HD : Is BT a threat to Virgin Media

[andy_m]

In layman's terms, Muppetman, you'd need an extra box alongside your youview box, and a really good broadband connection?

[Telly_]

To be honest I think BT is a threat to all, I would imagine Sky's current 5 year view sees virginmedia dropping in importance and TALKTALK and BT fighting for second place.

In some ways Youview in a good thing for sky. Their are millions of households in the UK without payTv, with Youview sky get a presence in those home with minimal investment.

You now have freeview viewers with Sky content on their main screen just the touch of a button away and available instantly. Imagine , it's a wet Friday evening you want a movie can't be bothered to go to blockbusters, just take sky movies with no contract access to 100's of new blockbuster films for a whole month not 1 night.

I know I'm getting a Youview box , an I live in a cabled area and have sky.

[denphone]

Originally Posted by Telly_

To be honest I think BT is a threat to all, I would imagine Sky's current 5 year view sees virginmedia dropping in importance and TALKTALK and BT fighting for second place.

In some ways Youview in a good thing for sky. Their are millions of households in the UK without payTv, with Youview sky get a presence in those home with minimal investment.

You now have freeview viewers with Sky content on their main screen just the touch of a button away and available instantly. Imagine , it's a wet Friday evening you want a movie can't be bothered to go to blockbusters, just take sky movies with no contract access to 100's of new blockbuster films for a whole month not 1 night.

I know I'm getting a Youview box , an I live in a cabled area and have sky.

Why are you so anti Virgin in your posts Telly?.

[Telly_]

Originally Posted by andy_m

In layman's terms, Muppetman, you'd need an extra box alongside your youview box, and a really good broadband connection?

Just like iplayerHD or love film / netflix HD a 3mb connection will be ok but 5mb+ is better. For recording 2 streams in HD maybe 6.5mb. I know a family that use netflIx on ADSL 7mb an they can watch 2 different movies on separate devices at the same time no problem.

---------- Post added at 16:14 ---------- Previous post was at 16:13 ----------

Originally Posted by denphone

Why are you so anti Virgin in your posts Telly?.

Youll need to point out direct anti virgin comments,Some users struggle when any none negative sky comment is made an go into a frenzy.

But try to find me saying virgin is crap, or virgin is unreliable or anything like that.Even the post you quote is not anti virgin. The reason virgin could drop from second place is the potential reach or talktalk and BT is bigger than virgins. Unless virgin start reselling Openreach products.

[andy_m]

@telly so potentially possible for most, but you'd still need an extra stb?

[jamiefrost]

Can't se them being a true threat until the average broadband speed increases to a point where the ability to watch and record more than two streams becomes possible. There is also an issue with multiple TVs where this just will not work as I understand it so multi room is a no go as well.

Even then don't try and do anything else with your connection, good luck gaming while trying to view / record multiple streams.

J

Originally Posted by Telly_

Just like iplayerHD or love film / netflix HD a 3mb connection will be ok but 5mb+ is better. For recording 2 streams in HD maybe 6.5mb. I know a family that use netflIx on ADSL 7mb an they can watch 2 different movies on separate devices at the same time no problem.

---------- Post added at 16:14 ---------- Previous post was at 16:13 ----------





Youll need to point out direct anti virgin comments,Some users struggle when any none negative sky comment is made an go into a frenzy.

But try to find me saying virgin is crap, or virgin is unreliable or anything like that.Even the post you quote is not anti virgin. The reason virgin could drop from second place is the potential reach or talktalk and BT is bigger than virgins. Unless virgin start reselling Openreach products.

You appear to confuse "non-negative sky comment" with "even Sky Marketing aren't as slavishly pro-sky as me".....

btw, the "anti-virgin comments" include

Originally Posted by Telly_

I don't think Virginmedia employee many "engineers" either directly or via sub-con. You could always apply for a job as a "forward path attenuator" fitter though, they seem to employ hundreds of them

Originally Posted by Telly_

You had to pull out he bag in 2 weeks like it or lump it else risk a mass exodus to Sky. Also why else make a big deal about the only place to see the content was via the TiVo app if you weee ways providing linear channels?VM would of known about the 48 channels the same day freesat, BBC, an Sky did so you all have the same amount of time. I think sky had more work to create them thn Virgin did streaming them all vm do is redistribute the Sky provided sat streams.

Originally Posted by Telly_

Evidence of what? If you've left sky but still have the equipment can you watch the Olympic channels for free? YES

If you have frees at can you watch the Olympic channels for free? Yes

If you have Left virginmedia but still have a box can you watch the Olympic channels for free? NO

That's just fact no need to provide evidence but virginmedias increasing obvious desperation is becoming embarrassing.

Originally Posted by Telly_

Well virgin intended to only let TiVo customers access to various streams via the TiVo app. But thanks to Sky now all VM customers will have access so I'm not surprised that Vm staff aren't to happy.

Originally Posted by Telly_

Well wether its made up of Swap-outs, Up sells or brandnew customers that's a great mile stone for VM to have hit.

I believe the first beta testers had TiVo in October 2009 frist retail customers February/March 2010 so that's not bad for 29 months. (Factually incorrect)

I believe its not as good as Sky's 2.5 million HD boxes in homes within 12 months of launch but still very very good.

