Voom Alive! --- 21 days & counting (post sale of Rainbow 1)

[Sean Mota]

2/8/05 7:45pm ET UPDATE: I cleaned up the thread and left those only pertaining to the topic at hand. I have added a few more "signs". None of these "signs" are scientific in nature but I think are good ones to keep watch on. BTW, a new day will be counted based on the 7:40pm ET. So tonight at 7:40pm ET it will be 4 days. Do not want to close the thread because there maybe other ideas; I will delete any posts that are not related to the thread.<hr>

Voom TimeLine​

If you feel lost because of all the threads that have been created, feel free to look at our VOOM TimeLine Thread. It has links to all the events that have happened since VOOM started. We are keeping it updated. Click on this link: Voom TimeLine<hr>

The count has started folks. Unless Cablevision/Voom releases public information as to what is going to happen next (either a complete shutdown or a continuation of service), we are on a clock. Counting the hours and days when finally Rainbow 1 will stop transmitting. So here are some indicators that should tell us that the end is coming:

1 - No more new installation taken:

(a) Still getting voom install as late as 2/4/05
(b) Latest installation as late as 2/18/05
(c) Voom still shipping voom receivers to the installer
(d) Super Voom install 1/28/05
(E) Installation Schedule for 3/1/05
​

2 - No more new Programming in the 21 Exclusives:

(a) Still getting New Programming as late as 2/13/05 (according to zap2it)
(b) But they were prepared well in advanced
(c) Important to know if Voom will be budgeted after 1/31/05
(d) LIVE Basketball Game has been confirmed for 1/27/05 at 2:30pm ET WorldSport HD Website It was done LIVE.
(e) LIVE Soccer Game has been confirmed for 1/29/05 at 3:30pm ET WorldSport HD Website It was done LIVE.
(f) LIVE Soccer game between Barcelona & Atletico Madrid for the week of 2/5 or 2/6. More LIVE Events through the End of February It was done LIVE.
​

3 - Employee Layoffs:

(a) No more HDnews. HDnews anchors are still employed.
(b) Follow this: I was laid off
(c) Other Freelancers got laid off as well
(d) 1/28/05 last day for one freelancer​

4 - No more transmission (will end the debate): As of 2/1/05 Voom was still transmitting its signal

(a) Uplink Facility still uplinking​

5 - No more Customer Support Center: [it is still operational]

(a) Voom CSR said they will stay up ​

6 - Will Voom Update their website on 2/1/04 with new Programming?Yes, they have. Even programs coming in March 2005

7 - No more Advertising:

(a) Bransmart pulls out discount VOOM flyers out of circulation? Read here
(b) Possible Explanation for Bransmart
(c) Brandsmart Rebate Ads still playing
(d) HDTV Magazine does not get payments from VOOM (ads)
(e) Satelliteguys opt out of advertising with VOOM in February 2005
(f) Scott (Administrator of Satelliteguys) opted not to renew Voom ads in February 2005
(g) According to Scott, Voom will be advertising at Satelliteguys.us on 2/05.
(h) Mid Sunday ad for VOOM national tv
(i)Voom restart ads at avsforum

​

8 - First Week after Post Sale is very important to follow.No News. Nothing happened.

9 - FCC decision on the Rainbow 1 Sale

10 - Las Billing period from 01/14/05 to 02/13/05. What does it mean?

11 - No more Deinstalls

12 - Superbowl deadline? Voom gone by the end of 2/6/05 Nothing happened. Another prediction that bites the dust.

13 - E* announces that there is no current plans until FCC approval of the 11 Licenses that were bought from VOOM

14 - No more Software Upgrades:

(a) New Software version 7.34 is sent on 1/25/05
(b) Super DMA Rollout
​

15 - Another Board Meeting Set for 1/31/05? Will it be the "End" on 1/31/05? Read: here No News. Nothing happened.

​

If you are staying until the END, one of these can indicate you that it is "OVER" and there's no need anymore to even hope for anything else. If you think that there are some more that should be added to this list, please post and I will add it.

