General : No Sky Atlantic on VM for a "long long time"...

[solitaire]

Sky Atlantic is the channel I would really like, but it's not enough on it's own to make me leave Virgin for Sky, plus the fact that Virgin have much better broadband.

[heavyside]

Originally Posted by solitaire

Sky Atlantic is the channel I would really like, but it's not enough on it's own to make me leave Virgin for Sky, plus the fact that Virgin have much better broadband.

Sums up my feelings in a nutshell.

[denphone]

As Chad said last night in that apart from Sky Atlantic there is no difference in the TV side now and add to that Virgin's better broadband and with also Netflix available to those who want to subscribe and then there is the BT Sports package on the XL pack which makes it the better all round package in my humble opinion.

[Dave42]

Originally Posted by denphone

As Chad said last night in that apart from Sky Atlantic there is no difference in the TV side now and add to that Virgin's better broadband and with also Netflix available to those who want to subscribe and then there is the BT Sports package on the XL pack which makes it the better all round package in my humble opinion.

absolutely makes VM even more better value that sky

[andy_m]

Originally Posted by Taf

I looked at what they are showing on Sky Atlantic, and none of it interested me at all.

The only thing I've watched on Atlantic since I've had Now TV has been True Detective. Did I enjoy it? Yes. Could I live without it? Yes.

[Superblade7]

I'd agree with everyone else on here that Sky Atlantic is definitely overrated.

Just before Xmas I looked into getting an additional V HD box for my bedroom thinking it would be an extra £6.50 per month but due to Virgin's strange bundle structure they said I would have had to upgrade from Essential Family Collection to Premiere Collection at a cost of an extra £13.00 per month to have an additional STB.

At the time I'd recently bought a Now TV box for £10 as I had a Groupon offer for the movies and instead of the extra Virgin STB decided to take out the Now TV Entertainment pack and put the Now TV box in the bedroom (which has saved a little money, so thanks VM!).

Since then I've hardly watched anything on Atlantic as like most people have said, there are a few great shows on there (GoT being my personal fave) but also an awful lot of 'filler' content. I've actually found it more useful to be able to watch a lot of catch up stuff from Sky 1, Sky Living and Fox as well as having access to the Sky basic channels on my tablet.

So despite me previously thinking I'd desperately want Atlantic to come to VM, now I've had access for a few months I can honestly say I'm no longer that fussed. Don't get me wrong, it'd still be great to have it on VM so that we all have access but if Sky were demanding silly money for it, I think VM were correct in their decision to play hardball rather than paying over the odds and having to pass that cost on to us.

Just my thoughts but I think it's like a lot of things that when you don't have them, you really want them. Once you've got them, they just become 'normal' and the excitement dwindles.

[vincerooney]

Spot on super blade I know I'm exactly like that! Wanting what I can't get!

Originally Posted by Superblade7

Just my thoughts but I think it's like a lot of things that when you don't have them, you really want them. Once you've got them, they just become 'normal' and the excitement dwindles.

That's marketing in a nutshell. Make you think you can't live without it so that you buy it, then keep it because it becomes a normal part of your life, even though it turned out not to be so exciting after all.

Some years ago, I sat down and worked out what I was paying per Sky show that I actually watched, and the cost was ridiculous. I cancelled it and haven't been back. I dare say had I still been living in a cabled area and subscribing to NTL (as it was back then) I would as easily have cancelled that for the same reason.

It's an absolute racket. If anything comes on that I really, really want to see, I can buy a box set for less. But that hasn't happened yet. What has happened is, I just watch a lot less telly.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by Superblade7

I'd agree with everyone else on here that Sky Atlantic is definitely overrated.

Just before Xmas I looked into getting an additional V HD box for my bedroom thinking it would be an extra £6.50 per month but due to Virgin's strange bundle structure they said I would have had to upgrade from Essential Family Collection to Premiere Collection at a cost of an extra £13.00 per month to have an additional STB.

At the time I'd recently bought a Now TV box for £10 as I had a Groupon offer for the movies and instead of the extra Virgin STB decided to take out the Now TV Entertainment pack and put the Now TV box in the bedroom (which has saved a little money, so thanks VM!).

Since then I've hardly watched anything on Atlantic as like most people have said, there are a few great shows on there (GoT being my personal fave) but also an awful lot of 'filler' content. I've actually found it more useful to be able to watch a lot of catch up stuff from Sky 1, Sky Living and Fox as well as having access to the Sky basic channels on my tablet.

So despite me previously thinking I'd desperately want Atlantic to come to VM, now I've had access for a few months I can honestly say I'm no longer that fussed. Don't get me wrong, it'd still be great to have it on VM so that we all have access but if Sky were demanding silly money for it, I think VM were correct in their decision to play hardball rather than paying over the odds and having to pass that cost on to us.

Just my thoughts but I think it's like a lot of things that when you don't have them, you really want them. Once you've got them, they just become 'normal' and the excitement dwindles.

Yes, I can identify with your remarks on here.

Sky Atlantic has very few programmes that I would rate as worth watching, but over time, there are a number of series that we have missed out on. I am now resorting to putting box sets for the things I've missed and want to see on my Christmas/birthday lists! That way I don't pay any more, because I do resent making additional payments to those I already make to VM.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by liquidlouis

I had the same coversation with CS. She told me that Sky were asking for £18 per customer for SA. The new owners said there's no way they will pay that and cut off talks. As a work around I've bought the Now Tv box. It's only £4.99pm for the Entertainment pack, has no contract, playable on 4 devices, and you can get a fair bit content.

Apparently, the cost is £1.12 per month per subscriber (see my post in the 'Coming Soon' thread).

Originally Posted by denphone

Whatever she told you bud one suspects her nose grew longer then Pinocchio afterwards.

Well, if the CS rep. meant £18 per YEAR, it's not too far out from £1.12 per month if you add on the VAT, but I agree with your sentiment that CS often talk off the hoof. Senior management are aware of this and believe that they do it "because they panic".

Originally Posted by Maggy J

Eventually all the shows on Sky channels will be shown elsewhere..I can wait..

Those are exactly my sentiments too Maggy.

Sky Atlantic is a Market Differentiator / USP for Sky - it's totally understandable for Sky to act in the way they are.

Business is Business.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by Hugh

Sky Atlantic is a Market Differentiator / USP for Sky - it's totally understandable for Sky to act in the way they are.

Business is Business.

I disagree, Hugh. It's just not cricket.

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

I disagree, Hugh. It's just not cricket.

It isn't cricket at all. It is the highly competitive business of pay TV. Sky has invested money in an exclusive product that it hopes will attract customers. People taking their pay TV through a service provider other than Sky have no right to expect Sky's own channels to appear on it. For them to do so, a commercial agreement that is acceptable to the channel owner and the platform owner to be in place.

[gizuk]

Originally Posted by Chris

It isn't cricket at all. It is the highly competitive business of pay TV. Sky has invested money in an exclusive product that it hopes will attract customers. People taking their pay TV through a service provider other than Sky have no right to expect Sky's own channels to appear on it. For them to do so, a commercial agreement that is acceptable to the channel owner and the platform owner to be in place.

Highly competitive is extremely subjective. Sky have built up a dominant position based on years of no competition. They have continually abused this dominant position to the detriment of customers and competitors. This is the reason OFCOM stepped in (eventually, and in my opinion FAR too late) and introduced the various rate cards that now exist.

[Doug P]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

I disagree, Hugh. It's just not cricket.

SA is a disproportionate price rise for one channel.