I can exclusively reveal that TopTV is plagued by massive problems with its incomplete and incorrect on-screen electronic program guide (EPG) that it buckling under major technical problems which is causing a huge amount of tension and anxiety within TopTV corridors. The problem is worsened by the fact that TopTV is having to rely on overseas back-end systems who generate and supply a lot of the EPG information.
The TopTV EPG - described by sources as ''a complete joke'' has complete TV channels where the EPG shows . . . nothing, with no program specifics or episode guide or any information loaded at all. With several other channels no forward information is available, and on other channels the information on the EPG simply don't correspond with what is being show. This is leaving TopTV subscribers unable to find out what is being shown at the moment - or in future - on TopTV channels, or to get a sense of what the promised programming on several TopTV channels are like. The electronic program guide info is often out of sync regarding programming times, making it useless for subscribers.
I asked TopTV for a response who admitted that the pay TV operator is aware of the problems plagueing the TopTV EPG system. ''We are aware of the EPG problems and it is a high priority for us to get the problems resolved,'' says TopTV.
''We have a team working here with an overseas team where the EPG originates from. Essentially we are finding that the files containing schedules and programme info being inputted into the EPG are not being completely read by the software. This has resulted in intermittent problems and inconsistencies within the system. The team feel quite confident that the problem will be resolved early next week but rest assured we are aware and are working tirelessly to resolve it.''
