Quote:
Originally Posted by kgollop
Prices went up just as much last year when we had an appalling year for new channel launches. Let's not forget that BT Sport replaced the original ESPN channels which were also premium channels, so the saving on ESPN has at least partially funded BT Sports arrival. Let's not kid ourselves, prices would have gone up just as much without BT Sports in my humble opinion.
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I was thinking that myself, with the prices increases I was wondering HAS it been a good year for Virgin and maybe the deal wth BT has overclouded the judgement. So I took a step back and re-analzed this thinking.
Firstly was the arrival of ITV channels which was welcome but IMO overdue in waiting; now topped with the fact UEFA and Champions league matches will be moving to BT (not for a while admittingly)
Some of the oustanding HD channels are deffinate ticks i.e. Animal Planet and Eurosport 2.But these are ticks only if your XL customer and indeed have a HD TV
BT deal you could argue is nothing less than what should have been expected in the initial run; ESPN was considered part of XL for so long now anything but BT inclusion would of been seen as a PR disaster so in essence we are in no worse off and as a subscription channel it made non economic sense not have teh possibility of getting (im not sure whetehr its available on teh smaller operators so down to your opinion whetehr this is agood or not)
Then there was addition of other minor channels i.e the food network and Al - Jazeera, as these are available for freevia other methods (freeview and freesat) you could question whether their inclusion should of come sooner as standard. I would also include into this the BBC HD channels that have launched as there is ways of legally obtaining for free (although if i worng happy to be challenged)
Despite all the rumours and thoughts we are no closer this year than last no matter how you look at it in obtaining the missing HD (sky news, Skysports 3&4, skysports news and F1) or indeed Atlantic. Despite the hope, the will of the people, this deal is no closer than it was last year (and before anyone suggest otherwise I will remain a doubting Thomas until it arrive), but if I am wearing my sky hat there is no commercial sense in supplying to Virgin nor does HBO need to have Sky sublet to Virgin, they are gaining from the exclusive as those who cant get it from Blinkbox pay per view or buy the DVD/Blu-Ray; hence my theory why BT came because sports needs live viewers, HBO and drama shows doesnt. Im afraid I dont buy into this Sky Bravo, my opinion is that is a red herring, but to believe that Sky are more interest in providing content over and above what they have to then im afraid we are mistaken and simply the cost they want for it Virgin has decided not to pay or even simpler Sky do not want to sell.
So in conclusion, has it been a really amazing year; certainly more channels but arent these ones we should of expected anyway and more importantly do they warrant the regular prices increase twice a year for the last couple of years under the guises of "upgrading your broadband at no additional cost" or "BT sport included in XL at no additional cost". Yes these are technically facts but clever skullduggery in teh wording cn hide the real elements.
For those who have shared rumours, their thoughts and opinion throughtout the year I thank you as it has cheered up my working days this year and wish everyone a happy christmas and hope for 2014 for teh year that virgin acquires the remaining channels for all