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Originally Posted by Superblade7
I think VM's obsession with superfast broadband may also be their undoing. I think it would be safe to say that for the vast majority of people a reliable 10Mb or 30Mb service would suffice for most needs. I would imagine the customer base for 50Mb and above is a relatively small percentage of VM's overall customers and therefore spending huge amounts of money on doubling broadband speeds is great but is it really what most customers want? I'd put my neck on the line and say probably not.
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Couldn't agree more, in fact, if my 30MB connection was reliable and usable at all times of the day then it is unlikely I would be looking to leave already.
This quest for the greatest speed for advertising purposes has led them to lose sight of what's important IMHO. As you've said, the majority of Joe Public just want/need a reliable connection at a decent speed for a fair price and between 10 and 30MB is probably sufficient for the vast majority.
Unfortunately, sensible doesn't sell.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Superblade7
I know a lot of the money being spent is on network improvements so this can only be an advantage for the many areas that are currently oversubscribed but then by doubling everyone's speeds, the network improvements may not actually show if everyone gets extra bandwidth.
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Again I agree and see the same dangers. Improvements may alleviate the problems I have experienced but for how long? What if I get my new 60MB connection and can't even stream YouTube which I struggle with now at certain times on 30MB?
The extra speed but lack of performance would drive me even more nuts than it does now!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Superblade7
The price difference now between Sky and VM is becoming interesting. I am just using this as an example but for Sky World, Unlimited BB and Unlimited Phone it's £88 a month. For VIP on VM it's now £105.71. I appreciate there are a few differences (i.e. faster BB, extra STB) but it just shows the price difference.
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If we ignore any "returning customer" offers, from the 1st April my comparable package on Sky (Entertainment Extra, Multiroom, HD Pack, Broadband and Phone Line) is now 75p a month cheaper than VM.
Of course it isn't a great deal of money difference, the Broadband is slower and I lose ESPN (which I don't really watch anyway), but I get extra calls included, some more channels in HD and most importantly, everything works as it should.
My parents have been with VM since the NYNEX days and it has always had the advantage of being cheaper than Sky for (give or take) a comparable package, until this year.
In fact they are moving soon and going to Sky as it is now better value for their needs. They don't need or want 10MB Broadband let alone 100MB for the sparse amount of web surfing they do and I'm sure they are not alone.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Superblade7
I love my TiVo and I have always been relatively happy with VM but (in true David Cameron style) I personally could get "more for less" with Sky so whilst I could do without the hassle of switching and getting the dish / ADSL line installed, it's looking more and more attractive to me unless VM can deliver something exciting to make me stay before April.
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I guess we will soon find out if they are having trouble with churn if some very exciting news or offers starts being announced.
To be honest I think most people will moan about the increases and probably do nothing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Superblade7
I think that unless VM use some of their recently announced profit to significantly improve their TV / TiVo service soon, they are in real danger of loosing lots of customers over the coming year or two once Sky has access to BT Infinity as they will have all the content and fast broadband.
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Yep, for me it's what happens next year in terms of price rises that will be more interesting because Sky will have their Fibre product bedded in properly and available much more widely. Then it will be as direct a comparison between packages/services as it's ever been.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Superblade7
However, it's all a matter of opinion and everyone has to choose what is best for them within their own budget and entertainment needs.
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Oh wouldn't it be dull if we all liked the same things.
---------- Post added at 09:01 ---------- Previous post was at 08:36 ----------
Quote:
Originally Posted by Superblade7
The price difference now between Sky and VM is becoming interesting. I am just using this as an example but for Sky World, Unlimited BB and Unlimited Phone it's £88 a month. For VIP on VM it's now £105.71. I appreciate there are a few differences (i.e. faster BB, extra STB) but it just shows the price difference.
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Just been thinking about this bit again as we do know Sky's Fibre Broadband pricing, so...
VM VIP = £105.71
Sky World (with Unlimited Fibre and Multiroom) = £110.75
Hmmmm....