Sky Channels on NTL

Originally Posted by relegationmateri

Hello Virgin, goodbye Sky channels, goodbye contract. Hello Sky+.

Thank god for that. Let me know when so i can have a party. I feel sorry for the Sky forums tho best warn them about Gary

Oh but hang on you will not have been a previously banned user on those forums will you Gary, Well not at first

I am sure it will not be long before the Gary Parson school of bull**** shows it ugly head

[mentalis]

If Sky One disappeared then the only programme I would miss would be 24. I'll just have to ask my Mum to record it for me. She already records some things - which hopefully I will soon be able to do if the V+HD install goes ahead on time.

I enjoy the Simpsons/Futurama but it's not a must have - that's what DVDs are for.

[Ripspark]

http://business.guardian.co.uk/story...rc=rss&feed=24

[Central]

Originally Posted by Ripspark

http://business.guardian.co.uk/story...rc=rss&feed=24

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...1&postcount=61

[albert_the_dog]

will miss stargate atlantis and the odd new episode of the simpsons but i can catch up on channel 4 and bbc2 later


AtD

[Central]

You are all talking like it has already happened.

Lets just see how it goes or a announcement. These things normally sort themselves out

Look what happened with Nickelodeon and Telewest a few years back.

[sherer]

as most people have said this is just about money really and how much Sky can get out of Virgin Media

if Sky only has to provide it's premium channels to other operators how do they classify basic and premium ? Surely Sky One with 24, and the rest would really be a Premium channel

[stelladrinka]

I think the real issue is not whether cable viewers will lose Sky one or not, as it seems pretty certain that to pull that would be a pretty stupid move on Sky's part, or the premium channels (movies, sport etc) which they have to provide, but more whether they will start sharing their HD content. Currently they don't and in the current bad atmosphere are unlikely to soon. All they have to do is not share it with Virgin and sit and wait for customers who have all gone out and shelled out shed loads on their new "HD Ready" TV's to get fed up watching 1 channel of HD content and want more. Their only choice unfortunately will be to go to Sky HD.
I called Telewest last week to see if there was any word about when the current Sky HD content was coming to them and he said that all the current HD channels on Sky will be on cable by the end of Feb. This is clearly a sales pitch as I doubt for one second this is true.
It will be interesting to see what Virgin manage to do about this, or what they start broadcasting themselves, but we can't wait for ever until they stop arguing amongst themselves.

[jfman]

I've seen it suggested on another forum that cable could retaliate by selling Sky Sports and Sky Movies on the TV size M pack at rate card cost to customers taking telephone and broadband packages.

I don't know how much it would be, but I'd guess it will be a whole lot less than the £40 odd Sky charge for sports/movies.

[zovat]

Originally Posted by stelladrinka

I think the real issue is not whether cable viewers will lose Sky one or not, as it seems pretty certain that to pull that would be a pretty stupid move on Sky's part, or the premium channels (movies, sport etc) which they have to provide, but more whether they will start sharing their HD content. Currently they don't and in the current bad atmosphere are unlikely to soon. All they have to do is not share it with Virgin and sit and wait for customers who have all gone out and shelled out shed loads on their new "HD Ready" TV's to get fed up watching 1 channel of HD content and want more. Their only choice unfortunately will be to go to Sky HD.
I called Telewest last week to see if there was any word about when the current Sky HD content was coming to them and he said that all the current HD channels on Sky will be on cable by the end of Feb. This is clearly a sales pitch as I doubt for one second this is true.
It will be interesting to see what Virgin manage to do about this, or what they start broadcasting themselves, but we can't wait for ever until they stop arguing amongst themselves.

Firstly to the forums....

I agree that Virgin will have their work cut on for the moment on getting HD content, however the current cost of Sky HD (£399 for the box +£10/month) means that a large number of people (myself included) are waiting to see what happens..

As long as Virgin can get some deal in place or some additional channels (bearing in mind that Virgin may have access to ITV digital which Sky have not yet got access to) before Sky drop their prices, then I can see it being a pretty even contest.

As ever - just my opinion..

[RealDiamond]

So has any one else seen the advert Sky is running about the channels that they will drop From Virgin Media. SKY ONE was on it. The rest were so crap I didn't care.

[c1rcle]

Do they actually show anything worth watching on Sky One these days? I can't remember the last time I looked at that channel so I doubt I'd miss it if it was pulled altogether.

[Stuart]

There are three series I like on Sky One (24, Lost and Battlestar Galactica). All three are or will be available on DVD. If Sky sulk and pull their channels, I'll just buy the DVDs. Hell, in the case of 24 and BSG, I'll probably buy the DVDs anyway.

