Is any one else being blocked out of seeing the Skate America Men's Shorts? I live Texas which is not supposed to be blocked out. I have been a paying member since the begining. There is no one at customer support to correct this error. What a rip off. Just another rip off of a devoted skating fan. First St Paul....now this. No wonder people stopped watching.
IceNetwork.com rip off
- Thread starter sk8addict
- Start date
I know if icenetwork interprets your ISP as being from outside the United States you will be blocked from seeing the broadcast so you need to find out where your ISP lists you as residing. I have no idea what is going on but I was blocked from watching the live broadcast but able to see the video afterwards - and I never paid for the service. Does this mean payment is only required to watch the events live???
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2003
Sk8addict,
I live in Arizona and I had a similar experience. I was blocked out from watching 'on demand'. I missed the live presentations because I signed up (paid the $29.95)after they ended. I am not sure what the problem is, but I will call them tomorrow to find out. My system requirements seemed to be OK when I read the info. (before I signed up) but someone suggested that the way I am set up may have to be different.
It sounds like they may need to make some changes/corrections on their side, since people in different parts of the country are experiencing similar problems. I want to give them a chance to help me out before drawing conclusions. However, it is possible that they were not set up to be user friendly. It is possible that they are receiving a high number of calls, since they seem to be open for only a limited time.
I live in Arizona and I had a similar experience. I was blocked out from watching 'on demand'. I missed the live presentations because I signed up (paid the $29.95)after they ended. I am not sure what the problem is, but I will call them tomorrow to find out. My system requirements seemed to be OK when I read the info. (before I signed up) but someone suggested that the way I am set up may have to be different.
It sounds like they may need to make some changes/corrections on their side, since people in different parts of the country are experiencing similar problems. I want to give them a chance to help me out before drawing conclusions. However, it is possible that they were not set up to be user friendly. It is possible that they are receiving a high number of calls, since they seem to be open for only a limited time.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2003
I know you were responding to someone else, but I had a similar experience, so it could be applicable to me.
I am 100 % sure that my ISP lists me as living in Phoenix, AZ. I suspect something is wrong or missing at their end.
If it is possible to watch the video later, without paying- as you experienced- that would be my preference. I somehow thought you had to pay to watch anything that is on icenetwork. It's pretty late, so I don't have time to read all the info on their website again. I will try to call them tomorrow to get my questions answered.
There is a long discussion going on over at FSU, under TV Alerts, "Ice Network Questions/Information." One of the posters gave this 800-number, along with two sites. They are:
Call the Customer Service number listed at http://web.icenetwork.com/help/blackout.jsp). The # is 866-464-8499.
Link to IceNetwork's Help Center index: http://web.icenetwork.com/help/index.jsp
Most of the posters say although the wait is long to speak with someone, once through, the customer service reps have been very helpful.
Hope this helps.
Call the Customer Service number listed at http://web.icenetwork.com/help/blackout.jsp). The # is 866-464-8499.
Link to IceNetwork's Help Center index: http://web.icenetwork.com/help/index.jsp
Most of the posters say although the wait is long to speak with someone, once through, the customer service reps have been very helpful.
Hope this helps.
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
Don't expect them to reply to email in a timely manner.
It is not that they are blocking IPs because they resolve to non-US IP addresses. They are blocking IPs if they can't -- using whatever bogus tools they're using -- confirm that the IP address is in the US. http://news.nic.com/cgi-bin/whois does this.
Also, they say if you're using a proxy server that you could be blocked. This might have explained why I was blocked from work, but it doesn't explain why I was blocked from home, where I have a static IP that resolves to US Sprint in Reston, VA.
It is not that they are blocking IPs because they resolve to non-US IP addresses. They are blocking IPs if they can't -- using whatever bogus tools they're using -- confirm that the IP address is in the US. http://news.nic.com/cgi-bin/whois does this.
Also, they say if you're using a proxy server that you could be blocked. This might have explained why I was blocked from work, but it doesn't explain why I was blocked from home, where I have a static IP that resolves to US Sprint in Reston, VA.
I have been blacked out too. Calls to customer service have been no help. No one at the tech. help know's what they're doing and no one at icenetwork customer service has ever answered the phone.
My possible blackout may be caused by having an unlisted phone number or a funky AOL glitch. I am going to try and get it straightened out with icenetwork (come on, it is very simple to verify US residency) but in the meanwhile I am able to watch by using Interner Explorer.
My possible blackout may be caused by having an unlisted phone number or a funky AOL glitch. I am going to try and get it straightened out with icenetwork (come on, it is very simple to verify US residency) but in the meanwhile I am able to watch by using Interner Explorer.
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2003
so glad I didn't sign up... too much of a headache it seems.
