Karib Cable new deal leaves customers dissatisfied

Nine of 15 persons SEARCHLIGHT interviewed yesterday said they were not pleased with changes cable television provider Karib Cable made to their package last week.{{more}}

The company said last week that it had signed an accord with HBO Latin America Group (LAG) for the transmission of the HBO LAG channels here from yesterday.

Under the agreement, Karib Cable will broadcast the HBO/MAX Premium package developed for the Caribbean, the company said in a release.

The package includes eight channels: HBO, HBO Plus, HBO Signature, HBO Family, HBO (East), Max, Max HD and Max Prime.

Karib Cable further said it would add Sony Entertainment Television, Sony SPIN, AXN, E! and Warner Channel at no additional cost to subscribers.

These channels will replace channel’s 15, 16 and 17 (HBO, Showtime, and Starz) — the three movie channels previously available for customers who subscribed to the premium basic package.

SEARCHLIGHT yesterday asked persons in Kingstown how they felt about the changes.

“I am not in favour of taking away the movie channels, 15, 16 and 17…” Bjon Ferdinand said, adding that it seems that the company was forcing subscribers to pay more, having “put the movie channels as a special package”.

Sadique Walker described the new programming as “stupidness”.

“I think it’s really, really unfair to me because I am accustomed to watching these channels, which were the free movie channels and now it seems like we have to go pay extra and it’s very, very upsetting,” he said.

“It sucks”, said another individual who asked not to be identified.

The individual said they were not aware of the changes until yesterday morning.

“When I switched on my TV, it was on Starz (channel 17) … and I see some nonsense showing. So I called my father, who then told me about the changes and told me we have to rescan the box.

“I don’t like it. We are already paying all these money for channels that show the same programs over and over and most of the … channels are in Spanish and now they take away the three good channels, so we have to pay for movie packages.

“They could come for they box,” the individual stated.

The other six interviewees either didn’t have Karib Cable’s service or disconnected their service because of what they described as dissatisfaction with the service.

“I don’t have their service and I glad I don’t. It’s a waste of my money. And now I read in the paper and see the new programming, which to me is BS. Now poor people can’t watch a good movie for free. They have to pay for the movie package.”

“Ha, good for them,” said a lady who gave her name as Ansonia.

One individual, however, said they didn’t have a problem with the changes because they took the cable service for their kids.

Searchlight has been unsuccessful in its efforts since Wednesday to get a comment from Karib Cable’s general manager, Ed Riley.

Each time Searchlight reached Riley, he said he was heading into meetings and would return our telephone call, but was yet to do so up to press time yesterday. (AA)