virgin media

[jim mcglinchey]

I was going to call this thread "Its Uma bleedin' Thurman on again" but that wouldv'e been silly.

Can anyone summarise the package that Virgin are offering for the typical domestic user because I couldn't be arsed reading their literature or talking to one of their sales people, but it might be a good deal. Anyone signed up yet?

[Andrewmcm]

For Virgin Media read NTL. As far as I'm aware the packages are by and large the same.

[tony_yeboah]

they are the same. virgin media is just telewest and ntl rebranded. its good

[Ian McC]

"Its Uma bleedin' Thurman on again"


:laugh:

I expect they paid her a lot of money for that!

[Hazell B]

Simply because of the highly annoying Uma Duckface ads, we wouldn't buy Virgin media if they gave us free phone calls for life :s

There should be some interesting offers for those using the services sometime this summer, according to a marketing report I was reading. Didn't specify what the offers would be though.

[GARYGAZZA]

I am with virgin media {Was telewest}.I currently have the top package[tv,broadband and phone]with tv drive and HD,minus the sports and movies and i pay around £115 for the privalige.You can now get all the afore mentioned plus sky sports,skymovies and another normal[non tv drive]box for £85.You guessed it im going for that deal.Not worried about the xtras but saving £30 for more sounds like a good deal.Only trouble the next available install date is 20th march.

[BDunnell]

One thing to add to this is that negotiations between Virgin Media and BSkyB have broken down, so it appears as if none of the Sky channels will appear as part of the Virgin Media TV package from some point in the future unless they resolve it. Hardly a great loss apart from The Simpsons, but there you go.

[Dave B]

I'm not sure it'll come to that, they've still got until the end of the month to hammer something out.

Personally I'm rather hoping that their rivalry will provoke a price war, and we'll all be winners. If my Sky+ gets cheaper I certainly won't be complaining!

[jonas_mcrae]

One thing to add to this is that negotiations between Virgin Media and BSkyB have broken down, so it appears as if none of the Sky channels will appear as part of the Virgin Media TV package from some point in the future unless they resolve it. Hardly a great loss apart from The Simpsons, but there you go.

It is a loss, futurama, 24, LOST, malcom.... I have Virgin and if they dont give me sky one im going to change

[Mark]

I think Sky are crapping themselves. For years cable hasn't proved to be a threat to Sky because it's been buried in debt and completely unable to provide any competition.

But now things are different, and for the first time you can point to advantages, rather than disadvantages in having cable instead of satellite. Mostly due to the video on demand services.

I've got the XL package with TV drive. No movies or sports.

jim,
I'm not sure what else you want to know?

[sonic_roadhog]

Just had an email from Virgin Media. Here's the main bulk of it;

Dear customer,

Let’s face it. Things would be pretty boring if choice didn’t exist. There’d be just one kind of airline to fly with. One type of car to drive. And if Sky had their way, there’d only be one place to get TV.

We thought we’d let you in on a few tricks they’ve been trying to get their way.

While we’ve continued to make Virgin Media channels like Living, Bravo and Challenge available to all Sky customers, Sky may withdraw their non-premium channels from Virgin Media’s service – in order to force you into switching service.

Virgin Media were willing to pay an increase in costs in order to get the complete range of Sky content and channels.

However, Sky have consistently demanded an increase that bears no relation to the channels’ market value.

We have refused to accept this increase, since it would mean absorbing significant costs ourselves, and passing the kind of price increase on to our customers that is simply unfair. We are not prepared to rip off our customers.

So Sky have picked up their ball and gone home.

To Quote Mr Branston. I'm picking up my ball and going to sky then! I pay this bunch of ****** hundreds of pounds per year and they are offering me Living and Bravo!?!? Woopie! Hundreds of repeats of Charmed per week!!!! If you'll excuse me I'm off to get Sky+ istallation booked.

Sonic :)

[Mark]

Sky are playing hardball on this one. While Virgin have had to accept a reduction for their channels (Living, Bravo etc) from 40p to 10p then Sky comes along and doubles the cost of its package.

It's all rather patetic. But I guess it's what happens when the channel owners and the platform providers are the same company.

I'm just concerned that I won't be able to watch 24 and Lost on Sunday.

[Dave B]

I think Sky are crapping themselves. For years cable hasn't proved to be a threat to Sky because it's been buried in debt and completely unable to provide any competition.

But now things are different, and for the first time you can point to advantages, rather than disadvantages in having cable instead of satellite. Mostly due to the video on demand services.


Competition can be good for the customer if both sides get into a price war.

VoD is certainly cable's trump card. Sky+ is launching Anytime in March but will only have a fraction of the content of Virgin as it's limited by the 80Gb limit on the current boxes.

Rumour is the next incarnation of Sky+ boxes will have an ethernet connection to allow true VoD over t'internet, but that's a while off yet.

Virgin's biggest obstacle is their (?) 52% coverage compared to nearer 99% for Sky. If they can overcome this and use the "traditional" phone network to shove little packets of data into your box then they'd be in a genuinely threatening position.


I'm just concerned that I won't be able to watch 24 and Lost on Sunday.
That's a Bit of a problem, isn't it. I'm sure there'll be a Torrent of people in the same boat.... ;)

[Mark]

Or VHS and a friend with Sky ;)

In other news, Virgin have secured the VOD rights for Lost Series 3. Apparently it will appear in August, so even if we lose Sky One now, we'll be able to watch Lost later.