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2003
I called them today. I had to wait for about 12 mnutes, which was not too bad. When I talked their rep, all I had to do was give him my email address. After a few seconds he said- it should work now, and it did. I was surprised by the ease of it. I was of course happy to watch the skating today.
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
I finally got a response to my email:
"Dear Customer,
Any time that you are incorrectly blacked out from a game please contact us as soon as possible. This is due to your computer having an I.P. address at that specific time that is associated within the local blackout market. When you contact us please make sure that you have access to a landline phone number. Without one, we are unable to override the blackout for you. We apologize for the inconvenience. You can contact us at (866) 464-8499."
I got through this morning. Not only did they want my email address, they also wanted my IP address (which I had). The guy was very nice, and waited until I verified that I could get in.
"Dear Customer,
Any time that you are incorrectly blacked out from a game please contact us as soon as possible. This is due to your computer having an I.P. address at that specific time that is associated within the local blackout market. When you contact us please make sure that you have access to a landline phone number. Without one, we are unable to override the blackout for you. We apologize for the inconvenience. You can contact us at (866) 464-8499."
I got through this morning. Not only did they want my email address, they also wanted my IP address (which I had). The guy was very nice, and waited until I verified that I could get in.
Rip off indeed!
I live in Canada... Which is not a good thing for skating coverage. Even with ice net.
Yeah... now I know...
Now!
When I heard of that oh-so-wonderful website, I wanted to subscribe right away!
Especially since the TV coverage here, never being good, is going to be worst than ever this year : we used to be able to see half of the GP season (like 2 hours coverage for 4 of them... 2 months late), Four Continents only once in a while, never seen the Europeans, etc. Only Skate Canada and the Worlds got some coverage. (except last year : CBC Country showed all of Worlds and Sychro worlds live!...) But this year, it seems we'll only see Skate Canada and the little that NBC will decide to show.
That's it!:scowl:
But I didn't subscribe right away... I did my homework.
Research web reviews by other fans : all were ecstatic! People said it was well worth the money, video quality was good and it was full of events.
I also went through the FAQs.
I had all system requirements, and I didn't care that I had to watch some parts of live events on NBC... That was only right! I didn't see anything about not going to be able to watch Skate America live (or not at all?), as well as some other events.
Only thing that bugged me was there wasn't more events! In fact that was the reason I didn't subscribed last year! But Skate America, the Nationals... And after all, it's only 30$, right?
So I subscribed.
Watched the Lake Placid JGP on-demand.
Was ticked that most of the time I couldn't watch in 700K (the link was there, but didn't work.).
And then it started to really unravel.
I tried watching USA vs Japan. Got the error message that it was blocked live and I could only watch it on-demand later... But the event wasn't live anymore : it had been 3 weeks ago!
I wrote to the support team, and also put comments and suggestions in the email. I made the mistake of putting those at the start of the email...
Of course the title clearly said I had a problem and couldn't watch USA vs Japan, but the answer I got (3 days later!), only said something like "thanks for writing and for your comments, we have forwarded your email to the concerned person"!!!
I replied saying "wait! I had a technical question in there!!! Help me!".
And saying I was worried the problem, if not resolved, would also prevent me watching Skate America...
At that time I had read the "blackout policy" trough and trough many times, and it still wasn't clear to me at all.
At one place they say it's only available in the US, just below it says it'll be available worldwide except when NBC does it's coverage! So I was asking for a better explanation.
Well... I still had to wait 2 more days for the answer... and it wasn't really an answer. Now the "answer" only speaks of "WCSN" and all it's live coverage rules and blackout policies, and they give me a list of their policies for all types of events : gymnastics, FINA, etc. Almost all... but USFSA figure skating!!! :banging:
Really stupid. I'm not even sure I'll bother answering back.
And I don't want to call, I don't want to waste my time nor my money.
If I use my logic, the info about the blackout would mean :
only in the US could you be able to watch Skate America live, but even in the US you can't watch it on Ice Net when NBC does it's coverage. The on-demand coverage should be available worldwide then.
USA vs Japan wasn't available live for nobody, and only in the US could you watch on-demand. That's why it said (on-demand only) beside it.
But I can't be sure about any of that until next week I try to watch Skate America on-demand and see if I can or not.
The people at Ice Net are too stupid to just answer a simple question (like "sorry, it's not a technical problem, you just can't watch USA vs Japan if you don't live in the US, and no, you won't be able to watch Skate America live either, but yes, you'll still be able to watch it on-demand").
And they couldn't just make a clear FAQ and blackout policy page either?!
I'm so angry!
They advertize this web-based network with Skate America live coverage, say they're "your home for global figure skating coverage." but they never have any video from anywhere else but the US and people outside the US should never subscribe.
