Only 100 Customers/Day Leaving VM

[Downloads]

Originally Posted by VirginMediaSucks

This is an admission that the TV service they provide is no longer as advertised, and for almost all subscribers the TV component is either the largest part of their subscription or forms a substantial part of it. Therefore, those people who subscribe to a package where the TV component forms a major part should also be treated in the same way.

You should really read the press release, it wasn't an admission at all. They wanted to maintain the high moral ground so let people go even though they they believe it doesn't represent a change.

[VirginMediaSucks]

Originally Posted by Downloads

In situations such as this though, there isn't going to be a rise now unless we were to believe that retentions could only handle 100 cancellations a day. It will deffinitely drop off from where we are now. If you believe that most cancellations would happen within the first couple of weeks then a normal curve of distribution would suggest we are at the peak atm.

It's difficult to say.. Sunday night is a big night for Sky One, with the Simpsons, 24 and Lost on. It hasn't been a week yet, so I feel that it hasn't quite bitten VM yet.

My personal estimate is 300,000 subscribers (10%) quitting over this which would leave Sky with about 8m subscribers, Virgin Media with perhaps 3m subscribers...

..unless of course there's a resolution to this silly dispute, but I think there's far too much testosterone involved.

[fork me]

Originally Posted by Downloads

In situations such as this though, there isn't going to be a rise now unless we were to believe that retentions could only handle 100 cancellations a day.

Did you even READ my post? I said nothing about how many calls retentions could handle.

I am one of those considering cancelling. However, I haven't done it yet for two reasons:

1) I want to see if things will improve.

2) I can't get time off work until April to actually be in for installation of Sky, pickup of Virgin stuff etc.

I would expect more people to wait a bit than to leave instantly.

It will deffinitely drop off from where we are now.

Why?

If you believe that most cancellations would happen within the first couple of weeks........

I don't believe that at all. Nor do I see any reason to believe that.

Fork Me

[Downloads]

Originally Posted by VirginMediaSucks

It's difficult to say.. Sunday night is a big night for Sky One, with the Simpsons, 24 and Lost on. It hasn't been a week yet, so I feel that it hasn't quite bitten VM yet.

My personal estimate is 300,000 subscribers (10%) quitting over this which would leave Sky with about 8m subscribers, Virgin Media with perhaps 3m subscribers...

..unless of course there's a resolution to this silly dispute, but I think there's far too much testosterone involved.

Thats so way off, we will have to revisit this in their next Quarterly report once it's proved they haven't lost 300,000 customers.

[fork me]

Originally Posted by Downloads

Thats so way off.......

How so?

You seem to be one of those people who thaink that what you say is gospel giving no reason for your views at all.

Rather than a throwaway comment, perhaps you would care to say WHY you think I am way off?

Fork Me

[VirginMediaSucks]

Originally Posted by Downloads

You should really read the press release, it wasn't an admission at all. They wanted to maintain the high moral ground so let people go even though they they believe it doesn't represent a change.

That might be what they *intended* saying, but the problem is that their position sets a precedent which is then applicable to other customers. VM effectively undermined their own position by making that offer.

[Downloads]

Originally Posted by fork me

Did you even READ my post? I said nothing about how many calls retentions could handle.

I am one of those considering cancelling. However, I haven't done it yet for two reasons:

1) I want to see if things will improve.
2) I can't get time off work until April to actually be in for installation of Sky, pickup of Virgin stuff etc.

Do you understand the point of a forum? I can respond how i wish. Did i say you mentioned how many calls retentions could handle? I'm saying that unless retentions can only handle a very small amount of calls, then thats the only way a constant flow of 100 people a day could be lost consistently.

---------- Post added at 22:06 ---------- Previous post was at 22:05 ----------

Originally Posted by fork me

How so?

You seem to be one of those people who thaink that what you say is gospel giving no reason for your views at all.

Rather than a throwaway comment, perhaps you would care to say WHY you think I am way off?

Was that in response to you? I think you will find the answer is no.

My answer 'that is so way off' to VirginMediaSucks is because if only 100 are leaving a day then the numbers of people leaving is going to have to increase very rapidly, by the time 300k of people have left it will be so far in the future it will have nothing to do with the Virgin/Sky spat.

