Al Jazeera moved and no longer working on YouView boxes

[CJIOW]

As the customer losses continue to mount at TalkTalk another piece of fake information has arisen with the move of Al Jazeera.

Previously on 235, TalkTalk YouView ran the news that Al Jazeera would be moving to 251 (English) and 252 (Arabic) and that boxes would need to be retuned.

The result however is that huge numbers of Huawei boxes can no longer play Al Jazeera and both 251 and 252 come up with nonsense messages about connecting to the internet when the box already is. Of course it took me 2 hours and 3 online chat sessions with agents that knew nothing about the problem or how to solve it.

The bottom line is that this is another hit for TalkTalk TV customers. As channels are progressively disabled on the majority of existsing settop boxes, customers are left with the choice of living with the loss without any compensation or recontracting with a new settop box without the much used record facility.

TalkTalk are trying to upsell the loss of record capability in the new boxes but for many the options to record anything they wish and play whenever they want was a key feature. It was heavily promoted and formed part of the customer contract.

I am sure there will be many unhappy customers trying to find a fix to what TalkTalk have created when no such fix is available. Frustration with customers and support staff will continue until TalkTalk come clean and simply tell customers that they have taken away the channel access from most boxes and removed the record facility that many treasure.

Sad isn't it.

[ferguson]

Al Jazeera is no longer broadcast OTA, but on internet only. It remains on the Freeview TV guide, the same as other such channels. These internet channels are only available on certain devices, generally models of smart TV which support the specific protocol. YouView boxes never supported these channels. 

https://www.freeview.co.uk/help/viewing-ip-channels

[CJIOW]

You are wrong Karl.

Please let me know if you disagree with either (a) or (b) or (c):

(a) TalkTalk have chosen to support the new AJ channel and others in their new box. Yes there are changes at 'Freeview' but TalkTalk are following the channel allocation and online moves e.g 251/252. Even the older TalkTalk boxes supported online connectivity and channels. TalkTalk are offering (indeed recommending to me) their new box to existing customers so that they can continue to watch AJ and others. but sacrificing the record capability.

(b) TalkTalk have chosen not to support recording in their new box.

Both issues were and remain within the business choice of TalkTalk, hence:

(c) TalkTalk could simply take the decision to include both in their settop box, maintaining the functionality customers already had.

[Karl-TalkTalk]

Hi

The change in any freeview channel or service is beyond our control and always will be.  No provider will center their decisions on what hardware to provide based on a single freeview channel that could change or move or even close at a moments notice.  This would be a ridiculous notion and a very poor business decision.

Thanks  

Karl. 

[CJIOW]

Yes we all know that Karl.

The issue is that the channel is available with TalkTalk but only with a their new settop box where they have removed the record functionality.

Hence TalkTalk is forcing customers to choose between:

(1) accept a downgrade of service by losing the AJ (and perhaps other channels) or

(2) accept a downgrade of service by losing the record functionality.

TalkTalk has the opportunity to provide new boxes that can receive the changed online channels and record - maintaining their customer service as is and as was.

Please do not pretend that this is not a TalkTalk choice - it is, and TalkTalk have the ability to solve it.

[Karl-TalkTalk]

Hi

The move of Aljazeera was due to their contract ending with freeview and is outside of TalkTalk control.

The current Aljazeera channel is internet based and is not supported on some TV's and set top boxes, however you can watch Aljazeera via their youtube live channel.

Thanks  

Karl. 

[Stefanos2024]

I have been trying to tune into AJ for a week or two. I dare not call TalkTalk customer service in fear of having a mental breakdown. They messed up my access to Now Sports package with their Philippines based agents and chat bots. Unfortunately my contract runs too long for me to end it. They also did not explain that I cannot revert back to a VOIP package. Krap does not cover it.

[Karl-TalkTalk]

Hi

The TV options are not contractual and you can remove the TV option if this is not required.

Thanks  

Karl. 

[CJIOW]

Sorry Karl of TalkTalk but you are missing the point.

What others do with their products is not relevant to this thread. This is about TalkTalk choices that impact customer services.