DO NOT POST STUFF THAT HAVE ALREADY BEING POSTED IN OTHER THREADS. This thread should be only for signs that the end is coming. Please do not give us your own opinion of what you think it is going to happen, ONLY post if you see any of these events happening or if you want me to add any more.

Events that have already happened:

1 Newsday: A FAMILY FEUD'S FALLOUT

2 Home Theater Magazine: Why did Voom fail?

3 Wall Street Journal: More VOOM details.

4 NY Post: Cablevision may be on the shopping block as well.

5 Cablevision agrees to sell Rainbow 1 to Echostar (1/20/05 7:40pm ET)

6 Cablevision files SEC Form 8-K

7 According to the WSJ, Voom was only funded through 1/31/05

​

 

[r.jones1116]

I received my paper copy of my autopay from Voom on Saturday. It states it is for the billing period from 01/14/05 to 02/13/05. So, I guess they plan on being around until 02/13/05. I'm sure they will be around longer.

 

[jeslevine]

going to be interesting

The count has started folks. Unless Cablevision/Voom releases public information as to what is going to happen next (either a complete shutdown or a continuation of service), we are on a clock. Counting the hours and days when finally Rainbow 1 will stop transmitting. So here are some indicators that should tell us that the end is coming:

1 - No more new installation taken. Still getting voom install as late as 2/4/05
2 - No more new Programming in the 21 Exclusives. Still getting New Programming as late as 2/4/05 (according to zap2it)
3 - No more HDnews. (HDnews anchors are still employed).
4 - No more transmission (will end the debate).
5 - No more Customer Support Center.
6 - Will Voom Update their website on 2/1/04 with new Programming?
7 - No more Advertising.
8 - First Week after Post Sale is very important to follow.
9 - FCC decision on the Rainbow 1 Sale

If you are staying until the END, one of these can indicate you that it is "OVER" and there's no need anymore to even hope for anything else. If you think that there are some more that should be added to this list, please post and I will add it.

DO NOT POST STUFF THAT HAVE ALREADY BEING POSTED IN OTHER THREADS. This thread should be only for signs that the end is coming. Please do not give us your own opinion of what you think it is going to happen, ONLY post if you see any of these events happening or if you want me to add any more.

Events that have already happened:

1 NY Post: Cablevision may be on the shopping block as well.

2 Cablevision agrees to sell Rainbow 1 to Echostar (1/20/05 7:40pm ET)

3 Cablevision files SEC Form 8-K

4 According to the WSJ, Voom was only funded through 1/31/05

​

I am staying until the end

 

[Bilodeaumj]

I'm not going anywhere - I'm still hoping that I'm in the running for the Holloween HD projector. Who won that thing anyway...Maybe they'll offer us that stay some of those neat Plasma's that they were using in Vegas

 

[runz22]

I'm not going anywhere - I'm still hoping that I'm in the running for the Holloween HD projector. Who won that thing anyway...Maybe they'll offer us that stay some of those neat Plasma's that they were using in Vegas

I was sure I was going to win that Halloween contest. Still waiting for notification however. I'm sure I'll hear in two weeks.

Anyway, I'm also staying till my screen goes black. I'm still in denial and choose to believe VOOM has some plan which we haven't been leaked yet. Also I'm confident I will hear it first at satelliteguys!

 

[gutter]

Sean... I didn't see a reference to a shutdown in that WSJ you mentioned but I do rememer seeing it somewhere.

 

[Walter L.]

I posted this at another thread but I think that here is more appropiated. I suspect that the ads and installations will be stopped as early as this week. However, I think that Rainbow-1 will continue broadcasting VOOM for a period of ~3 mos, while the FCC approval is pending. With the FCC chairman stepping out these days, I'm sure that everything will slow down.
BTW, I'm staying until the end. As a good Captain, I'll sink with the ship.

