General : Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2012) Vol. 2.

[Itshim]

Originally Posted by Perfect Choice

"Firstly Virgin Media ( for the moment) is my provider of choice ,but I fail to see why ANYONE should be forced to use them if they choose not to"

The "force" comment from me was meant to be VM onto BT to at least have neutral status on what is incuded in an agreement with BT on this new channel, since without that, consumers are "forced" to subscribe to BT to gain all features of the channel. Apologies if missleading. Nobody is forcing consumers to subscribe to a channel except Sky (in the case of HD) and maybe BT now IF you want all the features with that channel.
.

Sorry to harp on .As I have stated before I can not understand why anyone should think that a company ( in this case BT) having paid out for a product
( EPL) Should be made to offer it to the competition.
Whom then by the very nature of that offer,will :-
a) undermine the push to draw customers to them
b) Pick up the "service" on the cheap . BT pay X. Virgin pay X-Y
If they wish to off set some of the costs fine but make no sorry.

Clearly Virgin had a choice about EPL and choose not( or in fact choose too) to exercise it, by not buying the rights.

I hope it works out well for all you footie fans and you have not got to make an expense ( Or painful )choice

[andy_m]

Because the platforms aren't available to everyone. BT can buy the rights, but their fibre optic product isn't available to everybody. Part of regulating the sale of the rights has to be to ensure fairness for the end user/ consumer. In general, I agree, BT have stumped up the cash and have the right to benefit from the return their investment brings, but a way has to be found to allow everybody to access the product, otherwise all that's happened is prices for everybody are raised to pay for a product only available to since.

[Itshim]

Originally Posted by andy_m

Because the platforms aren't available to everyone. BT can buy the rights, but their fibre optic product isn't available to everybody. Part of regulating the sale of the rights has to be to ensure fairness for the end user/ consumer. In general, I agree, BT have stumped up the cash and have the right to benefit from the return their investment brings, but a way has to be found to allow everybody to access the product, otherwise all that's happened is prices for everybody are raised to pay for a product only available to since.

Sorry my feeling is tough luck. Life is not fair. no one should expect it to be. As with so many things these days, I want it so I get it ,seems to be the mantra. Like little kids, people seem to think if they scream & kick it will be given to them. Like the recent riots "I want I will get it" syndrome kicks in .
However now I have said that its off my chest.

[andy_m]

Originally Posted by Itshim

Sorry my feeling is tough luck. Life is not fair. no one should expect it to be. As with so many things these days, I want it so I get it ,seems to be the mantra. Like little kids, people seem to think if they scream & kick it will be given to them. Like the recent riots "I want I will get it" syndrome kicks in .
However now I have said that its off my chest.

There's a world of difference between the person that would rather loot a shop than save up for a new pair of trainers, and the person willing to pay to watch football but unable to do so because they cannot physically access the platform that regulation-the very thing which is supposed to safeguard that person-has allowed to buy the rights. That's not a person who wants something for nothing, but a person who wants the same opportunity to access content as most other people.

[Perfect Choice]

There is a difference between commercial advantage and being anti-competitive. On the basis of Itshim comments, winning football viewing rights could mean BT are not forced to offer to other providers and keep an exclusivity, so tough luck view on VM/ESPN not bidding enough? But that crosses over to the anti-competitive situation and that is where it gets dangerous. That said, BT have already said they will be offering the channel to other providers (subject to agreed terms of course). The issue I thought I had started was what happens to complementary services like interactive and HD for that matter. Ofcom do not necessarily consider these as anti-competitive so on that basis, tough luck is the answer and subscribers will need to buy BT Vision in future to get all features, if they are that keen on football, or if they want access to all the channels which BT Vision does not have access to, by both BT Vision and VM or Sky.

Whether you regard this as good competitive practice or market fragmentation at the cost of viewers/subscribers is up to your own individual views.

[Telly_]

Originally Posted by andy_m

There's a world of difference between the person that would rather loot a shop than save up for a new pair of trainers, and the person willing to pay to watch football but unable to do so because they cannot physically access the platform that regulation-the very thing which is supposed to safeguard that person-has allowed to buy the rights. That's not a person who wants something for nothing, but a person who wants the same opportunity to access content as most other people.

There is also a difference between the person that loots a shop for expensive trainers and the person who lives within his means and buys a cheaper pair of trainers.

We can't all drive a Rolls Royce, we can't all go watch live football games at the stadiums, we can't all afford to watch premium sports content. Lives harsh what can I say.

[Itshim]

Originally Posted by Telly Bear

There is also a difference between the person that loots a shop for expensive trainers and the person who lives within his means and buys a cheaper pair of trainers.

We can't all drive a Rolls Royce, we can't all go watch live football games at the stadiums, we can't all afford to watch premium sports content. Lives harsh what can I say.

I fully agree. Its the" I want it, so I MUST & you must give it to me" mind set that gets me!

[Media Boy UK]

Total Channels update.

Sometime since Tuesday night my Total channels has gone down by one to 385 on my V+ HD Box - But no channels has been removed.

You may not know: BT hoping to offer their Footy channel to other networks.

BT – the latest challenger to Sky after Setanta and ESPN – is expected to launch a new sports channel, available on a variety of platforms.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012...bt?CMP=twt_iph

[ken1234]

just too let you know wimbedon home as been addy to the bbc sport with the euro football home with formula 1 home on tivo boxs .

[Itshim]

Originally Posted by ken1234

just too let you know wimbedon home as been addy to the bbc sport with the euro football home with formula 1 home on tivo boxs .

That will keep the BOSS happy. Glad we have two boxes

[denphone]

Originally Posted by ken1234

just too let you know wimbedon home as been addy to the bbc sport with the euro football home with formula 1 home on tivo boxs .

Thanks Ken.

[devilincarnate]

Originally Posted by ken1234

just too let you know wimbedon home as been addy to the bbc sport with the euro football home with formula 1 home on tivo boxs .

You had to spoil my day

[DaMac]

Just to add my two pennys worth before this discussion dies... Sky where "convinced" to let BT carry Sky Sports 1 & 2 even though they had built the premier league and s#ky sports brand up over 17 years or so and spent 100's of millions doing so, if BT don't now make their 38 matches available it wouldn't be very fair would it?

[geordiechris]

Originally Posted by DaMac

Just to add my two pennys worth before this discussion dies... Sky where "convinced" to let BT carry Sky Sports 1 & 2 even though they had built the premier league and s#ky sports brand up over 17 years or so and spent 100's of millions doing so, if BT don't now make their 38 matches available it wouldn't be very fair would it?

Then Sky would be getting a taste of their own medicine when they decide to withhold channels/content to other platforms. And about time too I say (if it does happen )

[Bananaman_007]

BT do not have enough subscribers to keep the content exclusive to them and make it financially viable. They need as many as possible to have access to drive up subscribtions and advert rates. It will be interesting to see what they fill the rest of the channel with. ESPN charge what £10 a month on Sky and have had little uptake and that is with a range of other content as well as premier league football.