BBC iPlayer goes HD, time to drop STM - Page 3

Jonathan90 · 23-04-2009, 13:11

Couldn't virgin do some kind of deal with bbc like local caching virgin end then they save on bandwidth

BenMcr · 23-04-2009, 13:26

That's been mentioned before - people complained that it would break net neutrality

Stuart · 23-04-2009, 13:52

I don't know if anything came out of it, but the BBC did talk about doing this. Not sure if Virgin would like it though. While it would reduce the strain on their network, they might view it as potential competition for the Cable TV iplayer which they are using to sell Cable TV.

cook1984 · 23-04-2009, 16:58

I think the bottom line is that VM really can't keep claiming that their service is "unlimited" now, as there are very clear limits on the amount of iPlayer, for that matter any streaming TV service you can watch. 1 hour of programming in an evening is hardly excessive or limited to 5% of customers.

Hopefully my latest complaint to the ASA will now be irrefutable, but to be honest I'm not convinced they have the level of understanding required to realise that. That's why I'm banking on the limited amount of time watching TV will put it in terms they can understand.

BenMcr · 23-04-2009, 17:16

Even if you are right all the ASA can do is stop Virgin from using the 'unlimited' term. They can't make them change anything else

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Also Virgin only advertise as the 50Mbit service as suitable for HD streaming

http://allyours.virginmedia.com/html...d_content.html

cook1984 · 24-04-2009, 13:55

From the sounds of the problems people have been having with STM speeds dramatically dropping that claim is probably false too.

Ignitionnet · 24-04-2009, 16:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by weesteev

Why is nobody mentioning the download option? If STM is such a chore, even on the 2Mb service, then why not donwload the iplayer content and watch it at your leisure?

Some people when they see something on iPlayer want to watch it straight away, watching at their leisure being right now.

Let's cut the crap here shall we, you know as well as I do, or perhaps not going by previous posts, that all cable operators see themselves as content providers and will use whatever limitations they can get away with in order to ensure their customers use their monetised methods, VoD, PPV, to access that content.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by BenMcr

I do hope you're getting paid extra for posts like this on here Ben. Given that you're a call centre guy in Manchester this can't be part of your normal job description so definitely some customer re-education work in your own time is worth some cash.

BenMcr · 24-04-2009, 17:06

You told me I had been place on your Ignore list. I suggest you put me back on there if you don't like what I say

mcmanic · 24-04-2009, 19:58

i suppose seeing VM provide iplayer free on their tv services that they actually give a toss if people are getting STM on the BB side of things.

AndyCambs · 24-04-2009, 20:09

Why not introduced a metered tariff - similar to your gas or electric meter for example? Then you could download as much as you wanted - provided you paid for the extra?

Turkey Machine · 24-04-2009, 20:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndyCambs

Why not introduced a metered tariff - similar to your gas or electric meter for example? Then you could download as much as you wanted - provided you paid for the extra?

What, like they already do for mobile broadband (which by the way if you go over the allotted bandwidth you pay for, can be charged up to about Â£1 or Â£2 a megabyte - upwards of Â£1000 a gigabyte)? Sure, just open the floodgates for them to make more money from us feckless idiots.

dave6x · 24-04-2009, 20:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndyCambs

Why not introduced a metered tariff - similar to your gas or electric meter for example? Then you could download as much as you wanted - provided you paid for the extra?

Interestingly back in 2005 NTL were proposing to do just that, introducing 10Mb as standard with different tiers of usage packages being made available. Of course it never did happen, far too sensible an idea!!!!

See CF news item on the proposal here:
http://www.cableforum.co.uk/article/...ed-as-standard

Ignitionnet · 24-04-2009, 21:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndyCambs

Why not introduced a metered tariff - similar to your gas or electric meter for example? Then you could download as much as you wanted - provided you paid for the extra?

Would cost Virgin too much money. A number of people with low usage who are presently paying 20 quid a month go onto the new tier and pay less.

VM also claim to be unable to offer us a facility to track our usage - this would be absolutely required with a metered tariff.

Not going to happen, would cost VM money, people would complain like crazy, just look at the fallout from the Time Warner trials.

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/101942

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenMcr

You told me I had been place on your Ignore list. I suggest you put me back on there if you don't like what I say

You're off ignore, but VM have plenty enough spokespeople and PR men without you joining in. Suggest you look at a couple of recent posts by other members of staff, both helpful, informative, yet accepting of criticism and not deeply up the company's backside. Appreciate the assistance you provide here, unsure if it's necessary to be putting down your customers because they disagree with or give criticism to your employer, you come across as a VM spokesperson at times.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonathan90

Couldn't virgin do some kind of deal with bbc like local caching virgin end then they save on bandwidth

That won't help, the VM<>BBC bandwidth isn't the issue it's from the edge of VM's network to the customer's cable modem that's the issue.

Turkey Machine · 24-04-2009, 21:51

I'm also curious as to whether STB VOD counts towards your broadband bandwidth usage and thus STM limit.

Ignitionnet · 24-04-2009, 22:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turkey Machine

I'm also curious as to whether STB VOD counts towards your broadband bandwidth usage and thus STM limit.

STB VoD doesn't use the broadband internet network. You do talk back to the VoD servers via the same equipment however the VoD itself is delivered as some transport streams on the video network, not IPTV.

Also STM works (basically) on the MAC addresses of devices. The STB will not have the same MAC as the modem so any STB activity, interactive, VoD, etc, will not count in any way towards the modem's STM counters.