[jonas_mcrae]

Or VHS and a friend with Sky ;)

In other news, Virgin have secured the VOD rights for Lost Series 3. Apparently it will appear in August, so even if we lose Sky One now, we'll be able to watch Lost later.

Really? well some good news at last

[Mark]

Well Sky One and Sky News have now disappeared from Virgin.

Great.. There goes 24 and Lost.. two of my favourite shows :mad: I'm beginning to wonder why we have cable at all...

[sonic_roadhog]

That's a Bit of a problem, isn't it. I'm sure there'll be a Torrent of people in the same boat.... ;)

:D

[Sleeper]

As we now have no Sky One, I nolonger have anything beyond Top Gear and certain motor sports that I want, or can, watch, and to hell with paying that greedy b*stard Murdoch any money.

[Mark]

Now Sky One has bought the rights to Prison Break. So Virgin Media customers can now no longer see Lost, 24 and Prison Break, amongst others, all series which where not only on cable but on free to air channels!

It does make me wonder why I'm paying out every month for Virgin TV :s

[Daniel]

Just get Sky.

But whateverthehellyoudo. DO NOT GET Sky broadband. You'd get a more satisfactory customer service experience by stabbing yourself in the crotch with a breadknife.

[Mark]

Swings and roundabouts. Virgin doesn't have Sky One, (big loss) or many HD channels (no loss at the moment). But what it does have is the TV Choice on Demand and Catch UP TV which has programmes from BBC, Bravo & Channel 4 on Demand, I do use that a lot.

Sky has a similar on demand system called 'Anytime' but it's only for Sky programmes, and certainly doesn't do full series etc.

Sky+ vs V+. V+ has three tuners so you can record 2 things and watch another, vs only one thing with Sky+. Plus V+ has 80 hours recording space vs Sky's 40 hours.

So as you see the case is never clear cut!

[Dave B]

Sky's Anytime service is a joke, that's true, but it's the only area where they really lag behind.

You can still record two channels while watching content you'd previously recorded.

Sky+ are dropping the £10 per month charge in a few weeks, whereas I believe Virgin still charge £15, so you have to ask yourself if the extra tuner in a V+ box is really worth it, when for two month's sub you could buy a Freeview receiver for the rare times you need three feeds at once.

[Mark]

Sky's Anytime service is a joke, that's true, but it's the only area where they really lag behind.

Anytime is good for programmes like Lost if only because it gets rid of the DOG and adverts.



You can still record two channels while watching content you'd previously recorded. But cruically, not live TV.



Sky+ are dropping the £10 per month charge in a few weeks, whereas I believe Virgin still charge £15


Not any more. Virgin have moved to a simliar model to sky, i.e. £150 upfront (£100 for existing customers) then V+ is free on the top package or £5/month on the lesser packages.



, so you have to ask yourself if the extra tuner in a V+ box is really worth it, when for two month's sub you could buy a Freeview receiver for the rare times you need three feeds at once.

It's a good question. But I think the answer lies in looking at the EPG on a typical evening, more often than not there are two programmes set to record at the same time, typcially when we are watching something else.

So really, all Virigin is missing is Sky One. I believe that Virgins offer to Sky was about £30m, and Sky latest offer was £35m, but it was turned down by Virgin, that's not so much of a gap! But of course Virgin are quite happy taking peoples money and not giving any of it to Sky.

[Mark]

Virgin Media TV has confirmed it will launch a new entertainment channel, Virgin 1, which will be available on Sky, cable and digital terrestrial television in the autumn.

The channel will mix newly commissioned and acquired programming with user-generated content and content from Virgin Media pay-TV channels. Catch-ups, previews and exclusive content will be available via broadband and Virgin Media on-demand.

It is thought the channel will be pitched somewhere between its female-targeted channel Living and the male-targeted Bravo, and may replace Virgin Media TV's FTN channel on DTT.

Celia Taylor has been appointed director of programming for the channel alongside her responsibilities for Bravo, Bravo 2, Challenge and Trouble. She will report to Claudia Rosencrantz, director of television.

Jonathan Webb, managing director of Virgin Media Television, said: "I want Virgin 1 and the newly reinvigorated Living to be two of the top television channels by switchover. Virgin 1 will shake up multi-channel and free-to-air TV, and start liberating viewers from the linear schedule. It will be a creative tour de force and a cutting-edge example of any time, any place content. Virgin Media TV has huge support from Virgin Media and Richard Branson, who agree that Virgin 1 is what UK audiences have been waiting for."

Programme acquisitions, understood to include US programming bought at the recent series of upfronts in Los Angeles last month, are expected to be announced soon.

Elsewhere, Virgin Media is thought to be close to a deal Setanta Sports to launch its own sports channel.

=====

The new channel will be available to Sky customers... while at the same time Sky withholds its channels from Virgin customers :mark:

[Mark]

FTN is the channel they are going to change to become Virgin 1. After this is done I wouldn't be surprised to see Living and Bravo change to be Virgin 2 and Virgin 3.

I just hope they get their act together and put them into widescreen. Now F1 has gone to 16:9 they are noticable as one of the few places which are 4:3 only.