NTL to renumber channels in 2nd half of 2005

Tristan · 06-11-2004, 22:11

It says it all here:

http://www.home.ntl.com/page/epgpolicy

But the gist of it is that NTL are (finally!) going to renumber their channels into genres in the second half of 2005, although new channel launches will fit in with the new scheme before this (which probably explains ITV3).

They also mention something about coordinating with other DTV providers to give channels the same numbers across platforms: fingers crossed this means they're going to copy Telewest's excellent ordering...

Anyway, it might be a year away, but at least it's progress!

**Paul** · 06-11-2004, 23:05

Great - we'll have to learn all the numbers again

Tristan · 07-11-2004, 00:00

Y'know, occasionally you've actually got to feel sorry for NTL.

Here they are (belatedly) taking some positive action, something most people are keen on... and along comes Paul here...

paulyoung666 · 07-11-2004, 00:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tristan

Y'know, occasionally you've actually got to feel sorry for NTL.

Here they are (belatedly) taking some positive action, something most people are keen on... and along comes Paul here...

..... which makes sense to me , sky keep on mucking around with channel numbering and believe me it makes it a complete pain in the arse to know where you are with it

**Maggy** · 07-11-2004, 00:21

Depends how they go about it really.After all this is NTL we are talking about.What might seem logical to them may not to some of us.

I've never understood the numbering system they already have but at least I'm familiar with it.

andygrif · 07-11-2004, 10:26

The numbering used to be very logical, but they kept it too tight not allowing for the addition of new many new channels so it became a big old mess.

I'm not sure it's as much of an issue now that we can change the position of channels in the line-up ourselves, but it would make sense to have some sort of coherance to the new order.

Reading through the link above I smiled when it said that 85% of customers were keen for the renumbering. Did anyone here get asked? I know I wasn't, but of course if I was I would probably have said it was a good idea.

Whilst I broadly agree with their approach to renumbering and the new groupings, I would think that it would make more sense to work on a bi-lateral approach with Sky and the broadcasters. I am sure that the majority of content providers would prefer cablecos to put their channels on the same number channel as Sky - but then Sky need to agree to stop shifting stuff around.

Nothing's ever as simple as it seems I guess.

**Paul** · 07-11-2004, 11:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tristan

Here they are (belatedly) taking some positive action, something most people are keen on... and along comes Paul here...

Sorry, but it's not positive action in my eyes, I see no advantage to having my channels renumbered, what difference does it make to a channel, what number it is, as long as people know where to find it.

This is just a sure fire way of confusing millions of customers. I don't see these millions bitterly complaining that the current numbering system is wrong.

Tristan · 07-11-2004, 12:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul M

Sorry, but it's not positive action in my eyes, I see no advantage to having my channels renumbered, what difference does it make to a channel, what number it is, as long as people know where to find it.

This is just a sure fire way of confusing millions of customers. I don't see these millions bitterly complaining that the current numbering system is wrong.

The way it is at the moment is a joke. Everything NTL are doing with regard to DTV at the moment is to do with integrating the two platforms as much as is possible: hence the use of Bromley- (and Telewest-) type Liberate software on Langley, and the launching of Docsis STBs on that network.

As such it wouldn't make sense to have two different numbering schemes, even if they did make some sort of logical sense, which they clearly don't. Sky have their channels arranged into genres, as do Telewest, as do NTL in Ireland. It's by far the most logical way to do it, and in the long term, it reduces customer confusion considerably.

Are you really saying it's a good thing that, for example, Living TV is on channel 111 on Bromley and a different (low) number on Langley, while Living+1 is on channel 900-and-something on both platforms?

Yes, it will confuse customers in the short term, but only in the short term. Properly communicated, most people should "get it" pretty quickly. I've just moved from a Bromley area to Telewest, and so have had to learn a new number scheme, and it's really not a problem. And as pointed out, you'll still be able to reorder the channels in your favourites, which will help a lot.

(Oh, and a note to NTL: to save going through all this again in the future, copy Telewest's numbering!)

Bob · 07-11-2004, 12:39

Finally!

Gotta agree with Tristan. Adopt Telewest's as it only makes merging the platform that much easier, so channel numbers won't have to be changed again!

As was pointed out in the report, they will communicate with the customers as much as possible. I do believe in Ireland (ok not the same part of the company) they sent out a flyer with all the numbers on to help. And I'm sure they will use Channel ntl: usefully this time

**Paul** · 07-11-2004, 12:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tristan

Sky have their channels arranged into genres, as do Telewest, as do NTL in Ireland. It's by far the most logical way to do it, and in the long term, it reduces customer confusion considerably.

Sorry, but I don't think you are seeing this from the average customers point of view, You are obviously a bit of a dtv enthusiast (that's not an insult before you ask). I see no advantage to me in "genres", as long as I know where my channels are, it makes no difference to me that other channels have similar numbers or not, one three digit number is the same as any other.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tristan

Are you really saying it's a good thing that, for example, Living TV is on channel 111 on Bromley and a different (low) number on Langley, while Living+1 is on channel 900-and-something on both platforms?

Again, why as a Langley customer would I care in the slightest that Bromley has a different numbering scheme, I don't use it.

I'm sure it may be of advantage to ntl to have them the same - but is of no advantage to customers like me - who are used to the current channel numbers, however illogical you or ntl may think they are.

Tristan · 07-11-2004, 12:59

There are several things I'm more enthusiastic about than DTV, but there we go!

You say that the current numbers don't matter as long as customers know where the channels are. That's exactly the point of genres. Customers will know what, for example, Living TV is an entertainment channel, and will therefore be able to expect to find it in the 100s. Likewise, they know that News 24 and Sky News can be found in the news channels section.

Currently, a customer who misses a programme on Living TV is forced to search around in the 800s and 900s to find Living TV+1: a situation which is bad for the customer, the channel, and NTL themselves.

(Oh course, the customer could have reordered his favourites to manually put +1 next to Living: but doing this for every +1 channel is hardly in the best interests of the customer, is it?)

**Paul** · 07-11-2004, 13:06

Well we could go round in circles all day, you don't need to know any of the numbers if you use the ntl menu's, but I can find living, or living +1, or any other channel just by looking its number up, not by blindly channel hoping around the 100's (even assuming I knew that I should be looking in the 100's at all).

Tristan · 07-11-2004, 13:24

We could indeed go round in circles. But I still maintain that it's in the customers' best interests to have the channels arranged in genres.

(And if you have to go away and look up the channel numbers, does it even matter if they change?)

dvboy · 07-11-2004, 13:31

I don't think it matters all that much.

Most people with any sense will have already reordered their channels so that they're in a decent order, while for those who haven't, they will be able to find them easier because they'll be grouped by genre.

Most people only remember the numbers of channels they watch the most, so they'll only have to remember a few that have changed; also the likes of BBC1 and even E4 are probably going to stay where they are.

So go and change them because it really won't make that much of a difference. If you have to look up the number, it doesn't matter anyway.

ian@huth · 07-11-2004, 13:43

One point to consider is that people see adverts for programs or channels and hear about them on talk shows, etc. It is far easier to have one number for each channel that everyone uses so that you can be told that a forthcoming program is on 999 or whatever rather than 999 on NTL Langley, 66 on NTL Bromley, 438 on Telewest, 49 on Freeview and 216 on Sky.