Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2011) Vol. I.

[Firmsky]

I can't believe soooo many people moan about Virgin on here and slate those Virgin Media employee's who actually come on here in their own free time to assist us all and provide information to us as and when they can.

I currently have VIP 50 with the extra box being a V+ too, I have the extra V+ box included thanks to a dire broadband service I received last year and this was their goodwill gesture.

I was previously a Sky HD subscriber and the main reason for joining VM Tv was cost, now I have VM I could not do without the On demand that VM has to offer. Also having 3 tuner's is valuable when your Mrs like's to record every reality show that's on Tv!!! Sky keep trying to get me back with offering their top package at half price which would save me money, unfortunately they do not offer on Demand so I will be staying where I am.

VM's broadband when it works is second to none, the on demand of their TV is superb and is only going to get better.

I have signed up my interest for TiVo and will take it up from day 1 as the current HDD in my Samsung V+ is just not big enough end of, the fact is does so much more is a huge bonus.

Thanks to all that provide valuable info to this thread, I may not post often but I do check this site every day and this is where I learn what is coming soon to VM!!

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External...xUeXBlPTM=&t=1

"we are providing 300 standard definition channels, 30 HD channels at the moment, but with a path to grow to 80 HD channels over the next two years, or three years."

That's another 17 channels a year if we go over 3 years , as we now have 29.

Originally Posted by LexDiamond

VM have been trying poach customers from Sky too though. That is just the way the market works.

Sky have made available Sky 1 HD, SS1 and SS2 HD, Movies in HD and will be making red button available to VM soon. So contrary to popular belief Sky aren't actually hogging their material and the content did eventually be made available to VM.

Also please look at VM's pricing structure. It is not compatible with Sky's pricing structure. There can never possibly be competition wholly on a platform basis until VM drop its free HD to XL customers for basic channels. This will lead to either price increases for VM customers or loss of channels that are HD. The reality is that consumers are probably in the best place right now or possibly close to it.

And like I said before, VM sold its channels to Sky because it wanted to. No regulator is seriously going to look into basic packages knowing that the two main pay tv providers are happy with the market place and are offering competitive packages.

You are joking aren't you.
We have only got those now as part of the deal where VM sold their channels to Sky. No sooner was the ink dry on that agreement and Sky started up another channel announcing it was to keep the content gap between them and other platforms. I really don't know what Sky would have to do before you would say that there way where using their dominant position against our interests.

[dazed&confused]

Originally Posted by Firmsky

I can't believe soooo many people moan about Virgin on here and slate those Virgin Media employee's who actually come on here in their own free time to assist us all and provide information to us as and when they can.

I currently have VIP 50 with the extra box being a V+ too, I have the extra V+ box included thanks to a dire broadband service I received last year and this was their goodwill gesture.

I was previously a Sky HD subscriber and the main reason for joining VM Tv was cost, now I have VM I could not do without the On demand that VM has to offer. Also having 3 tuner's is valuable when your Mrs like's to record every reality show that's on Tv!!! Sky keep trying to get me back with offering their top package at half price which would save me money, unfortunately they do not offer on Demand so I will be staying where I am.

VM's broadband when it works is second to none, the on demand of their TV is superb and is only going to get better.

I have signed up my interest for TiVo and will take it up from day 1 as the current HDD in my Samsung V+ is just not big enough end of, the fact is does so much more is a huge bonus.

Thanks to all that provide valuable info to this thread, I may not post often but I do check this site every day and this is where I learn what is coming soon to VM!!

Hear blooming Hear !

Only rider - Tivo will only have 2 tuners at launch - will probably be updated fairly soon afterwards though

[royaltiger]

Lets not forget you can still only ever watch one channel at a time, and all the programmes are always repeated at some stage, why the panic on how many channels we should be getting, I'll put money on Sky Atlantic replacing Sky 3 at some stage, and as sky get bored they will introduce Sky Atlantic 2 which will be another watered down version of Atlantic sky1 and sky2.

---------- Post added at 13:30 ---------- Previous post was at 13:26 ----------

Is there a technical fault with the forum, the V+ is in with the tv service.

[LexDiamond]

Originally Posted by ahardie

You are joking aren't you.
We have only got those now as part of the deal where VM sold their channels to Sky. No sooner was the ink dry on that agreement and Sky started up another channel announcing it was to keep the content gap between them and other platforms. I really don't know what Sky would have to do before you would say that there way where using their dominant position against our interests.

If you actually look at the transactions, VM didn't exactly walk away with nothing. They walked away with the red button which was a huge unique selling point for Sky.

More to the point, if you look at Virgins packages the M+ with any other VM service is £6.50. VM are actually offering Sky1, 2 and 3, Sky Sports News and Sky News for peanuts. The facts are that Sky have actually made their channels available on a much lower package on VM than they do on their own.

If the pay tv market taken as just Sky and VM, then VM actually make up 27.5% of this market. 27.5% share of a market where VM have limited coverage is very strong so I don't think Sky actually are dominant. Eventually market forces will prevail and Sky will always need VM. There is no evidence of long term trends of Sky withholding anything from VM indefinately as it needs VM's custom.

I'm not sure what you meant by 'our interests' but that definately isn't the interest of VM customers in general as VM customers continue to receive additional channels within the current package prices. There are actually no trends to support your argument of VM customers leaving in significant numbers for Sky, which suggests that VM customers are satisfied. Plus it isn't really a saturated market. They could still both grow which means any anti competitive measures kills of choice for both of them and for the consumer.

[Dave42]

Originally Posted by LexDiamond

If you actually look at the transactions, VM didn't exactly walk away with nothing. They walked away with the red button which was a huge unique selling point for Sky.

