My ITVN experience

[dzinkin]

Today, I canceled my ITVN service after having been a subscriber since the summer. The reasons:

- Shortly before I signed up, I called to ask if the news channels then promoted on ITVN's web site as forthcoming actually were forthcoming. I was told that yes, they were, "very soon." It didn't happen and now it doesn't even appear to be on their radar according to both the web site and a supervisor with whom I spoke today.

- The first time I used the box, there was no sound on MavTV. I checked the Silver Screen programs and got sound, so clearly it was a problem either at MavTV's end or at ITVN's. I called ITVN to report it and was told that it was my TV, despite the fact that my TV had no problem playing sound from Silver Screen (or from my cable box, for that matter). It wasn't fixed until I emailed a MavTV executive who, after confirming that it wasn't at the channel's end, got ITVN to fix the problem.

- After the new packages were introduced, I found that I was being billed both for the old package I'd had and the new one, well after the new one took effect. I was told that it was a billing error and that I'd receive a call back "within the hour" to confirm that the error was resolved. No call came. I called back several hours later and was told that "it's deep in the system," and that while I couldn't get a credit in the interim I was told that I'd "definitely get a call by the end of the day and it should be fixed by then." Again, no call came.

- As that was the last straw, I called to cancel the service and was told that I'd have to return the box, as the representative insisted that I was renting it. I offered to produce the receipt showing that I'd bought it; he just stammered until I asked to speak to a supervisor, who not only confirmed that I had in fact bought it and canceled my account as I asked, but gave me the credit I'd been told earlier was impossible.

Now, I'm not going to sit here and scream that ITVN is run by crooks and that no one should subscribe. Obviously some folks are very satisfied with it, and more power to them. I also don't think that they are crooks or that this was otherwise deliberate; if I did, I'd have at least tried to get a refund for the box instead of keeping it in case I want to resubscribe later. But this smacks of too-rapid growth, plain old incompetence (if not on the part of all ITVN folks then at least of too many of them), or both.

If ITVN gets better customer service and fixes its billing system, or at least gets content that makes dealing with the service hurdles worthwhile (I'm not into porn or sports and I get Starz and Encore on cable), I will definitely consider coming back. Until then, I can't justify it.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

One thing to remember is that the old ITVN with the news and other promises was actually owned by a different company and was purchased by another company with a different vision then the origional.

This is why the new much improved look, new service and the de-emphasis on the old XTV service. ITVN wants to be a mainstream product not a service known for porn.

I have had to call ITVN for support a few times and each time I was impressed with their support, a person speaking english answering on the first ring.

Its not perfect, but its a hell of a lot better then what it was. More programming is coming in the near future, this I know.

 

[dzinkin]

One thing to remember is that the old ITVN with the news and other promises was actually owned by a different company and was purchased by another company with a different vision then the origional.

The callback promises and the no-we-can't-credit-oh-wait-yes-we-can thing happened after the changeover -- just in the past couple of days, in fact.

That said, the change of control may explain why they seem to be having issues with the billing system. If it was inherited, maybe they don't know what the heck is in there. I'd still like to see it fixed before I consider resubscribing, though... I've dealt with companies that charged more than they promised, but this is the first time I've talked to a company that didn't know what it was charging or how to change it. ;-)

In any event, I haven't soured on it for good. The technology looks very promising, particularly given the bandwidth restrictions ITVN has to work with. I just think that the growing pains -- or as it turns out, transition pains -- need to be handled before I'll be ready to come back. It would help to have more compelling content as well (with the full acknowledgment that "compelling" is different for each person), and if what I've been reading here is any indication, that's already in the works.

 

[jokeworm]

The flip-side of the coin.

very strange - i have had to call the tech support guys at ITVN three times over the past few months and each time they were friendly & efficient - the calls were answered instantly by an English-speaking person on one occasion i needed a call-back which happened on schedule and on all occasions my problem was resolved promptly and satisfactorily .. overall i would personally say it is the company with the best customer service of any company i have had to deal with in any way shape or form in the past few years .. its a rare thing in todays day and age - but for me the customer service at ITVN has been far and away better than anything else I have encountered anywhere else.

Too many companies are pulled down by customer service complaints on forums .. and in the majority of cases rightly so ... Not wanting to take away anything from your post or your issues with them which are indeed unacceptable for any company IMHO ... but wanted to post my experience so that others can still make an informed choice based on more than one review

 

[Sarang]

One thing to remember is that the old ITVN with the news and other promises was actually owned by a different company and was purchased by another company with a different vision then the origional.

This is why the new much improved look, new service and the de-emphasis on the old XTV service. ITVN wants to be a mainstream product not a service known for porn.

I have had to call ITVN for support a few times and each time I was impressed with their support, a person speaking english answering on the first ring.

Its not perfect, but its a hell of a lot better then what it was. More programming is coming in the near future, this I know.

Scott I find that's great and I like the avenue they're going down. Speaking along this line is there any word on them carrying International programming like KBS, SBS or MBC as well as m-Net, K-MTV and TV Tokyo?
Also have they mentioned picking up some channels on the cheap like ImaginAsian and AznTV?
What's the word about them transitioning to HDTV as well?