Originally Posted by Telly_

As a Sky customer I love this lol, I'm posting it on every forum I know that has an interest in ISP's. Sky's broadband is truly unlimited and it has proven now that virginmedia actually do not comprehend what unlimited means lol.

This is the biggest back fire ever lOlollmao an convinces me virginmedia think the average customer is an idiot.

Originally Posted by Telly_

Does anyone know when the 2 year old Virginmedia Superhub will come out of beta?

Originally Posted by Telly_

So it seems we are all in agreement, Virginmedia will never match Sky for high quality live TV content.

[Telly_]

Originally Posted by Hugh

You appear to confuse "non-negative sky comment" with "even Sky Marketing aren't as slavishly pro-sky as me".....

btw, the "anti-virgin comments" include

All you've done is basically highlighted comments I made deliberately mirroring comments made about Sky, Infact I believe it was you who made the comment about Sky needing 48 Olympic channels or risk a mass exodus to Virgin(May or been Stuart).

Look carefully I have deliberately mirrored statements made on here about Sky, Just to see when they were returned what the replies would be.

But they're not really negative, more unqualified opinion. [ADMIN EDIT - rep discussion removed] , In my office we get the impression VM are feeling like a headless chicken right now. Not quite sure where they fit in the market over the next 5 years, where is thier strength, the USP?


---------- Post added at 19:21 ---------- Previous post was at 19:19 ----------

Originally Posted by andy_m

@telly so potentially possible for most, but you'd still need an extra stb?

I don't see Youview being capable of recording NowTV if thats what you're asking.

[andy_m]

It is. Cheers.

---------- Post added at 19:30 ---------- Previous post was at 19:28 ----------

On that basis can you really see it being a mass market threat to Virgin based on access to Sky content alone? After all, by virtue of the fact that I have internet access, I also have access to Now TV, just not through my stb.

[Telly_]

Originally Posted by andy_m

It is. Cheers.

---------- Post added at 19:30 ---------- Previous post was at 19:28 ----------

On that basis can you really see it being a mass market threat to Virgin based on access to Sky content alone? After all, by virtue of the fact that I have internet access, I also have access to Now TV, just not through my stb.

Yes because it will be ondemand.............Didnt record a movie? So what just go watch it right now ondemand.

PayTV is changing fast in the UK, Once people didint like PVR as they liked their hard copy on VHS, Now they like digital recordings. Next its full ondemand.

Broadband internet speeds in the UK have changed in 3 years, areas that had an average speed of 2mb now have access to 80Mb. In 5 years time it will be evolved even more. Some users will wants a PVR just as some wanted VHS years ago.

But its changing, in 5 years you won't record much or even watch much live TV, its all about content rights. Ondemand rights are different, you dont see Lovefilm or Netflix being FORCED to give VM or Sky their content. The future of pay tv is very very different to how it is now.

You can keep saying half the UK doesnt have fast BB, well it does..VM cover 14 million homes although only 4 million take their services, Open reach is rolling out fibre to thousands of homes A DAY. In 5 years it will be the norm to have 40mb+. If ya think I'm worng come back in 2017 an tell me via your "Insert any name" cable connection lol.

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by andy_m

It is. Cheers.

---------- Post added at 19:30 ---------- Previous post was at 19:28 ----------

On that basis can you really see it being a mass market threat to Virgin based on access to Sky content alone? After all, by virtue of the fact that I have internet access, I also have access to Now TV, just not through my stb.

The Sky Movies pass on Now TV offers both Sky Movie Channels and the movies On Demand , I would imagine a similar scenario for the entertainment content (ie Sky Atlantic , Living , One and Arts) meaning people don't need to watch live and sport well you want that live anyway.

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by denphone

Why are you so anti Virgin in your posts Telly?.

He's trying to promote Sky and thinks negativity towards Virgin will help? It's hard to think of any other reason.

[Telly_]

Originally Posted by passingbat

He's trying to promote Sky and thinks negativity towards Virgin will help? It's hard to think of any other reason.

I disagree, Virgin have some good products.

TiVo seems to be working well for them with 1 million sales, Superfast broadband(although limited with STM and traffic management) Ondemand.

Virginmedia offers a great choice and alternative to other providers, where its future lies only Virgin knows.

[andy_m]

I haven't once said the UK doesn't have fast broadband. Fair points from telly and Muppetman about now TV being on demand, so there won't be much need to record the content. My point is that you don't have to have youview to access now TV, it's just one way to do so. I'm a Virgin customer and have access to Now TV, and in the event that Bt cable my area I'll look at youview, but access to content I can already access by virtue of the fact that I have a decent broadband package won't be enough to make me switch.

[carlwaring]

Originally Posted by Telly_

...where is thier strength, the USP?

I would say Tivo and OnDemand.

Originally Posted by Telly_

...you dont see Lovefilm or Netflix being FORCED to give VM or Sky their content.

That would be because those companies neither own nor produce the content they have

(Yes. I know he won't see my comment as he's 'ignoring' me but that doesn't stop me pointing out any stupid comments he makes )

I don't think OnDemand will take over from broadcast TV until all the content that is currently broadcast on TV is made available OnDemand. Not only that but they'd have to make navigating content - ie FF/REW - more responsive.