We subscribe to watch the most important events (even if we do like the others), but we can't watch them! They're misleading.
I just went friday morning and bought cables to connect my TV to my PC so I could watch Skate America all weekend. 50$ out the window for nothing!
I really hope I'll be able to watch it next week on-demand... then it won't have been for nothing...
Huge, huge disapointment. :disagree:
I live in Canada... Which is not a good thing for skating coverage. Even with ice net.
Yeah... now I know...
Now!
When I heard of that oh-so-wonderful website, I wanted to subscribe right away!
Especially since the TV coverage here, never being good, is going to be worst than ever this year : we used to be able to see half of the GP season (like 2 hours coverage for 4 of them... 2 months late), Four Continents only once in a while, never seen the Europeans, etc. Only Skate Canada and the Worlds got some coverage. (except last year : CBC Country showed all of Worlds and Sychro worlds live!...) But this year, it seems we'll only see Skate Canada and the little that NBC will decide to show. That's it!:scowl:
But I didn't subscribe right away... I did my homework.
Research web reviews by other fans : all were ecstatic! People said it was well worth the money, video quality was good and it was full of events.
I also went through the FAQs.
I had all system requirements, and I didn't care that I had to watch some parts of live events on NBC... That was only right! I didn't see anything about not going to be able to watch Skate America live (or not at all?), as well as some other events.
Only thing that bugged me was there wasn't more events! In fact that was the reason I didn't subscribed last year! But Skate America, the Nationals... And after all, it's only 30$, right?
So I subscribed.
Watched the Lake Placid JGP on-demand.
Was ticked that most of the time I couldn't watch in 700K (the link was there, but didn't work.).
And then it started to really unravel.
I tried watching USA vs Japan. Got the error message that it was blocked live and I could only watch it on-demand later... But the event wasn't live anymore : it had been 3 weeks ago!
I wrote to the support team, and also put comments and suggestions in the email. I made the mistake of putting those at the start of the email...
Of course the title clearly said I had a problem and couldn't watch USA vs Japan, but the answer I got (3 days later!), only said something like "thanks for writing and for your comments, we have forwarded your email to the concerned person"!!!
I replied saying "wait! I had a technical question in there!!! Help me!".
And saying I was worried the problem, if not resolved, would also prevent me watching Skate America...
At that time I had read the "blackout policy" trough and trough many times, and it still wasn't clear to me at all.
At one place they say it's only available in the US, just below it says it'll be available worldwide except when NBC does it's coverage! So I was asking for a better explanation.
Well... I still had to wait 2 more days for the answer... and it wasn't really an answer. Now the "answer" only speaks of "WCSN" and all it's live coverage rules and blackout policies, and they give me a list of their policies for all types of events : gymnastics, FINA, etc. Almost all... but USFSA figure skating!!! :banging:
Really stupid. I'm not even sure I'll bother answering back.
And I don't want to call, I don't want to waste my time nor my money.
If I use my logic, the info about the blackout would mean :
only in the US could you be able to watch Skate America live, but even in the US you can't watch it on Ice Net when NBC does it's coverage. The on-demand coverage should be available worldwide then.
USA vs Japan wasn't available live for nobody, and only in the US could you watch on-demand. That's why it said (on-demand only) beside it.
But I can't be sure about any of that until next week I try to watch Skate America on-demand and see if I can or not.
The people at Ice Net are too stupid to just answer a simple question (like "sorry, it's not a technical problem, you just can't watch USA vs Japan if you don't live in the US, and no, you won't be able to watch Skate America live either, but yes, you'll still be able to watch it on-demand").
And they couldn't just make a clear FAQ and blackout policy page either?!
I'm so angry!
They advertize this web-based network with Skate America live coverage, say they're "your home for global figure skating coverage." but they never have any video from anywhere else but the US and people outside the US should never subscribe.
We subscribe to watch the most important events (even if we do like the others), but we can't watch them! They're misleading.
I just went friday morning and bought cables to connect my TV to my PC so I could watch Skate America all weekend. 50$ out the window for nothing!
I really hope I'll be able to watch it next week on-demand... then it won't have been for nothing...
Huge, huge disapointment. :disagree:
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2007
I don't think that people outside the US can watch Skate America at all. Or at least that's how I read it when I finally found info on their blackout restrictions. there's a link at the very bottom that says about icenetwork.com, click that then help centre on the left then blackout restrictions. I read that as if you don't live in the US you can't watch Skate America at all.
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2003
I think those who are extremely disappointed should contact the company ASAP and say it all as it's been said here... and then demand a refund if they can't help you... it seems to be a bit misleading (then again if it's in the fine print you're probably out of luck)
Similar threads