[grabbi]

You have to understand that after all said and done in the TV dispute, people are still joining the best Broadband Provider in the UK.

My mum did a couple of weeks ago (same as me, yet it worked faster.)

Sky Basic isn't the be all and end all. TV isn't the be all and end all. Broadband is the biggest puller... and this isnt affected by the tv fall out.

[AndyCambs]

Originally Posted by grabbi

You have to understand that after all said and done in the TV dispute, people are still joining the best Broadband Provider in the UK.

My mum did a couple of weeks ago (same as me, yet it worked faster.)

Sky Basic isn't the be all and end all. TV isn't the be all and end all. Broadband is the biggest puller... and this isnt affected by the tv fall out.

Fortunately there is more to life than just tv....

[Downloads]

Originally Posted by VirginMediaSucks

That might be what they *intended* saying, but the problem is that their position sets a precedent which is then applicable to other customers. VM effectively undermined their own position by making that offer.

I don't really see how it undermined their own position. If wanting to maintain the high moral ground means releasing unhappy customers, then thats what they will do. Customers only have a few weeks left to cancel and they should do so, because what they did didn't set a legal precident, after that period only non-contracted people will be able to leave.

[VirginMediaSucks]

Originally Posted by Downloads

My answer 'that is so way off' to VirginMediaSucks is because if only 100 are leaving a day then the numbers of people leaving is going to have to increase very rapidly, by the time 300k of people have left it will be so far in the future it will have nothing to do with the Virgin/Sky spat.

That's why I question the "100 per day" figure. Looking at the BARB statistics, it's clear that several hundred thousand Virgin Media subscribers are regular Sky One viewers. Common sense would tell you that the cancellation rate would be higher than 100 per day.

Virgin Media are claiming that just 0.003% of their subscriber base is cancelling per day. Does that make sense? I really don't think so.

---------- Post added at 22:17 ---------- Previous post was at 22:16 ----------

Originally Posted by Downloads

I don't really see how it undermined their own position. If wanting to maintain the high moral ground means releasing unhappy customers, then thats what they will do. Customers only have a few weeks left to cancel and they should do so, because what they did didn't set a legal precident, after that period only non-contracted people will be able to leave.

Ah, you're a sensible sort of guy.. but that's not how a lawyer would present it.

[Downloads]

Originally Posted by fork me

I would expect more people to wait a bit than to leave instantly.

Really thats your opinion, you should give some basis for your asnwers too. If shows such as Lost and 24 are SO popular, then they will have left already to continue watching them?

Originally Posted by fork me

Why?

Normal curves of distribution state this. As an anlayst, most stats i do follow this. You'll be able to read up on it on the net easily. Even if i extended the 2 weeks i said to 4 weeks, we would be on the rising point now and the numbers of cancellations would have to start churning through within the next few days, going way way above 100.

[AndyCambs]

Originally Posted by VirginMediaSucks

it's clear that several hundred thousand Virgin Media subscribers are regular Sky One viewers..

As far as I'm aware, BARB don't break down channel viewers by medium (Satellite, cable, Freeview or other means)

[Downloads]

Originally Posted by VirginMediaSucks

That's why I question the "100 per day" figure. Looking at the BARB statistics, it's clear that several hundred thousand Virgin Media subscribers are regular Sky One viewers. Common sense would tell you that the cancellation rate would be higher than 100 per day.

I sort of agree with what you are saying, but i could be seen as an example too. I watched Sky One on a Sunday night for Lost and 24. Now i will just wait till later in the year for those shows and watch other programs instead now.

I agree i suspect it might be higher than 100 a day, but i doubt they would lie to the extend of thousands, thats kind of hard to hide come their next Qs Report and incredibly irresponsible!

Maybe we will be talking about that in a few months! heh

[Cablefan]

Originally Posted by fork me

I don't believe that at all. Nor do I see any reason to believe that.

Because the longer people go without Sky One, the more they'll realise that they don't miss it enough to go through the hassel of changing?

With Sky One being so bad these days, a shadow of its former self, I don't think it will be a case of absence makes the heart grow fonder, more a case of absence makes the heart forget.