Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 1.
 

Possibly the processing for ITV(1)HD is more complex because it is regionalised. It may also be using older equipment as it has been around much longer

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 1.
 

Regarding the free HD debate I think of it like this:

Customer A has an all singing HD TV and subscribes to XL TV
Customer B has an old CRT TV and also subscribes to XL TV.
End result is both would pay the same to VM, hence HD is free

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 1.
 

Thing is. If you get the SD channel in your bundle. But the HD channel is in a higher bundle then how can you say you are giving HD for FREE?

You can't. Virgin is not free HD when the SD and HD variants of the SAME channel are not in the same bundles.

---------- Post added at 13:15 ---------- Previous post was at 13:14 ----------

Thats a really pointless comparison - you're talking equipment, not service.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 1.
 

I choose XL for the extra channels, the HD channels were a bonus for me without additional cost

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 1.
 

:clap:

Very good point!!!

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 1.
 

Virgin provide three TV packs which contain various channels. Depending on what channels you want, you choose the appropriate one to meet your needs. The SD and HD variants of a channel are two individual channels and Virgin can choose which packs each one is put into. The more channels you want, the more you have to pay. Yes, the HD charges are factored into the cost of the packs but at no point will you or any VM customer pay any extra charges for HD channels alone (again with the exception on Sky Premium HD) and hence they can advertise them as 'free' within your chosen pack. So yes you do pay for them, but as part of the price for the pack you choose.

Sky on the other hand charge an additional £10.25 for their customers to obtain the HD variants of the majority of channels. So you have an advertised additional fee with Sky.

So either way you do pay for HD, I'll agree with you on that. However, VM do nothing wrong by advertising that HD is 'free' with you chosen TV pack. ;)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 1.
 

It's just down to whether you consider something is "Free" if it is at no extra cost

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 1.
 

Customer B would be better on the L package as he / she is paying for a package which includes the cost of 36 HD channels they can't actually watch. Well actually I suppose it's only 30 HD channels as 6 of them are included in M+ upwards.

If Virgin dropped all 36 HD channels from the XL package, but the subscription price to XL to remained exactly the same, would you honestly be happy with this?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 1.
 

Nice to see the old boys club is still in good working order.;)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 1.
 

Sorry, but SD and HD is not a different channel in the way Virgin sell the free HD message. They say you don't pay for HD on Virgin, which is no longer true - in order to get the HD version of a channel your pack comes with you need to buy a (much) more expensive pack.

Therefore HD is a cost - pure and simple.

I can see Virgin dropping the free HD message now given Sky's upcoming package changes.

i will say this, Virgin must be bleeding customers at the moment with the amount of 50% off sky codes around - come close of liberty takeover it would be very interesting to see just how many customers virgin are losing (alot are doing what I did though, keeping Virgin TV as part of a bundle because they are never going to give up the fiber BB - so to the stats it looks like VM's customer base is consistent, but the ARPU must be dropping, my addition of Sky saw my overall cost drop and my monthly Virgin bill go from £115 to £30.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 1.
 

You're a pretty honest straight shooting guy Den. If Virgin dropped all 36 HD channels from the XL package, but the subscription price to XL to remained exactly the same, would you be a happy bunny?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 1.
 

Its all just friendly banter Chad but to answer your question the answer is :nono:

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 1.
 

I took advantage of the 50% deal for 12 months. It's a great offer.

I will add however that Virgin have sent me a few great offers in the post in the last month offering 50% off for 6 months. This includes TiVo and a free V+HD box in a second room. I do miss having 2 recordable boxes. If Virgin keep on adding new channels, and offer me the same deal later in the year when my SKY contract ends, I would not have too much of a problem coming back to Virgin. My wife however might not enjoy losing SKY Atlantic or E! in HD. I would also miss SKY Atlantic however I do enjoy having extra money to spend each month :)

---------- Post added at 15:24 ---------- Previous post was at 15:23 ----------

Of course my TiVo loving chum :D

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 1.
 

Actually Virgin continues to increase its customers TV additions and l cannot see that changing

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 1.
 

At the same ARPU though?

I don't see it, especially with the number of people who have downscaled Virgin (keeping an element) but saving money with the alternatives.

I do think Sky are contract grabbing at the moment, ahead of the full BT launch and the potential for VM to have much more (debt ridden) funding from Liberty...