General : Coming soon to Virgin TV 2014

[Dave42]

Originally Posted by blue666666

Something that might work out for us virgin media

link http://www.theguardian.com/media/201...kyb-sky-sports

BT wins court battle forcing review of Sky wholesale pricing decision
Court says tribunal should re-examine whether BSkyB should be forced to offer Sky Sports 1 and 2 to rivals at a discount

Mark Sweney
theguardian.com, Monday 17 February 2014 14.36 GMT


BT has won a court battle to force the competition tribunal to re-examine its decision to stop BSkyB being forced to offer Sky Sports 1 and 2 to rivals at a discount Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian
BT has won a court battle to force the competition tribunal to re-examine its decision to stop BSkyB being forced to offer Sky Sports 1 and 2 to rivals at a discount.

In summer 2012 the Competition Appeal Tribunal handed down a scathing judgment concluding that the basis of media regulator Ofcom's decision to force BSkyB to cut the amount it charges rivals to air Sky Sports was "unfounded".

BT challenged this decision and on Monday the court of appeal handed down a judgment forcing the CAT to reopen the issue.

Lord Justice Aikens said that the CAT failed to properly investigate the issue the level of discounts that BSkyB claimed it gave rivals on the ratecard price for its sports channels.

"There remain significant, independent, competition concerns based on the rate-card price and penetration discount, as found by Ofcom," said Aikens. "The reasons that the CAT gave for not considering that matter further were inadequate. I would propose that the matter be remitted to the CAT for further consideration in order that further findings and conclusions may be made in the light of this judgment."

Ofcom proposed to introduce a new pricing structure in March 2010, which would have made Sky Sports 1 and 2 up to 23% cheaper than the previous wholesale price, after determining that BSkyB was abusing its power in the market.

"We are glad that this issue will now be considered afresh and are hopeful that the outcome will finally deliver increased competition in pay-TV which would be in the best interests of consumers," said a spokeswoman for BT. "Ofcom was correct to impose the wholesale must offer ('WMO') on Sky and this remains essential to address the significant competition concerns with Sky's supply of its channels."

BT said that it is still unable to offer Sky Sports 1 and 2 on YouView, the TV service it is banking on building it into a major pay-TV player.

"Sky's refusal to offer access to these channels on reasonable terms causes serious harm to consumers and must be resolved urgently," said BT.

A spokesman for Ofcom, which had its reputation battered by the CAT's original decision, said that it welcomed the decision.

"Ofcom welcomes the court of appeal's decision that the judgment of the Competition Appeal Tribunal failed properly to consider Ofcom's findings that there was ineffective competition in the market," a spokesman said. "Ensuring fair and effective competition in the pay-TV market has always been Ofcom's objective. Ofcom's 2010 decision that Sky must offer premium sports channels to other providers was designed to deliver choice and innovation to consumers through greater competition."

Sky said in a statement: "This does not alter in any way the CAT's fundamental findings, overturning Ofcom, that Sky engaged constructively with other distributors over the supply of its premium sports channels, and that Virgin Media is able to compete effectively with Sky on the basis of Sky's rate card prices.

"Sky continues to believe that Ofcom's 2010 decision is flawed and that the WMO obligation ought properly to be removed, and will continue to pursue all available options to achieve this aim."

---------- Post added at 21:36 ---------- Previous post was at 21:30 ----------

Hopefully we may get cheaper prices at some point but one suspects that the court case will last a long time may be 2015

more chance of snow in hell than us getting cheaper prices

[denphone]

Of that you can be assured Dave.

[Gunslinger]

Originally Posted by Dave42

more chance of snow in hell than us getting cheaper prices

My understanding is that VM have their own deal with Sky, which among other things gives access to Sky Sports 3 and 4.

Unlike BT, VM never put their prices down following the original Ofcom ruling in 2010.

[denphone]

Originally Posted by Gunslinger

My understanding is that VM have their own deal with Sky, which among other things gives access to Sky Sports 3 and 4.

Unlike BT, VM never put their prices down following the original Ofcom ruling in 2010.

And you can be rest assured GS that come the Autumn that prices will rise again for sports subscribers.

[Ben B]

As I recall, VM put the price down of the sports collection for M+ and L viewers to the same rate as XL viewers paid after the last ruling. Since then it has gone up £8+ it's a joke!

[denphone]

In some respects regarding Virgins maze like pricing models and bills and what exactly customers are paying at the end of the day Virgin are no better then the others on that in my humble opinion.

Yes l do remember Virgin saying when the ruling came in it would offer the best prices regarding the sports premium channels but sadly that was all lip service and short on delivery as the sports premium prices seem to be going up relentlessly each year since then.

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by denphone

In some respects regarding Virgins maze like pricing models and bills and what exactly customers are paying at the end of the day Virgin are no better then the others on that in my humble opinion.

Yes l do remember Virgin saying when the ruling came in it would offer the best prices regarding the sports premium channels but sadly that was all lip service and short on delivery as the sports premium prices seem to be going up relentlessly each year since then.

As long as people pay the premiums they'll continue to charge as much as they possibly can.

[denphone]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

As long as people pay the premiums they'll continue to charge as much as they possibly can.

Once we come to the end of our current contract the premium channels will have to go as its £41.50 now a month for sports and movies with the prospect of that rising to around £45 a month around the autumn period and this frankly is now becoming something where it has become so overpriced it does not represent any value at all now wherever if we subscribe to a couple of streaming services that will be around a third of the price and we will get much more for our money and still have money left and we can watch BT Sports still.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

As long as people pay the premiums they'll continue to charge as much as they possibly can.

Exactly.

[rhooton]

Crumbs, only 8 posts to this thread today (nine with mine). How sad considering what happened last year

[denphone]

Its the deep breath before the plunge.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by rhooton

Crumbs, only 8 posts to this thread today (nine with mine). How sad considering what happened last year

In fairness, that's probably because Virgin's now done a great job in signing up a lot of the channels that people want and there's not many more left! Even Premier Sports is on the platform! This year Virgin has also expanded its footprint the most in its existence by the acquisition of Smallworld so it's not resting on its laurels.

The channels on UPC Ireland will probably come over time as deals are harmonised between UPC and Virgin whilst the HD versions of Sky channels and Atlantic will probably require a change of strategy at Sky. The most interesting area ripe for expansion seems to be on-demand so I think it will still prove an interesting year.

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

In fairness, that's probably because Virgin's now done a great job in signing up a lot of the channels that people want and there's not many more left! Even Premier Sports is on the platform! This year Virgin has also expanded its footprint the most in its existence by the acquisition of Smallworld so it's not resting on its laurels.

The channels on UPC Ireland will probably come over time as deals are harmonised between UPC and Virgin whilst the HD versions of Sky channels and Atlantic will probably require a change of strategy at Sky. The most interesting area ripe for expansion seems to be on-demand so I think it will still prove an interesting year.

What about the channels only broadcasting in SmallWorld areas?

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by Media Boy

What about the channels only broadcasting in SmallWorld areas?

They are not exactly 'must have' channels, though, MB.

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

They are not exactly 'must have' channels, though, MB.

Movies 4 Men looks good.