Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010) Vol. II

[Arthurgray50@blu]

Someone has mentioned about HD channels on Sky, they pay for BUT XL VM customers get it free - look at it this way Sky are not stupid, they will scrap the £10 fee, so that they will get more customers, and they WILL put the price up in Sept to cover this.

[joff81]

Originally Posted by devilincarnate

They may not do it for xl customers ? but may do it for the vip customers as the package seems to heve been devalued as of late ?

lets remember that SKY dont set the prices that we as VM customers pay and also that VM set the Channel listings for their packages and not SKY.
both the VIP and XL packages were devalued (channels moved to lower packages) to allow for the XL pack to have all the HD content that VM have access to. the VIP pack is only the XL pack with Sky Sports and Sky movies throw in nothing more so in essence you are only paying extra for SKY`s premium content like SKY cuystomers do.

i cant see VM removing channels from the XL pack just make the VIP pack look more attractive as a good majority of VM tv Customers are on XL TV and to remove channels espeically HD content will drive customers away especially after the big advertising campaign.
VM will have two options and that is to either absorb any extra cost for content (Sky/HD basics) and allow the content for free on XL/VIP tv packages. the other option is to increase prices on the packages that will get the new channels/content (this will probably effect XL/VIP TV packages only). this price increase will take place as a general price rise like we got in March rather than an actual subcription to a HD package like SKY crrrently do.

saying all this it all depnend on what the fine details of the agreement state and we wont know this until everything sorts itself out and the channels start coming. one thing for sure is that SSP and SKY movies will only be available on VIP or as a subcription like the SD varients are now.

[zantarous]

Sky don't set the prices but they can stipulate the package that a channel will go into like they do with Sky One. Also absorbing the cost is probably not a wise thing to do, remember when the Sky basic fiasco happened Sky were claiming that all they wanted was a 1p increase per day per subscriber which would run into the millions. And it would put Sky at a huge disadvantage.

Although I can see the Sky adverts already "All four Sky Sports channels in HD only on Sky."

[Nook29]

This weeks live sport on ESPN.

[joff81]

Originally Posted by zantarous

Sky don't set the prices but they can stipulate the package that a channel will go into like they do with Sky One. Also absorbing the cost is probably not a wise thing to do, remember when the Sky basic fiasco happened Sky were claiming that all they wanted was a 1p increase per day per subscriber which would run into the millions. And it would put Sky at a huge disadvantage.

Although I can see the Sky adverts already "All four Sky Sports channels in HD only on Sky."

yes Sky can stipulate which packages get which channels but lets remember that the VIP package is still the XL TV pack at its base topped up with Sky Sports and Sky Movies so any channels added will be added to the XL TV package.

also i think VM would run into a lot of trouble if they removed HD channels from their packages and started charging a subcription fee for HD channels. the reason being is VM have just ahad a big ad campaign for free HD and all those new customers will be able to cancel their subcription as VM would be in breach of contract. i would not be happy if i had just signed up for 12 month on the basis of getting HD for no extra charge and then VM removed them or tried to charge a sub for them.

VM have stated here that there will be no change to the current packages
http://www.virginmedia.com/myvirginm...nnels-sale.php

we will still get what we do today but any additional channels may be charged for. this is good as it means we loose nothing to a subsription fee.

[HDFootyMan]

Originally Posted by joff81

yes Sky can stipulate which packages get which channels but lets remember that the VIP package is still the XL TV pack at its base topped up with Sky Sports and Sky Movies so any channels added will be added to the XL TV package.

also i think VM would run into a lot of trouble if they removed HD channels from their packages and started charging a subcription fee for HD channels. the reason being is VM have just ahad a big ad campaign for free HD and all those new customers will be able to cancel their subcription as VM would be in breach of contract. i would not be happy if i had just signed up for 12 month on the basis of getting HD for no extra charge and then VM removed them or tried to charge a sub for them.

VM have stated here that there will be no change to the current packages
http://www.virginmedia.com/myvirginm...nnels-sale.php
.

No, they say that "there will be no change to the TV service you receive from us."

