General : Virgin Media & UKTV+ITV Channels

[oxfordmark]

Originally Posted by denphone

Because not having ITV's bouquet of channels on there would be like signing your own long suicide note IMO so it won't happen..

So why haven't VM got this deal sorted?

After the debacle of UKTV, you would think they would nip this in the bud!

[denphone]

Originally Posted by Dave42

people would have said that before last weekend about uktv too

But UKTV is not ITV in scale Dave.

---------- Post added at 11:57 ---------- Previous post was at 11:55 ----------

Originally Posted by oxfordmark

So why haven't VM got this deal sorted?

After the debacle of UKTV, you would think they would nip this in the bud!

l suspect they are very close to a deal as its inevitable there will be some sabre rattling on both sides as that is not the first time it has happened and it won't be the last.

[Gavin78]

Well I've looked at sky Q box 1tb with kids tv, HD channels and box sets for £35 a month. keep Broadband only with VM says 350mb £48 a month on site but might get a deal with being a customer already.

It works out £11 a month more over my current package to go with sky so we'll see what happens

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by Gavin78

Well I've looked at sky Q box 1tb with kids tv, HD channels and box sets for £35 a month. keep Broadband only with VM says 350mb £48 a month on site but might get a deal with being a customer already.

It works out £11 a month more over my current package to go with sky so we'll see what happens

I struggle to see why any average home user would need access to 350mb.

[dodgem22]

VM really need to start some damage limitation here. I wonder if any prospective new customers for VM have decided not to risk it because of the ITV rumours and the UKTV debacle.

Also Tv player have now enabled the UKTV channels on Roku devices as a direct response to the VM V UKTV spat. Although you cant record or have on demand yet.

I really was hoping they could kiss and make up but it is not looking like they will. They are both contradicting each other on Twitter.

VM We are still in discussions mmmmmm no you are not says UKTV.

Heads should roll......

[Chad]

Originally Posted by dodgem22

VM really need to start some damage limitation here. I wonder if any prospective new customers for VM have decided not to risk it because of the ITV rumours and the UKTV debacle.

Totally agree. It's been a bad week of press with many articles linking to their previous dispute with SKY and their channels being removed in the past. Would certainly put me off signing up not knowing when their next channel dispute is going to happen and if I'm going to lose my favourite channels randomly at some point. Too risky.

[Gavin78]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

I struggle to see why any average home user would need access to 350mb.

There is around 4 people in the house using the internet at anyone time, personal preference and well why not.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by Chad

Totally agree. It's been a bad week of press with many articles linking to their previous dispute with SKY and their channels being removed in the past. Would certainly put me off signing up not knowing when their next channel dispute is going to happen and if I'm going to lose my favourite channels randomly at some point. Too risky.

And you would not be alone Chad, this was my point about the real damage being yet to come.

Many people have expressed the same sentiment and will mention it to friends & family when the subject comes up.

Even if this were all sorted out tomorrow, the product has now been seriously undermined and their brand name has been tainted.

I'm surprised that Richard Branson hasn't complained about this as this could also taint other Virgin branded companies by association; many people still think that it is Richard Branson who owns VM.

---------- Post added at 14:09 ---------- Previous post was at 13:59 ----------

Originally Posted by Dave42

Virgin Media’s reliance on third party content means it was unwise to force a public spat with UKTV

http://www.seenit.co.uk/virgin-media...pat-with-uktv/

I agree with everything he says. VM have boxed themselves in and made a huge tactical mistake by doing this and forcing the issue. There will now be repercussions both now and in the future, whether they back down or give in.

I see the only viable solution being to replace senior staff to start a process of damage limitation, however, John Malone has a reputation for shaking things up and getting his own way.

Maybe VM will eventually have to be sold at a knock form price?

Some have suggested that VM will pull out of TV altogether, which I disagree with. VM makes little from selling TV, the service is mainly there to compete with other triple play operators so that they can make money from BB and telephone line rental.

This is so important to them that VM actually loose £2 a month per customer on the lowest TV pack and this is not taking into account the cost of the STB (now being given away for free without a customer contribution), depreciation, repair costs, customer support etc.

[Gavin78]

Thats the problem with sky anything above the 1tb box you have to buy at £200 and then there is the insurance cost to replace or repair the box in the event of a fault

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by Gavin78

Thats the problem with sky anything above the 1tb box you have to buy at £200 and then there is the insurance cost to replace or repair the box in the event of a fault

The box is replaced free of charge with Sky Q if there's a fault.

[oxfordmark]

Originally Posted by Gavin78

Thats the problem with sky anything above the 1tb box you have to buy at £200 and then there is the insurance cost to replace or repair the box in the event of a fault

TO get UHD you need Sky Multiscreen too which takes the cost of the equipment down to £65

---------- Post added at 15:42 ---------- Previous post was at 15:07 ----------

So I called VM and the guy said they are allowing early terminations as good will.

He said he would move me to basic TV so i could get BB for £34. But when i worked out TV with Sky, the total came to more.

When I called back to cancel the BB too, they offered me a BB only price price that matched the total with Sky. So i am having Sky TV (Sports, Cinema, all HD channels) and VM BB.

I felt bad doing it, do not know why. But i feel VM are only in it for BB (they even said they were not investing in TV as much a few years back.

[dodgem22]

3 year deal for itv done according to the Sun https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/68811...being-dropped/

Now all they need is a deal with UKTV I hope

[denphone]

They obviously did not want to sign the longest suicide note in history..

[warrenb]

Originally Posted by denphone

They obviously did not want to sign the longest suicide note in history..

To be honest for a lot of people I think that has already been signed, still huge wait times for retentions on the phones.

[denphone]

More on the ITV/Virgin deal.

The deal, which will result in a new commercial relationship between the two companies, includes an "expanded range of ITV content across Virgin Media", as well as an increased presence and additional promotion for the ITV brand on its packages.

Tom Mockridge, CEO of Virgin Media, said: "This is the start of a positive new chapter for ITV and Virgin Media, forging a deeper relationship.

“With an expanded range of fantastic programming and services, our customers can now enjoy more ITV than ever before.”