Originally Posted by Hugh (Post 35202228)

Whilst I agree you have a number of valid points, especially regarding communication with customers, I have to disagree with your interpretation of to mean That is an assumption, not a fact - it could be equally assumed that the majority of customers don't complain because they have nothing to complain about.

(and I don't work for VM, I am just another customer)

Originally Posted by Digital Fanatic (Post 35202243)

I've answered your post in the Sky Sports red button thread BTW.

Originally Posted by Mr-S (Post 35202246)

Well valid point up to a point make my judgement based on working in the media (in the past in radio and print media) and also a community manager on computer game with own experiences and those of my friends and family. From speaking to them (many of them have had opinions on projects Ive worked on) they really cant be bothered most of the time to complain when Ive told them to do it. Granted many people I know with VM have never experienced the tech faults I have had but all of them are frustrated (10+ dotted around the UK) with VM's content etc as I mentioned in my original post.

---------- Post added at 15:50 ---------- Previous post was at 15:47 ----------



Yep and I responded... when I find email/link Ill post.

Originally Posted by Hugh (Post 35202253)

Agree (mostly) with what your are saying, Mr-S, but we have to bear in mind that sometimes what we see an issue, others don't.

It doesn't mean it's not a problem to us, but it does mean it's not a problem to them - for example, I get hacked off with the battery life of most smartphones, as I have had a mobile phone since the 80's, and remember the Nokia 6310i's with a battery life of a couple of days - but to today's consumers, the short battery life of a smartphone is a feature, not a bug.

Originally Posted by Hugh (Post 35202253)

Agree (mostly) with what your are saying, Mr-S, but we have to bear in mind that sometimes what we see an issue, others don't.

It doesn't mean it's not a problem to us, but it does mean it's not a problem to them - for example, I get hacked off with the battery life of most smartphones, as I have had a mobile phone since the 80's, and remember the Nokia 6310i's with a battery life of a couple of days - but to today's consumers, the short battery life of a smartphone is a feature, not a bug.

Originally Posted by muppetman11 (Post 35202259)

Communication has never been VM's strong point.

Originally Posted by devilincarnate (Post 35202262)

seems strange as they are a communications company:confused: They do well at getting us all communicating about their communications?

Confused so am i:d:d

Originally Posted by winkle (Post 35202270)

Coming soon

CBS Drama
CBS Action
Premier Sports
RUSH HD
Luxury Life HD
Sky Sports News HD
Sky Arts HD
History HD
Quest +1
Fox News
Al Jazeria
Russia Today
Clubland TV
Information TV
Sky Atlantic HD


In other news England have ranked above Spain into first place in the FIFA Rankings

Originally Posted by Perfect Choice (Post 35202280)

Agree with that, keen on new content rather than HD versions of the same content, however hoping for a mix of both!

Originally Posted by passingbat (Post 35202291)

Another vote for that here.

Originally Posted by Mr-S (Post 35202151)

Why its nice to read some of the speculation and rumours on the forums about forthcoming launches I always tended to wait for the press releases from VM even if Id heard something myself. But even they arent accurate... they are constantly pulling the wool over customers eyes and makes it hard for someone like me who doesnt want to pay for Sky for anything and BT Vision arent viable option for me to take them seriously. Im baring paying them every month through gritted teeth and it shouldnt be that way.

People on here (including VM staff and mods) might not wanna hear it but Virgin try to constant play the victim role in relation to their negoiations to Sly and other big companies whilst shafting others. Not only that the constantly lying to customers and then vanishing when the said promises and launches dont happen I find amazing and from what Ive read nobody has pulled them up on it.

Examples include: Few years back when 4oD launched we were promised HD on demand content... has anyone seen it? Likewise with ITV Player HD on demand content... never turned up too. When I queried this before with Twitter team was told they spoke to content dept and that they are working with both channels to make it happen and that was last summer.

More examples: Sky on demand content mentioned in the press release 9 months ago to the channel deal including via TV and Virgin Media online player... nothing unless you include limited OD content from Sky Living, greatly reduced from before. Also mentioned in there press release was on demand content for premium channels (eg: sky sports/movies) and nothing. No red button that was supposed to launch mid march and no communication from them as to why apart from VM staff posting on here that its 'coming soon' and 'in testing' but why cant they communicate that more widely. When your told something by VM you have to take it with a pinch of salt.

Sky Arts HD on demand mentioned in the press release and nothing 9 months later apart from Sky Living HD (which we already had) and 1 addition with Sky1HD.

Good Food HD (not bothered about this but just add another example) was mentioned in a press release as being under negiotation yet VM own 50% of the channel and it launches on Sky 1st before VM. Now can anybody explain the logic in that to me? Do VM staff know why people are so frustrated with them as a company and their odd business decisions?

Viacom remove 3 channels from VM to launch Comedy Central HD "to launch new channels on VM" what has launched? Nothing... but they have on Sly with MTV Music channel and Nickleodeon HD and there also a number of Viacom channels that VM customers dont have.

Add to the fact we have had 2 price rises in 6 months, numerious channels removed from platform everything seems to round out as us having around 160 channels on XL and then whatever premium add-ons you want after. 160ish (to 170) seems to be the benchmark they want to stick to and we will get no more.

Mentioned this all in complaints to CEO office guess what they could tell me... nothing! Apart from going on about TiVo which was suppose to have launched late Dec hasnt (dont include BETA launch to staff and couple thousand lucky customers to test a launch) and red button is 'coming soon' but still in testing.

Was told that Sky on demand content isnt coming now coz Sly want too much money for it! They didnt even know it was mentioned in the press release when I brought it up...

TiVo without content will eventually be toothless and I find it amazing they sold their content division to Sky. At least with their own content at gave them some bargaining power to protect us and content for thier platform.

What is even more incredible is we lose Bravo channels, Virgin 1, Challenge Jackpot and the plus 1's yet the one new channel Sly launch... Sky Atlantic we dont get! In the press release it said Sky would deal with VM with new channel launches in fair/competitive terms yet VM would been paying a set fee for Sky's basic channels. So if the set fee for example was 10 quid per month for 10 channels and then Sky close 4 of em and launch another surely the terms of deal have changed? Why would you continue to pay Sky £10 a month to recieve 6 channels when the deal covered 10? And then just accept it? Something doesnt add up... leads me to believe they knew that channels would be closed. Why would you sign a multi year deal with so many loopholes?

I'll go one further... its looking as if its a 1 in and 1 out in channel launches right now as it would seem VM network cant add channels (especially on HD front) without removing them. It also looks like they are trying to increase profits whilst cutting back on content to customers yet putting up prices for us. CSC wants True Entertainment on VM and launches but Pop is dropped. My son used to watch Pop and its on demand content but now they are gone to launch this new channel. Why couldnt both be on VM? Seems like they want to pay content providers the same prices in contract negiotiations yet want more content... then tell them if you wanna launch new channels you have to take some off as we aint paying you anymore!

Can anyone from VM on here honestly answer these questions? One very disillusioned cable customer of 15 years! Please correct me with facts rather than fanboy rants telling how me great everything is with VM... I think we deserve to know the truth and be updated with issues via official means such as there website or email communications if there is a problem with launches (eg: TiVo, red button, content launches etc) more efficently rather than posts from VM staff hiding behind user names on here.