General : Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 3.

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by johnasimmons

Make of it what you will but I have been around a few other forums and the same message seems to be coming over from VirginMedia customer service:

"We have definitely got BT Sports. We had to hold out the longest to get the best deal and should be no price change for those on top tier packages. Official announcement confirming this expected by the end of next week"

Just to throw a probably unpopular thought into the discussions here: If VM have done a deal to include BT sports FOC in XL and VIP, I would imagine it will have cost them more than they were paying ESPN. That would deplete available funds for the missing non sports channels that everyone is clamouring for, namely Sky Atlantic and Universal HD. Do they become even less of a future possibility for addition to VM?

[Horizon]

Originally Posted by thegrid

I had read that elsewhere as well but I wanted to see if somebody else could confirm it. I had a feeling this would happen. I'm gonna remain skeptical until it's confirmed in writing...but things may be starting to look up!

You should remain skeptical, a lot of rubbish is floating around.

Perhaps most people on this thread are unaware that Liberty Global, who now own VM, had their Q2 results webcast yesterday.

Mike Fries, Liberty's CEO, mentioned BT Sports and in a nutshell, there is no agreement for the BT sports channels to come onto cable.

Fries explained that he invited BT's CEO and Sky's CEO to meet him and the new VM management board in London last week. Despite the face-to-face contact, no agreement was reached to get the BT channels. Fries hopes to get them in the future but only at the right price, as he perceives it to be.

Another interesting tit bit was to do with Horizon, Liberty's own cable box software which is launching in Ireland and Germany now. Fries explained that he demoed a cloud based version of Horizon, with the hope of eventually doing away with cable boxes altogether.

[gba93]

Originally Posted by young_timbo

agreed.

tell Colin too that. let's not forget he stated it all, afterall. i don't want to get the blame (again)

If I recall correctly you originally started it by calling MB a liar which didn't enamour you to the vast majority of forum members and blotted your copybook for future posts - but luckily as you are now "giving it a rest" we can all go back to respecting each others contribution even if we don't agree with it

[thegrid]

Originally Posted by passingbat

Just to throw a probably unpopular thought into the discussions here: If VM have done a deal to include BT sports FOC in XL and VIP, I would imagine it will have cost them more than they were paying ESPN. That would deplete available funds for the missing non sports channels that everyone is clamouring for, namely Sky Atlantic and Universal HD. Do they become even less of a future possibility for addition to VM?

Perhaps but, it could also cause a surge of customers to move to XL which would increase profit..It's all swings and roundabouts

[howardmicks]

Originally Posted by passingbat

I could be wrong (apologies if so) but from your earlier posts regarding your conversation with the CEO's office, it seems as if a deal is going to happen; the information you got was enough to make you stay rather than switch to Sky, which at the time, you were on the verge of doing. But given that other people are moving to Sky, which surely the CEO's office know about and should be concerned about, what is the hold up? Did they give you an explanation or a hint of what it is?

It seems strange that VM CEO's office could persuade you to stay, whilst seeing other customers defecting to Sky. Something doesn't add up.

Soz for the delay been offline,you are right I was on the verge of moving back to sky.over the years I had all 3 providers and out of the 3 I do prefer vm.it wasnt the fact we lost espn it was the fact we lost 4 big channels that have devalued the xl pack and quite frankly the VIP as well and still waiting for sky Atlantic and universal hd just to name a couple.A certain person no here as twisted what some of us as said regarding alternatives,NOTHING CAN REPLACE ESPN BAT BT SPORTS but I was disappointed that vm didn't sign up a couple of the big missing channels especially sky Atlantic whilst they are still in talks.Again these were by no means ADEQUATE REPLACEMENTS but it certainly would have proven talks eventually get somewhere.
My change of heart is down to a number of things loyalty,customer service,tivo and the all round package,I always believe loyalty is rewarded and regarding customer service there are not many companies out there that when you send a email to the ceo's office and you get a response let alone a phone call,sky don't do it and bt certainly don't.
When I received my call I was hopenly honest was listened to and whilst nothing was guaranteed she was at least honest made notes and actually very complementary towards a couple of my suggestions in particular to the lack of communication between customers and vm,I explained that a lot of the anger was down to the fact some customers still didn't know till they turned over to watch espn that it had gone.BT SPORTS IS THERE TOP PRIOTY and I do believe a deal will be in place very soon.what we do have to understand that even when a deal is sign they do not flick a switch and there on even than as a time frame.ITV HD channels is proof of that.
Yes I did get very generous discount but no disrespect to anyone on here I would like to keep to myself but I will say my loyalty as very much been rewarded
The fact the vm are letting customers out of there contracts doesn't mean they have Given up if anything it's just proves my point regarding customer service,as she said to me we want happy customers and whilst we don't want customers to leave we fully understand there frustration.
I hope this clarifies a few things for people and whatever you all choose I hope it's the right one for you,but remember don't always go with your first instinct think about it and weigh up the big picture.
Jesus my arm is starting to ache here

[Mad Max]

Originally Posted by gba93

Could we engineer invites to more weddings, birthday parties, bar mitzvah's for him ??