More to the point, if you look at Virgins packages the M+ with any other VM service is £6.50. VM are actually offering Sky1, 2 and 3, Sky Sports News and Sky News for peanuts. The facts are that Sky have actually made their channels available on a much lower package on VM than they do on their own.

If the pay tv market taken as just Sky and VM, then VM actually make up 27.5% of this market. 27.5% share of a market where VM have limited coverage is very strong so I don't think Sky actually are dominant. Eventually market forces will prevail and Sky will always need VM. There is no evidence of long term trends of Sky withholding anything from VM indefinately as it needs VM's custom.I'm not sure what you meant by 'our interests' but that definately isn't the interest of VM customers in general as VM customers continue to receive additional channels within the current package prices. There are actually no trends to support your argument of VM customers leaving in significant numbers for Sky, which suggests that VM customers are satisfied. Plus it isn't really a saturated market. They could still both grow which means any anti competitive measures kills of choice for both of them and for the consumer.

then why are sky withholding sky sports 3+4HD just to name 2 without all the rest they withholding

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by Dave42

then why are sky withholding sky sports 3+4HD just to name 2 without all the rest they withholding

The Sky Sports HD 1 and 2 only launch on Virgin Media due to ofcom telling BSkyB to offer Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 2 to other Broadcasters.

But Sky1 HD and Sky Movies launch was only to Virgin Media selling their TV Channels to BSkyB.

[telegramsam]

I believe virgin should of included any new channels in their deal to sell their channels to sky,especially as the new channel is a relacement for the ones they(sky) bought,and I would of imagined the deal included virgin continueing to have Bravo 1,+1,Bravo2,+1,Virgin1,+1. Since sky have closed down the Bravo channels and are soon to close Virgin1 any replacement channels should of been included in the deal,which it clearly wasn`t. Sky have been very canny over this which I guess is why sky are much more succesful than virgin. As I`ve said before I don`t think virgin should of sold sky their channels but it`s done now. What virgin must do now is to build on their good relationship with ESPN because they`re a real rival to sky sports and come the next bidding for the football rights it`s my belief that ESPN will have as much if not more live premier league games than sky sports.

[LexDiamond]

Originally Posted by Dave42

then why are sky withholding sky sports 3+4HD just to name 2 without all the rest they withholding

They aren't actually withholding the content of SS3 and 4. They are just withholding access to the HD channel. In the long term I would have thought they wouldn't withhold HD as eventually it will just become the norm.

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by LexDiamond

They aren't actually withholding the content of SS3 and 4. They are just withholding access to the HD channel. In the long term I would have thought they wouldn't withhold HD as eventually it will just become the norm.

It's becoming more and more the norm now.

[Perfect Choice]

The important issue here is access to content in the first place, not +1 and HD channels and a key goal VM have to keep their eye on; this is why Sky Atlantic is key as this is now a situation where Sky (presumably due to unreasonable demands on price) have locked VM out of new content e.g. fans of Mad Men will not be able to see the latest season 5.

If a deal is done such that Sky Atlantic appears on VM in at least SD form after the 3 month period free of all Sky subscribers ends, then I would be happy enough with that.

Sky will always have the advantage of having the most HD channels so if you want every option of access (HD, +1 Sky channels) you need to buy Sky as the only choice at the end of the day.

Some people have talked about an extra charge/selection above TV XL for the extras Sky has over VM. No chance of that ever coming as that would remove any access service competitive advantage over VM so the best VM can go for is making sure they provide VM subscribers with SD content at least.

If Tivo is meant to be this great all dancing access anywhere any time platform then fundamental access to content has to be a pre-requisite and that doesn’t mean access to content that was first shown a year before on Sky!

[muppetman11]

Why would a HD pack never happen , at least it would give you the option , granted it would be difficult with Virgin already stating HD is free with them.

---------- Post added at 14:35 ---------- Previous post was at 14:30 ----------

New BBC Iplayer plans
http://www.techradar.com/news/intern...nounced-923310

[Perfect Choice]

Well it’s my view that an extra HD sky channel pack (nothing stopping VM signing deals with other providers though) will not happen because Sky will never want to offer it and as long as they offer SD content, I don’t think there are any rules forcing them to offer HD as well. The answer from Sky would be that TV viewers can get all HD channels by subscribing to Sky for TV.

I think we just have to pragmatic on how far VM can go and that is what is behind that article in the Telegraph. I would like to see everything in all formats (SD/HD/3D) via my VM subscription, I just simply think Sky wouldn’t want to offer this due to VMs competitive advantage on broadband and even Tivo; so they need to hold back their own premium viewing content to attract customers.

[Felim_Doyle]

Originally Posted by Chad

Competition is good for the consumer, only problem is at the moment neither company can deliver what I really want for my TV viewing experience.

I want all HD and SD channels that broadcast on SKY, but I also want the catch-up and on-demand service Virgin provides. If a company can deliver me both of these, under one monthly subscription, then I'll be a happy customer.

Maybe Virgin and SKY can do a deal. Virgin let SKY use their broadband network, in return Virgin get access to all SKY HD channels, SKY 3D, full red button access, SKY mobile, SKY anytime and SKY Player.

To get best advantage from VM you really need their cable (fibre optic to the cabinet) service rather than their ADSL (copper wire to the home) service. Whilst some people cannot have a dish for Sky or FreeSat, most people can but the current VM cable coverage does not facilitate a reasonable level of direct choice between cable and satellite. To make a comparison between them or suggest a two-way deal with Sky just isn't realistic until VM have greater numbers of areas cabled up. That, I imagine, is a very long-term and expensive ambition for VM at the moment but one which I would fully support them diverting funds and effort to achieve.

Originally Posted by Chad

Or the other alternative is I stop drinking cider before I post my thoughts on here

Pass the cider!