit form the others. Am I alone on this? I spoke with a manager in CS and he just said "oh well" buy the spanish package if I want it so bad! Great customer service!

 

[obeythelaw]

they may be right. for some reason its not even in my lineup. i had to add it to even get it in my guide. the channels right around 873 are the "latin" channels. so maybe she could be right. like you, i don't think it makes sense. i also have "every" channel so if I can't get it, then its not coming through for some reason.

 

[mcbeevee]

That is strange channel placement, but the positive thing about XM is there are 3 Holiday channels in the base package (819/860/866), while there was only 1 Holiday channel with Music Choice!

 

[EdGrimley]

Check out the XM holiday schedule at xmradio(dot)com/holiday and you'll see that, "For the holidays, A Nashville Christmas will temporarily replace Luna." Luna is a "Latin" channel, so that's why it's only available to Para Todos subscribers. I agree that the end result is a little odd, but I understand their reasoning.

EdGrimley

 

[Purogamer]

"Leroy the Redneck Reindeer" isn't anything to complain about not hearing...I only caught the end of it (and on sirius, but...), but curiosity isn't killing me to hear the rest...

 

[mkatts]

Response from Directv...

Thank you for writing. I apologize for any inconvenience and for the poor experience you had by telephone. We are currently looking into the issue of our holiday music channels. We recognize that the recent change in our music channels has affected many of our customers, and we hope to make this transition satisfactory for all of our customers. In regard to the experience you had by phone, we do not take these incidents lightly. Could you please respond with the name of the person with whom you spoke and the approximate time and day? We anticipate your response. Please stay tuned to DIRECTV.com for more information.

Sincerely,

Nathan
DIRECTV Customer Service

 

[Metsfan757]

It seems D* has decided to let country music fans have "A Nashville Christmas" after all.
Channel 873 is working on my receivers and I am enjoying country Christmas music and didn't have to sub to PARA TODOS to get it.

Thanks DirecTV.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I like how XM keeps calling their Holiday Channels Commercial Free, then they have an add for the USPS (Post Office)

 

[elephant98]

I like how XM keeps calling their Holiday Channels Commercial Free, then they have an add for the USPS (Post Office)

Good point. I noticed the same thing. I've had XM for a year now and this is the first time I've heard a commercial on a "commercial free" music channel. XM will ocassionally advertise for its own products on its music channels, but this is the first time I can remember a third party getting an ad. I'd like to think that this is a one time only thing, but I doubt it. Hopefully, the slippery slope to frequent commercials will be a long ride. Outside of the large selection of music and talk stations, "commercial free" music programming is satellite radio's biggest draw over regular radio.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Actually they have been doing this for awhile now, listen for them to talk about how to Text Message your requests in at the end of the 30 second commercial it says "Text Messaging brought to you by Cingeular"

XM is lying when it says its music channels are commercial free.

 

[OoTLink]

The irony in that is that satellite radio isn't "free" like OTA radio, so the commercials are payments on top of the monthly payment. *shakes head*

My favorite internet radio station has a couple more commercials a day now than they used to when I started listening to them, but they still do a 128 stream and have tons of great music, so no complaints here

 

[bjflynn05]

Good point. I noticed the same thing. I've had XM for a year now and this is the first time I've heard a commercial on a "commercial free" music channel. XM will ocassionally advertise for its own products on its music channels, but this is the first time I can remember a third party getting an ad. I'd like to think that this is a one time only thing, but I doubt it. Hopefully, the slippery slope to frequent commercials will be a long ride. Outside of the large selection of music and talk stations, "commercial free" music programming is satellite radio's biggest draw over regular radio.

XM did the same thing last year with the Christmas Channels but IMO i don't consider that a "Commercial" at least not like the Commercials on FM.

 

[edchuckndoug]

If you have a multi sat dish it should be unlocked for you now as of 11-29-05 ie Nashville Christmas, yeah we here at Dtpull this stuff out our butts on a daily basis, actually the ones who you peeps speak to are on a need to know basis and apparently they do not need to know.

 

[mkatts]

does anyone else get 873 now? I am still getting "not available" when i dial in the channel.

 

[damaged]

I get it now just fine. Have 3 lnb dish and TCPlus.

 

[mkatts]

Called tech support and got an expanation.

I have a round dish, thus not a "mutlisat" dish. So that is why I can't get that channel. He said I waould have to upgrade my dish to be able to get that channel. I am not going to go through all that just to get one channel that will only be around for a couple of months. However, I do intend to upgrade to HD next year when MPEG4 comes around and I can get the HD DVR and they will have to upgrad the dish anyway.

Now if anyone here has the round dish AND they are getting 873, I'd like to know so I can call cirectv back.

 

[damaged]

If you put on channel 800, you will see 873 does not appear on any list except the DirecTV para todos packages which adds 7 latin channels (873 being one of them), so it would be a waste of your time to wait for round dish owners to report having 873, since para todos needs the 3 lnb. Sorry. :\

 

[mkatts]

If you put on channel 800, you will see 873 does not appear on any list except the DirecTV para todos packages which adds 7 latin channels (873 being one of them), so it would be a waste of your time to wait for round dish owners to report having 873, since para todos needs the 3 lnb. Sorry. :\

Well that is why i was asking. I didnt know that. I knew that the channel was on one the 7 latin channels. That was my complaint. At first the channel was only available to thos that has the para todos package. It doesn't make sense that only those poeple would get the country music stars singing christmas songs. Would it make sense to have a spanish chistmast channel that is only available to people don't speak spanish?

No offense but your post sounds like all of the CSR's I talked to with the expection that none of them mentioned anything about needing the mutlisat dish. Most likely because they did not know that themselves. I had to talk to someone in tech support to get that answer. Also, i could find anything on the web that says you have to have a mutisat dish to get 873. It would have saved me a whole lot of time.

 

[damaged]

lol, no offense taken, but remember, I did it WITHOUT all their 'training'.

Sorry for your lost time, take it easy.

 

[mkatts]

Yea, whatcha gonna do?