What about bringing Guy Fawkes forward a few months.....

[howardmicks]

Originally Posted by Mad Max

Yes but you have to remember Howard is a very nice man and loyal to VM, i think he got a years supply of popcorn to go with Sky Movies....

Thanks bud,how did you know about the popcorn.trucks coming Monday

[young_timbo]

Originally Posted by thegrid

Perhaps but, it could also cause a surge of customers to move to XL which would increase profit..It's all swings and roundabouts

That's the point i made the other day. when somebody told me it was "good business sense" for Virgin not to get it. me and my household want the VIP, but only if it has BT Sports. if it doesn't we will opt for the bare minimum custom setup that includes HD Sky Sports, and use the savings to pay BT Sports via sky freesat. Probably cut about £30 off the bill. So they will actually make much less money off me personally if they don't get BT Sports.

[Mad Max]

Originally Posted by howardmicks

Thanks bud,how did you know about the popcorn.trucks coming Monday

I have my insiders young sir......

[thegrid]

Originally Posted by howardmicks

Soz for the delay been offline,you are right I was on the verge of moving back to sky.over the years I had all 3 providers and out of the 3 I do prefer vm.it wasnt the fact we lost espn it was the fact we lost 4 big channels that have devalued the xl pack and quite frankly the VIP as well and still waiting for sky Atlantic and universal hd just to name a couple.A certain person no here as twisted what some of us as said regarding alternatives,NOTHING CAN REPLACE ESPN BAT BT SPORTS but I was disappointed that vm didn't sign up a couple of the big missing channels especially sky Atlantic whilst they are still in talks.Again these were by no means ADEQUATE REPLACEMENTS but it certainly would have proven talks eventually get somewhere.
My change of heart is down to a number of things loyalty,customer service,tivo and the all round package,I always believe loyalty is rewarded and regarding customer service there are not many companies out there that when you send a email to the ceo's office and you get a response let alone a phone call,sky don't do it and bt certainly don't.
When I received my call I was hopenly honest was listened to and whilst nothing was guaranteed she was at least honest made notes and actually very complementary towards a couple of my suggestions in particular to the lack of communication between customers and vm,I explained that a lot of the anger was down to the fact some customers still didn't know till they turned over to watch espn that it had gone.BT SPORTS IS THERE TOP PRIOTY and I do believe a deal will be in place very soon.what we do have to understand that even when a deal is sign they do not flick a switch and there on even than as a time frame.ITV HD channels is proof of that.
Yes I did get very generous discount but no disrespect to anyone on here I would like to keep to myself but I will say my loyalty as very much been rewarded
The fact the vm are letting customers out of there contracts doesn't mean they have Given up if anything it's just proves my point regarding customer service,as she said to me we want happy customers and whilst we don't want customers to leave we fully understand there frustration.
I hope this clarifies a few things for people and whatever you all choose I hope it's the right one for you,but remember don't always go with your first instinct think about it and weigh up the big picture.
Jesus my arm is starting to ache here

I reckon Liberty Global has altered the mentality at VM. I think rewarding Loyalty is the way they're going about things and if that's the case, things (eventually) should get better.

[colin25]

Originally Posted by thegrid

I reckon Liberty Global has altered the mentality at VM. I think rewarding Loyalty is the way they're going about things and if that's the case, things (eventually) should get better.

that would go against the british ethos of ripping the loyal customer off...so if it happens, it would be good.

Might encourage positive reinforcement elsewhere

[thegrid]

Originally Posted by young_timbo

That's the point i made the other day. when somebody told me it was "good business sense" for Virgin not to get it. me and my household want the VIP, but only if it has BT Sports. if it doesn't we will opt for the bare minimum custom setup that includes HD Sky Sports, and use the savings to pay BT Sports via sky freesat. Probably cut about £30 off the bill. So they will actually make much less money off me personally if they don't get BT Sports.

At the end of the day, they have to get the right combination of making the shareholders happy and making the customers happy. I suppose for this, they need to take more time negotiating for the best deal for everybody.

[howardmicks]

Originally Posted by young_timbo

That's the point i made the other day. when somebody told me it was "good business sense" for Virgin not to get it. me and my household want the VIP, but only if it has BT Sports. if it doesn't we will opt for the bare minimum custom setup that includes HD Sky Sports, and use the savings to pay BT Sports via sky freesat. Probably cut about £30 off the bill. So they will actually make much less money off me personally if they don't get BT Sports.

Would you allow me to ring sky on your behalf and get you a deal,so you can go and annoy the people in there forum instead

[thegrid]

Originally Posted by colin25

that would go against the british ethos of ripping the loyal customer off...so if it happens, it would be good.

Might encourage positive reinforcement elsewhere

Yeah, it would. Virgin Media can make decisions but the final say has to come from Liberty Global HQ in London. (Why their HQ is in London is beyond me)

[gba93]

Originally Posted by howardmicks

Would you allow me to ring sky on your behalf and get you a deal,so you can go and annoy the people in there forum instead

I'd be happy to contribute to the cost of the call if it helps