TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

I see from the VM forums that VM are withdrawing TV Choice from non XL customers, the only way to get it will be with XL and no longer as an option on M, M+ & L packs.

http://community.virginmedia.com/t5/.../163235/page/2

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

Cue pitchforks :)

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

Given the way most HD channels are tiered and now this the VM pricing structure is looking very inflexible, not everyone can afford XL. I think XL is good value but it seems crazy to price people out of services who may well just stay with the pack they are on, afterall customers know what they can and cant afford.

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

Agree, am on XL and pay roughly £90 per month for all services. Too much IMO but that is the going rate. Very rarely use on demand would rather they got rid of it if it meant addition of HD channels etc

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

Wow, that's a lot - I am on XL for BB, TV, and Phone, and pay less than £60 (I don't have films or sports, though...)

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

I have previously said I have concerns about the way XL is packaged as there are whole genres of channels I have little or no interest in (music and kids spring to mind), nor do I particularly require ESPN but in order to get the other channels I want I subscribe to XL. I would prefer a pack system similar to Sky but it's unlikely to happen. I do feel sorry for the non XL customers affected by this move, until VM give a proper official explaination I can only interpret it as a move to get more customers onto XL, which sadly is not going to be an option for everyone.

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

Have films and sport, HD subs and extra box, think that's what bumps it up.

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

A pack system would be an advantage but not the way Sky do it. The minimum price you pay is £19 and you lose a lot of channels if you take that option. You get a whole lot more for the £5.50 extra that the xl package costs.

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

The XL price you are comparing it to is with a phone line though, around £35 in total, if I recall XL alone is around £29 which is quite a bit more than having all the Sky packs although you do get HD channels and ESPN.

I guess there is no perfect solution but I hate the idea of customers being priced out, especially in these tough times.

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

Sorry, yes you are right, although not a problem if you don't mind taking VM's phone line. In my opinion £19 is too much for one pack and as this is their minimum. VM's minimum is something like £11 if you take a phone line.

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

I broadly agree.

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

Actually it's £6.50 ;)

And it's £12.50 without a phoneline

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

Sorry yes. I was looking at the L package which includes some more channels like Sky 1.

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

M+ has Sky 1

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

From what i think it could be is due to all the content been shown on the VIRGIN PLAYER, TV CHOICE ON DEMAND AND MOBILE ( THREE SCREENS ), from what i have been reading this is all for XL customers as this quote is from the VIRGIN PLAYER FAQS:

I don't have Virgin TV XL. Can I add Virgin Media Player as a separate service?
Sorry, Player is only available to Virgin TV XL subscribers with Virgin Broadband.

To upgrade your Virgin TV to the XL package or check out our other offers, click here.

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

Oh dear. I'm not well up on VM packages. It's a long time since I had anything other than xl tv. Seems like VM have a better selection of packages for the not so well off than sky. Providing of course you are willing to take out their phone line.

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

Oh that's OK then..the rest of us on XL TV who do use it regularly can just do without so you get your HD channels. ;)

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

It states on the VM website that TV XL is £23. Is that the price everyone pays who takes it. Or does the price vary depending what package/bundle you have. The reason I ask is because I'm paying £24.50.

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

£23 (with a phone line at £11.99) as far as I am aware. Do you have a bundle of services.

Edit:- Actually I have just checked my bill and mine also says £24.50 for XL, I called CS who says 'that is just the way it is shown on your bill but we apply a discount'.

The bills are quite complicated, but BT's were just as bad.

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

Yes I do have a bundle and it's very similar to yours, and if you're paying £24.50 it looks like the XL TV price does vary depending on what bundle's taken...

Thanks for clearing that one up..

Also, thanks for the swift reply.

Edit:- Just noticed your edit, cheers for the extra info!

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

You don't actually pay more than £23, it's just the billing and the way discounts are applied, at least that's what I think they mean.

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

I've take the liberty of moving this to a more appropriate thread Mersey.

Sky don't really have lower tier packages like VM whose packages start at £6.50. The two packages you mention would cost £20, three times as much, but for £4.50 more than Sky's two packages you get ESPN and more HD plus a lot of channels much more popular than CBS. As for on demand they would lose catch up tv, and tv choice from the four most popular channels. Even though you say you don't want ESPN you still find the xl package to be sufficient value for money so it is not difficult to see why many people would find it to be much better vfm than the Sky two packs you suggested.

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

Yay, XL is increasing in value, I like :)

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

Yes I know I've just been looking at my latest/recent eBill and everything seems to tally up. I must say they do complicate matters where the billing is concerned sometimes.

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

Sometimes? :confused:

I feel like there should be a special degree in deciphering VM billing and packages and bundles..I put them on a par with rail ticket pricing and rules on off peak rail travelling.

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

I think you should be clearer that you are quoting prices that must include a phone line at £11.99, XL without a phone line is £29.50. What I am saying is a lower tier customer might be better paying £20 for 2 Sky packs for a wider choice of entertainment and on demand and they would still get the non XL HD channels, less Film 4. I am not comparing XL as these customers are obviously not on XL for one reason or another and will now lose the option of TV Choice. You also seem to be forgetting that non XL customers have to stump up a further £5 a month just for recording facilities. I don't see what is now unique about a non XL package, catch up is widely available anyway so it seems a terrible waste of technology.

For the record the stand alone prices are £12.50 (M+) £17.50 (L) and you would have to add £5 for V+ for both these packages or £29.50 (XL). I personally think for a lower tier customer on Sky's cheapest £19 Variety Pack (which offers far more pay channels and FTA that M+) with a Sky+ HD box with on demand content from Sky1 and Living offers a lot more choice than M+ with V+ (£17.50) and would maybe provide some and possibly more of the on demand content they will lose, but that's just my opinion. I am looking at it from the point of view of who provides the most content for the lower tier subscriber.

