HD : If Virgin and Sky had Sky channel parity - Who would you choose?

[Risco]

What I means is if Sky Atlantic HD / Sky Sports HD / Sky Sports 3 and 4 HD etc were available on Virgin, who would you choose? Do you think it would lead to more competition? Would there be a bigger onus on Virgin and Sky sourcing new channels?

I am posting this as it seems we are not far from channel parity once Sky Atlantic HD and Sky Sports News HD and a few other rumoured channels come in September.

[howardmicks]

I really don't think much would change unless there was a price war,you would allways customers prefer one than the other.i personally prefer vm,I have had both over the years and come Sunday will again.In tech vm are allways behind sky apart from TiVo of course and overously with channels,I do and understand when sky launch a new channel alerts 3-6 months it should be exclusive but I do think its wrong after that

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by Risco

What I means is if Sky Atlantic HD / Sky Sports HD / Sky Sports 3 and 4 HD etc were available on Virgin, who would you choose? Do you think it would lead to more competition? Would there be a bigger onus on Virgin and Sky sourcing new channels?

I am posting this as it seems we are not far from channel parity once Sky Atlantic HD and Sky Sports News HD and a few other rumoured channels come in September.

Cue the my STB is better than yours , my provider offers the best package , I wouldn't venture to the dark side type comments Let's see who's first to kick it off

As is my usual answer I'd decide based on price , added extras of each package and which ticks my general requirements best at the time.

[Risco]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

Cue the my STB is better than yours , my provider offers the best package , I wouldn't venture to the dark side type comments Let's see who's first to kick it off

As is my usual answer I'd decide based on price , added extras of each package and which ticks my general requirements best at the time.

See this is how I think it should be, all providers should have access to all channels and it becomes the packages / pricing and added extras and customer service that become the selling point.

[denphone]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

Cue the my STB is better than yours , my provider offers the best package , I wouldn't venture to the dark side type comments Let's see who's first to kick it off

Well it won't be me MM as l am now trained in the true Jedi arts of calmness and reflection.

[howardmicks]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

Cue the my STB is better than yours , my provider offers the best package , I wouldn't venture to the dark side type comments Let's see who's first to kick it off

As is my usual answer I'd decide based on price , added extras of each package and which ticks my general requirements best at the time.

Agree bud get sick and tired of it,and your last 2 paragraphs sum it for me

[denphone]

For me its what suits me and my family best and overall we are happy with our lot currently.

[spankysmagicpian]

I'd stick with VM as I have done for 14 years. I was Sky all the way before that right from the early days of Astra 1a and Sky Channel!

I wouldn't move - I like the all in one package, cheap mobile deals and the OD. The main clincher is the broadband though - that's the most important thing to me and as Sky can only offer me a carppy 9Mb..I'm staying put.

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by Risco

See this is how I think it should be, all providers should have access to all channels and it becomes the packages / pricing and added extras and customer service that become the selling point.

In an ideal world that would be the way to go , I'd also like to see VM allow wholesale access to its fibre optic network , allowing the likes of Sky , Talk Talk etc to offer BB over cable sadly I can't see either actually happening.

Originally Posted by spankysmagicpian

I'd stick with VM as I have done for 14 years. I was Sky all the way before that right from the early days of Astra 1a and Sky Channel!

I wouldn't move - I like the all in one package, cheap mobile deals and the OD. The main clincher is the broadband though - that's the most important thing to me and as Sky can only offer me a carppy 9Mb..I'm staying put.

That's the exact reason my parents stay with VM , your lucky they can only get around 2mb through a BT line so cable BB at 60mb is a godsend.

Originally Posted by muppetman11

Cue the my STB is better than yours , my provider offers the best package , I wouldn't venture to the dark side type comments Let's see who's first to kick it off

As is my usual answer I'd decide based on price , added extras of each package and which ticks my general requirements best at the time.

What he said...

[andy_m]

I'm not sure I understand the point of the op? Currently there is no channel parity, and it's accepted that Sky have a better range than Virgin. This being Cableforum, most people here have decided that Virgin is best for them in spite of the inferior channel line up. They're not going to move from Virgin if they suddenly get loads of extra channels that were previously exclusive to Sky. This question is really for Sky customers, and is "if Virgin had the same channel line up as your current provider, would you switch?"

In addition, companies can be competitive in different ways. They can fight a price war, or they can be innovative. Even without channel parity, both companies have been innovative, either by investing in award winning exclusive content or providing market leading technology. I'm thinking Sky Atlantic and TiVo. I can't see that changing. In short, if you're hoping channel parity will lead to competition, and by that you mean lower bills, I think you'll be disappointed.

[anap]

VM for me. £100.40 for VIP with extra box. Equivalent on SKY (40Mb broadband) £144.25.

[Qtx]

If both providers had the same channels then price and broadband preference/availability come in to play as many go for the triple play packages.

[nodrogd]

Line of sight to Astra satellites obstructed. No contest!

[gregbrighton]

I'd stay with Virgin. I don't fancy £65+ charge every time something goes wrong with the Sky equipment.