The previous, still used, TalkTalk Youview boxes connect to the terrestrial and internet feeds. Streaming of many channels via the internet was already built in. Hence TalkTalk cannot lay the blame here at a move to streaming.

Customers signed up to contracts that advertised and incorporated the ability to record. TalkTalk are unilaterally changing those contract terms. Hence TalkTalk redirecting customers to buy devices to replace the contracted functionality that is being withdrawn is not appropriate.

Why doesn't TalkTalk simply state what they are doing in reducing customers' services? Even better - provide customers with free alternative recording devices installed and maintained by TalkTalk without additional charge to customers to maintain the contract terms?

[Karl-TalkTalk]

Hi

the industry as a whole is moving towards streaming and on demand services.  TalkTalk are not the only supplier that are issuing Streaming TV boxes.  

Customers can source their own freeview recorders, these can be purchased online and are not specific to any provider.

With regard to the AlJazeera channel, if you search Google and view many of the other forums, you will see that this channel is now not available on many devices from major internet services such as EE or Sky etc.  This issue does not only affect the TalkTalk TV Hub.

Thanks  

Karl. 

[CJIOW]

I dont agree that the record feature is obsolute:

- There are a huge number of programmes that I record to watch later that are not available on demand.

- Programmes, films in particular, are often only available online later for a fee and/or subscription.

- On demand catch-up programmes are often time limited to 30 days or such.

- With the record function I can set future recoding schedules and to record whole series.

- Recording all through the existing TalkTalk Youview menu is a one-stop function without me needing to wade through multiple apps or services in the hope of finding what I would like.

The choice to remove the record capability was made by TalkTalk in selecting their current set-top box. They could have chosen otherwise and retained the capability. Hence it is TalkTalk that has cosen to downgrade the customers' service. A bad choice I believe.

I would also take issue with the statement "does not work on the new TV HUB due to the delivery method employed as this is now over internet rater than as an over the air transmission.". Many of the channels already come via internet and this is no impediment to supporting them. Hence the argument is a "red-herring". 

Was the TalkTalk decision to remove the record facility made at customer demand or simply to cut costs? I did not detect any customer pull for this decision on any of the online groups.

It's disappointing that TalkTalk does not engage with customers first on such changes of contracted service rather than taking unilateral action to remove customer options.

[Karl-TalkTalk]

Hi

The New TV Hub cannot record and recording features are becoming obsolete due to on demand services.  TalkTalk has no plans at present to re-introduce any TV Box with recording features.

The service message that directs Aljazera viewers to channel 251 etc is a source message from Freeview and will appear on set top boxes and TV's.  TalkTalk does not set the individual channel information or description, these are taken from the feed directly supplied to us.

The new designated channel for Aljazeera does not work on the new TV HUB due to the delivery method employed as this is now over internet rater than as an over the air transmission.

This will also affect some TV's as I cannot receive this channel via my Samsung smart TV.

There are alternative methods however.  You can install the AlJazeera App on the TV Hub via the Googple Play Store, or you can use the YouTube App.  Simply search for AlJazeera Live and you can watch the live broadcast via YouTube.

Thanks  

Karl. 

[CJIOW]

Karl, Thank you for engaging.

The message on TalkTalk Youview channel 235 continues to indicate customers should visit the new channel designations 251/2. If that is not correct then TalkTalk should correct it.

My understanding though, from TalkTalk customer services yesterday, is that this is specifically a TalkTalk issue and that the 251/2 channels are operational but only with the new TalkTalk non-recordable settop box due to it's internal streaming capability. 

Thus, had TalkTalk included recording capability in their new settop box, customers could have been upgraded without any loss of service (ie record option). 

Meanwhile, those with smart TVs can continue to watch Al Jazeera live with this link https://www.aljazeera.com/live.

Will TalkTalk now retain the record capability in their settop boxes or will they decide to compensate customers for the loss of service?

[Karl-TalkTalk]

Hi

The move of AlJazeera channel was a freeview issue and beyond the control of TalkTalk.  I am unable to access any of the channels that have been specified directly here, from 2 Smart TV's, not using any set top box.  I've tested on both my Samsung TV and LG TV here.

Karl.