I am on record as saying XL is good value but that isn't the point, these customers with the TVC option now have to upgrade to XL just to receive the services they currently have, surely if they wanted XL they would have it anyway.

There would be uproar if Sky pulled a trick like this, let's have some balance.

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

We have already established in this thread what the price is without phone but it is immaterial anyway. I am using prices with phone just the same as the guy who started the thread in the VM community forum did. He said he was paying £13.50 for M+ and ondemand together. I think it's fair to say that most people who were on M+ or L and paying the £7 for ondemand were paying the lower amount. These are the people we are talking about.
Personally I wish that they wouldn't remove this option for the lower tiers but I am in agreement with Zantarous that there may be other more complex reasons for doing this other than they wanted to force people on to xl tv. Mainly because I think the take up of the £7 option would have been very limited anyway. So VM have got little to gain anyway.

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

To be honest there is very little in the costs between the two, but there is quite a big difference in what content a lower tier subscriber gets access to with Sky and I think that is the point I am making. I object to VM almost forcing people onto the highest tier if they want to merely keep their current services. Sky (and to a lesser degree BT and Talk Talk) all seem to align their on demand content to your subscription so I see no reason why VM cannot do this too, why would VM be singled out by content providers?, I don't buy it.

If anyone thinks this is a fairer way of doing things then that's their prerogative, I just don't happen to think it is and I can't think of anything more to say, we shall disagree!

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

The take up for this at £7 would be so small I wonder if it is worth all the fuss. If vod is worth £7 to those on a tight budget it just shows how good value xl is. That's £7 for vod, £9 minimum for ESPN lets say£3 for HD as we get a lot of the more popular HD channels. Your already up to the minimum package price for Sky. I'm not arguing this because I think VM are wonderful. I just have no illusions about Sky either. I don't see them offering people who are less well off a package for £6.50, with or without telephone. And given that it seemed to be common knowledge at the time of the Sky 1 dispute that one of the sticking points was that Sky didn't want the channel on the M package I wouldn't rule out them having a hand in this. Unlikely yes, impossible no.

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

Well first I do not know the take up of TVC at £7, what exactly are the numbers? My main gripe is that there is no flexibility, if you want TVC you have to have XL, if you want HD you have to have XL (less the FTA channels, same as Sky with any pack, you don't need to pay the £10) and if you're like me you end up whole genre's of channels you don't watch. You have to pay £5 for V+ if not on XL too, there are no such restrictions on a lower tier Sky subscriber although your OD content will of course be aligned to the sub. XL is great value, but only if you can afford it. One thing we do agree on is Sky's unlikely involvement in this decision, sometimes one might be forgiven for thinking VM are owned by a charitable organisation, not a load of predominantly american financial institutions who we know can be rather greedy. They are no different to Sky.

Also our price comparisons were (sort of) out of date anyway, I got a leaflet today with the post VAT increase tariff so they are closer again to Sky's, who already included the VAT increase.

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

I'm not sure what you mean about Sky's prices already being adjusted for VAT. I have been deliberately quoting Sky's pre VAT increase prices out of fairness to Sky as I don't know what VM's prices will be post VAT increase. I do know that one Sky pack (their minimum package)will be £19.50 after the VAT increase.

I don't think Sky's or VM's packages are any more flexible than each other but your presumption that Sky are better for people who don't want to pay much for their tv is clearly wrong. You can argue it whatever way you want but £6.50 is clearly better than £19.

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

Have you got the answer to my question? How many people pay for TVC as you have indicated that you know, quote:- "The take up for this at £7 would be so small I wonder if it is worth all the fuss" end quote. I don't know the answer but clearly some people do pay for it.

I was quoting VM's current prices, for example line rental will be £12.24 post VAT increase.

£6.50 is clearly better than £19, I totally agree. Have you got a link on the VM website where someone can sign up for a £6.50 a month TV package and not pay anything else? That is a bargain and blows my argument out of the water, it's even better if you get a PVR as included in Sky's £19 pack, do you get one all for £6.50 a month?

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

First of all no I don't know how many people take vod at £7. I stick by my statement though that at £7, which is more than the actual m package price take up is likely to be small.

Secondly this discussion started because you suggested that people who take the £7 option might move elsewhere and went on to say Sky is a viable option for them. Well the guy who you have been quoting in the community forum said he was on a £6.50 package, which he said is a good price for those who don't want to spend much on their tv.That was his figure (£6.50) not mine. He will (pre vat increase) have to pay a minimum £19 if he choses to move. Any saving he makes on line rental does not come close to making up for that. So yes your argument is blown out of the water.
This is my last post on the matter unless you can introduce something new to the discussion as we are going round in circles.

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

I didn't think you knew the figures so fair play for admitting that you don't.

Let's agree to disagree.

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

I know the figures for subs of TV Choice on M & L and it's tiny, so not many will be missing out. ;)

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

Also worth pointing out that Sky Anytime+ eats into those on Sky Everyday Lite usage which is a paltry 2Gb a month. Want unlimited? That's £7.50 please sir! Oh, by the way, you still have to wait for 10% of the event to download before it even plays....

Re: TV Choice to be exclusive to XL customers only
 

That's right although I think £7.50 for unlimited 20mb broadband isn't bad although I guess it all depends what actual speed you get. I would find the wait for the initial download annoying although maybe that is balanced out with having access to the latest content.