It doesn't mean that there will be no change to the prices for that service.

[Mikey1981]

I think and HOPE things will stay as they are regarding prices, not sure if there is a HD sub for those below XL but if not I expect one to be created. £10 to get Hd versions of the channels in your pack e.g M+ would get you Sky1hd E4HD etc Large would include Nat Geo and Discovery (not sure whats in each pack just examples) but XL and above will continue to get free HD If you subscribe and pay for Movies & Sports you will get HD versions as long as you are on XL below this there maybe a charge, this way lets face it the majority of subscribers would move to the top pack and get free HD.

This is only my opinion I have no idea what will happen but if when this happens 30% move up to XL from M,M+ or L Virgin wouldn't need to charge for Sky HD channels they would have made this money in subs.

[joff81]

Originally Posted by HDFootyMan

No, they say that "there will be no change to the TV service you receive from us."

It doesn't mean that there will be no change to the prices for that service.

like i said VM cant just turn round and say "we are now charging you for HD Channels on a subcription basis" it goes against the advertising campaign and VM would be in breach of contract.
the only way VM can increase prices is by offering more on the tv packages and then saying "due to increasing costs XX TV packages is increasing in price by £XX".

as VM have stated there will no change to the current channel listings so we will not loose anything we currently have that includes HD channels we get for no extra fee.

to be honest i dont expect to see much of a change in terms of extra channels other than the Sky HD Basics being added fof no extra cost just like we get Sky SD Basics included for no extra cost. the big change is going to be SKY Sports and movies premium packs as those will be getting the HD channels added to them as well as an altered price point.

remember for SKY and VM to get this deal both parties would need to have as little impact on customers as possible in terms of price or risk loosing customers especially VM with thier new HD customers.

[jtaylor06]

Who knows, it could gain a lot of revenue and they may not have to consider changing prices

[HDFootyMan]

The press release refers to a incremental wholesale option for VM to have the Sky HD channels.

VM have done a similar deal with ESPN - as I understand it (or, read it somewhere), for every customer on XL, VM pay ESPN £2.50 per month.

So, the charge for the Sky Basic HD channels could be buried within the XL charge (and remember - XL went up by £1.50 per month recently. The phone rental went up by £1.00 per month too).

If VM do that, Sky must surely drop their HD charge. Asking their customers £10 per month for HD when VM have it for 'free' (along with Sky 1 HD) seems daft from Sky's view, especially now their main UPS is gone.

If they don't, they'll surely want VM to have some kind of Sky HD charge for VM customers in order to make their own HD offering an attractive option compared to VM.

Either way, Sky will do what's best for them, regardless of what VM put on their own website or what VM have said in their adverts. If that means forcing VM to charge for any HD, so be it, not their problem.

[gregpegg]

The only channel I am interested in is Sky 1 HD. I do not sunscribe to movies or sport so having HD makes no difference. There is as usual lots of speculation as to what is happening and how much it will cost, we shall just have to wait and see and then decide waht to do. No one is forcing anybody to take extra channels if they are at a premium price.

[i love virgin]

When are we going to hear anything about Prices?

[gadge]

Originally Posted by HDFootyMan

If VM do that, Sky must surely drop their HD charge. Asking their customers £10 per month for HD when VM have it for 'free' (along with Sky 1 HD) seems daft from Sky's view, especially now their main UPS is gone.

True i said a similar thing over at ds sky know full well that they have given away their USP but in the contracts could say to vm to make a small charge for the premium sports and movies in hd then wham drop their own hd sub then sky would get their USP back saying we now offer free hd instead of virgin.Might sound stupid but it could happen.

[Hom3r]

Originally Posted by i love virgin

When are we going to hear anything about Prices?

The chances are the HD channels will be free if you have a V+ box.

This is assuming as well that you subscribe to the Movies & Sports channels aswell.

Originally Posted by Hom3r

The chances are the HD channels will be free if you have a V+ box.

This is assuming as well that you subscribe to the Movies & Sports channels aswell.

Why would you think that?