 

[The Stone Man]

With Voom's billing policy where you pay for future service, I wonder how many people are paying their current bill? It's been posted many times that Voom had trouble actually getting people to pay anyway, but with a possible shutdown in the future, many might just simply ignore their next bill until we get some information. It would be interesting to know the percentage of on-time payments Voom is getting, but nobody is going to post that here.

My own billing period begins on the second of the month, so my next one will cover service from 2/2 to 3/1. I'm looking for some answers from Voom this week. When I pay forward to 3/1, then you would expect that service would continue at least that far into the future.

 

[mgh]

With Voom's billing policy where you pay for future service, I wonder how many people are paying their current bill? It's been posted many times that Voom had trouble actually getting people to pay anyway, but with a possible shutdown in the future, many might just simply ignore their next bill until we get some information. It would be interesting to know the percentage of on-time payments Voom is getting, but nobody is going to post that here.

My own billing period begins on the second of the month, so my next one will cover service from 2/2 to 3/1. I'm looking for some answers from Voom this week. When I pay forward to 3/1, then you would expect that service would continue at least that far into the future.

Excellent point(s). Given Voom's penchant for billing foul-ups and the chaos that will soon engulf their staff, it would seem imperative for Voom to clarify their shutdown schedule as soon as possible unless there is some miracle on the horizon.

It might be wise to wait until the body is buried and then settle up if you have that option.

It's been real.....

 

[TheTimm]

This thread should be only for signs that the end is coming. Please do not give us your own opinion of what you think it is going to happen, ONLY post if you see any of these events happening or if you want me to add any more.

Damn, are people simply incapable of following directions? How 'bout showing Sean the respect he deserves by actually following his instructions regarding this thread?

Anyway...
I would think something closely related to #1 (No more new installation taken) on your list would also be an indicator:
No more de-installs being performed. In other words if someone cancels now, or anytime before Voom goes dark, and Voom doesn't bother sending someone out to pick up the STB and remote it would be a pretty obvious sign to me that the end is very near.

Also with regards to Stone Man's post, if folks stop paying their bills and Voom makes no effort to collect -- no late notices, threats of shutting off service, actually shutting off service -- could be a strong sign. But I don't know how they usually handle such situations. If they haven't done anything about it in the past, obviously the lack of such actions wouldn't be much of a sign at all.

 

[jimmykce1]

I think Voom will be on until after the superbowl. Than maybe lights out!!

 

[Peter Parker]

That 8 K filing is required in a situation like this. It really does not tell you much. The end is coming but that is not necessarily a sign of it.

 

[DrWho]

Billing Info won't give you much help.

I quite Voom 2 months ago and I still get Bills from Voom, thought the amount owed is $0.00, and I got an invoice a month ago with a big statement of 'FINAL NOTICE' on it.

 

[Indy]

Sean, great idea for a thread but forget about it. Half the members of this forum can not follow a simple directive or request. I am sure if the negative bombshell develops we will here about it soon enough. Posts will pop up everywhere. Just start deleting the posts from the thread that are not germane to your directive, including this one.

 

[DrWho]

"By last week's meeting, all Charles Dolan could do was try to persuade the board to keep funding Voom, which had money only until the end of January."

I know this was in another thread, but it's still a SIGN, just ask Mel Gibson.

 

[MarcelV]

Sean, can you please clean up this thread and delete all not factual posts (including this one), so there is one thread that is easy to go to for the latest news. And just make it a closed thread that only staff memebers can edit.

Hope everyone agrees with me.

 

[Sean Mota]

Sean... I didn't see a reference to a shutdown in that WSJ you mentioned but I do rememer seeing it somewhere.

http://www.satelliteguys.us/showpost.php?p=282777&postcount=78

The company has funded the service, which lost $75.3 million in the third quarter of last year, only until the end of the month, people said.

 

[PhilipF]

How about an official announcement from VOOM or Charles Dolan? And what do you mean about the Super Bowl deadline?

 

[Sean Mota]

Is it over by Super Bowl? All Speculation as there is no official deadline yet.

 

[rgaines]

I just got Voom installed on Saturday. I'm officially a Voomer. Voom is soooo sweet.