I'll admit, there are other series I'd miss, such as The Simpsons and Stargate SG1, but they'll probably be on Channel 4 at some point.

[Taffer]

It might be bad news loosing channels, but for me there are other considerations. I already have the full pack (full TV pack with movies and sport with extra box upstairs, Anytime phone and 10MB BB) and have just ordered the £85 VIP pack with the new V+ drive, which gives me everything I already have plus the V+ drive and a couple of extra phone charge discounts, all for 30-odd quid a month less than I am paying now. If I was to move to Sky I would have to pay about £399 for the [inferior] HD hardrive recorder, a higher price for the channels, goodness knows how much for the extra box and to install a BT line and then the line rental on top of the Virginmedia line rental. There is also the fact that I will have to either pay extra insurance after the guarantee expires or buy a new box if it breaks, whereas with Virginiamedia they fix/replace the box for as long as I am with them.
It might not be ideal but if necessary I will wait and buy the DVDs when they come out (SG1, Atlantis, Battlestar, etc.).

[HappyTrucker]

Hi all. First post here, so accept my apologies if you've read any of these points before.

SKY and VM are competitors in the Digital TV market. This is undeniably true. Both are businesses that need to turn a profit, and try (sometimes aggressively) to obtain/retain customers. However, suerly digital TV is supposed to also benefit the consumer with a wider choice of TV. There are, in some cases, logistical reasons why one service needs to be taken in preference to the other: no cable in the area, tenanting rules forbidding the erection of a dish etc. Surely it would benfit both SKY and VM to work in harmony with one another, each realising that to supply all available channels across both platforms is actually in everyone's interest - even their own.

I'll try to explain. There must be people taking either service who wish they could have the other instead, but are prevented by the previously mentioned logistical reasons. It is't their fault they have to take service A instead of service B. It's the way it is. Maybe, due to all the animosity publicly thrown between these two major players, these people have decided to go to freeview instead, foregoing other channels because they don't want to pay for services that could be withdrawn by a supplier if the other says the fees are too high.

Personally I am a SKY One watcher. At the moment there is a lot of content on the channel worth watching. OK, for 6 months of the year that may not be the case, but I like it nonetheless. I'm lucky enough to live in both a cabled and SKY enabled area so I have no issues. I can view these shows easily. But how do I benefit from the current arguments if I live in an area with cable but prohibitions of SKY dishes? I can't choose to change to SKY instead of VM. Their marketing tactics cannot influence me either way.

Surely in can't be beyond the wit and intelligence of the people running these companies to realise that this isn't VHS and Betamax all over again (this was a battle between 2 rival video cassette fromats for those not old enough to remember. Anyone who isn't sure about the term video cassette is making me feel really old). There won't be one overall winner with the loser fading from existence. There is a need in the UK markets for both suppliers. So maybe they need to drop the attitude and come up with a sensible, cost effective way to work together to increase take-up of DTV. As a result of the increasing customer base, development could move on even quicker if time and effort isn't being poughed into extremely irritating and damaging pi**ing contests that benefit no-one.

As I said, I accept that these are businesses with shareholders who (for some reason) need to cream off the top. However, I urge the two companies to sit down and discuss the problem like adults instead of resorting to childish tactics like "phone VM and tell them you're scared of losing channels". I've seen more mature behaviour in schoolyards. Maybe VM don't accurately realise how big a draw SKY One is. However I think SKY need to realise that in this age of increasing markets, it may not be long before they face very stiff competiton from other channels for the rights to the big programs. If SKY One lose the rights to big shows, Sky has no leverage. It's a Catch 22 for everyone.

So, to finish (finally) - Come on VM and SKY. Sit down and talk sensibly. Realise you both have things lose here and work out a reasonalbe solution to this. The DTV market in this country is governed by various restrictions based on geography/planning laws already. Don't add a 'My Dad's bigger than your Dad' attitude to these restrictions. Think of your customers and work together for the benfit and furtherment of Digital TV in the UK

Rant over, and again, apologies for repeating anything you've read already.

PS: For the record I am currently a SKY+ subscriber, considering moving over to the V+ system. I was originally on cable, but left them due to their falling behind SKY developmentally and an issue regarding the phone line. Current developments are making me look again at cable to supply my DTV. In my case, the SKY One issue is a key factor. However, if SKY begin losing broadcasting rights for the bigger shows, then I'll no longer be held back. Once this is all done and dusted, I'll be calling VM Customer Services and seeing what they can add to my current BB at a reasonable rate.