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Anonymous User
Not applicable

White NowTV Box 'being turned off'

I just (by accident) noticed the warning on my white NowTV box that it is being 'turned off' in October. First I've heard of it, no correspondence, no email.

 

I've requested a stick replacement, but there are a LOT of elderly people with these boxes (like my neighbours), who have been using them for years (and pouring money into NowTV), who aren't going to notice, who aren't tech savvy, who aren't going to look on these forums, and will suddenly discover in October they can't watch the football, or movies, or whatever, anymore and be very very upset.

 

As someone who works in the high tech business, it has always been a golden rule of business you do not just cutoff long standing paying customers to suit the business (and tell them they have no choice). You still maintain legacy technology for those who rely on it and can't, or don't want to change, out of respect that they have been paying you money for many years.

 

Just saying.

8 REPLIES 8
RoyB
Legend

@Anonymous User 

 

If you work in a high tech business, then you should be familiar with the dilemma of how long you hold off giving your up-to-date customers the latest and greatest technology because you have legacy customers to support? In the end, you cripple yourself with the burden, and lose out to an agile newcomer who doesn’t have the dead weight of the legacy technology to support.

 

Ask the BBC, who keep the active lifespan of each generation of the BBC iPlayer technology to around five years, tops.

 

So, the 2013 white box has been falling further and further behind; high time the sun set on it.

 

But NowTV, combining altruism and self-interest, does not want to upset or lose those loyal customers still using white boxes, which is why there is a Stick waiting for each of them, and NowTV has written to the last known email address of each of them to tell them about this.

 

There will always, though, be a few people who slip through the net, so you can do your bit, after you have contacted Live Chat and got your Stick, by telling anyone else who seems to have slipped through the net, about this.

 

And you have slipped through the net, it seems; but have you kept your NowTV account up to date with your current email address? Not doing that is the main way that people get missed out,

Set a Payment PIN on your account so that no-one but you can buy memberships on it. Check your bank accounts monthly for any other unexpected payments to Now. That way you can at least nip them in the bud, while you and Now figure out whose fault they are.
Anonymous User
Not applicable

The way you handle it is make it a seamless process to upgrade existing customers so they aren't tempted to walk. If it becomes an issue for them you have provided them with an opportunity to switch to another service. I have had a white box for 8 years and use it regularly. It is my main way of using NowTV.  I have not received any email about it being replaced, or offer of a stick. I have twice submitted a request online and had no reply at all. And just tried the Live Chat Service yet again and when you click on the button it does nothing. I have NowTV emails from 2013 all they way through to 2 weeks go, 5/9/2020, so they have the correct email address. And its not up to me, a paying customer, to do my 'bit' to tell others about a major change to their (your?) service, that's their job, and if that is their attitude then it explains a lot.

RoyB
Legend

@Anonymous User 

 

I don’t know, then, quite why you have fallen through the net.

 

But I may know why Live Chat does nothing when you try to access it; the service is very picky (and unnecessarily so in my opinion) about browser settings. So:-

 

<If you can’t access Live Chat and nothing happens, try a different browser from your usual one (Internet Explorer, Edge, Chrome, Firefox, Safari) on which you haven’t disabled pop ups, third party cookies or indeed any cookies, haven’t set an Ad Blocker, and haven’t set Noscript on, or JavaScript off, as any or all of these things may prevent the Live Chat window appearing. Or try your usual browser in Incognito, sometimes called Private, mode>

As regards jumping ship, NowTV is designed so you can dip in and out, and I think they are aware that they have a unique proposition, in that if they have stuff you want, there isn’t anywhere else you can get it as easily (even though it isn’t as easy as it could or should be).

 

Certainly, if there was, I would expect a mass migration; but as long as there isn’t, NowTV has no great incentive to improve its service offerings,

Set a Payment PIN on your account so that no-one but you can buy memberships on it. Check your bank accounts monthly for any other unexpected payments to Now. That way you can at least nip them in the bud, while you and Now figure out whose fault they are.
Anonymous User
Not applicable

When you say requested, do you mean you ordered and paid for it or can you claim for nothing as a replacement for the white box? 

I am with you on this. Correspondence not great and will be missed by the elderly. Don’t think the alternative options are that clear either. 

RoyB
Legend

@Anonymous User 

 

NowTV are trying to ensure that everyone whose main or only use of NowTV is made on a white box is offered a free Stick as a replacement.

 

To this end, they have proactively identified those customers that fit this profile, and emailed the address they have on file for those people, to make this offer.

The customer needs to respond to the email, to get a Stick sent out, so that NowTV know they are still interested in this.

 

People who didn’t receive an email divide into three classes:-

Those who were sent an email, but didn’t get it;

Those whose usage pattern fits the criteria, but weren’t sent an email, for some reason;

Those who don’t qualify

 

If you think you are in one of the first two classes, or you think you know someone who is, then email (if it’s you), or get them to email, customerservices @ nowtv.com (without the spaces) and claim a Stick, quoting your/their NowTV account details.

 

NowTV will then review your/their usage pattern to ensure you/they qualify, and send out a free Stick to replace their white box if so.

Set a Payment PIN on your account so that no-one but you can buy memberships on it. Check your bank accounts monthly for any other unexpected payments to Now. That way you can at least nip them in the bud, while you and Now figure out whose fault they are.
Anonymous User
Not applicable

A while back they crippled the box by disabling sideloading. I wonder if they have the decency to flash an open firmware onto it before they send them all to landfill recycling.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

When these white boxes are "turned off"

 

does that mean just the now tv service wont work.

 

what about all the current apps. 

 

Or will the box just be good for the tip.?

schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

Hi @Anonymous User 

 

When i asked the question a Senior NowTV Staff Member told me that the white box will cease to operate (including all third party Apps 😠).