Virgin Media and the Sky 1 battle [Archive]

Zebra

23-02-2007, 19:58

Has anyone else heard about this Virgin Media and Sky 1 battle? Apparently VM are going to get rid of Sky channels because they are too expensive and they would have to pass the cost onto the customer.
There's some extra bit attached to the 10.30 news tonight I hear.
So, does anyone know all this for certain? The research I've done on the net looks pretty sure and the lady I spoke to at VM confimed all the info below.
As a kneejerk reaction I've called and arranged for Sky to be installed next week, course there's a cooling off period there but it seems Sky 1 could be cancelled as soon as March 1st, which is nect Thursday! So, that would mean I couldn't watch Bones Thursday night, then there's Nip/Tuck Monday night and various others.
Anyway, as a result of the kneejerk, we're going to lose all the rubbish channels we never watch for £15 a month we're going to have over 60 channels, at least 10 of which we already watch regularly and the others are +1's and similar, then the 2meg broadband for a one off £40 charge and no monthly subscription then £15 a month for unlimited telephone calls with line rental included, same charge as we already pay, less useless channels, more useful ones and we keep Sky1. Plus we get money knocked off on the first month too!
I'm not complaining but I'd like to know more about the Sky 1 issues.

Wizzzard

23-02-2007, 20:10

They will be keeping Sky Movies and Sky News but as you said getting rid of Sky One. I really don't know what Richard Branson is thinking , surely the cost of keeping Sky One can't be so high that he would want to lose so many customers. I would love to see Sky's figures for how many people join them this month and the figures for how many people Leave Virgin Media(telewest/NTL)

Wizzzard

23-02-2007, 20:26

Richard Branson is not head of Virgin Media, they just pay him a fee for use of the name and logo.

There has obviosly been some change in the way it is being ran. Virgin media will be getting rid of Sky One and Mr Branson created Virgin, I can't believe he doesn't have some say in something that bears his companys name.

Zebra

23-02-2007, 20:30

So how much a month will you end up paying? I currently get telephone with unlimited national calls, 2 MB broadband and all the channels except the premium ones for £36 a month.

That's after a bit of renegotiation after I found out I was paying too much
£30 all in but only 2 bits of the tv packages..... might have to call them.

Cyclone

23-02-2007, 20:42

Personally I think it's all just posturing.
If virgin media drop sky one, I'd expect that a good proportion of customers will drop VM very quickly.
And contract length won't be an issue since they'll be varying the terms of the contract without permission.

savbaby

23-02-2007, 21:20

There has obviosly been some change in the way it is being ran. Virgin media will be getting rid of Sky One and Mr Branson created Virgin, I can't believe he doesn't have some say in something that bears his companys name.

NTL/Telewest are paying him so many millions just for the branding, he really does not have a say in what goes on as far as i have read about the whole deal!

DynoDon

23-02-2007, 21:21

There has obviosly been some change in the way it is being ran. Virgin media will be getting rid of Sky One and Mr Branson created Virgin, I can't believe he doesn't have some say in something that bears his companys name.

The reason why is Sky have doubled the cost of the channels since Branson has taken over, according to Radio 4 I was listening to earlier.

Sky will actually lose £tens of millions in advertising fees from this but they're trying to cripple Virgin Media in the long-term.

It's bang out of order really but totally legal.

kay_cee

23-02-2007, 21:26

No Sky 1????!!!??

I'm so glad we switched to Sky.

Zebra

23-02-2007, 21:28

Gonna go and watch the news and see what they're on about, back soon.

mrmist

23-02-2007, 21:29

When OnDigital went tits up I missed Sky 1...

...for about five minutes.

Anything decent gets syndicated anyway.

Grissom

23-02-2007, 21:53

The reason why is Sky have doubled the cost of the channels since Branson has taken over, according to Radio 4 I was listening to earlier.

Sky will actually lose £tens of millions in advertising fees from this but they're trying to cripple Virgin Media in the long-term.

It's bang out of order really but totally legal.

Yup - link to Virgin Media press release with more info is below - sky will lose £45 million !

http://investors.virginmedia.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=135485&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=966510&highlight=

Didnt know Sky also have been removing channels from FreeView :(

Apparently Mr Branson owns 10.5% of Virgin Media, which may branch out into utilities soon :

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2007/02/13/cnvirg13.xml

The Virgin doctor surgeries sound bizarre :huh:

Not sure if him buying up bmi would be good/bad ?

Alex C.

23-02-2007, 22:11

fairplay site (http://www.virginmedia.com/fairplay/) with some more information

Eric_Collins

23-02-2007, 22:12

Not botherd in slightest. I've been an NTL customer for 6+ years now and watched Sky1 maybe twice for 5mins. I now have SKY sports/movies but that was in with the V+ deal, maybe i'll watch that but i still goto pay to watch footy :suspect:

I've flicked through the 'other' SKY channels and realy never botherd with them either. 99% of the time we have 2 channels on from 6pm thats Living TV for CSI and Bravo for Dog the bounty hunter. The rest of the time is taken up by either MTV/the Box ect... and ITV2 for chatshows:hihi:
________
Mywebcamhookup (http://mywebcamshookup.com/)

TheRedWizard

24-02-2007, 02:32

Couldn't care less about the Sky 1 thing, couple of good programmes, but they'll be on terrestial within months. Just have a look at tomorrow's schedule:

06:00 - Star Trek: The Next Generation
07:00 - Pokemon Advanced
07:30 - Yu-Gi-Oh!
08:00 - Transformers Armada
08:30 - Futurama
09:00 - Futurama
09:30 - Crash Test Dummies
10:00 - Buffy the Vampire Slayer
11:00 - Robot Wars Extreme
12:00 - Star Trek: The Next Generation
13:00 - Star Trek: The Next Generation
14:00 - Star Trek: The Next Generation
15:00 - Stargate SG-1
16:00 - Futurama
16:30 - Futurama
17:00 - Futurama
17:30 - Futurama
18:00 - Futurama
18:30 - Futurama
19:00 - Futurama
19:30 - Futurama
20:00 - Project Catwalk
21:00 - Bones
22:00 - Nip/Tuck
23:00 - 24
00:00 - Sport Uncovered

Hardly inspired programming is it?!

Susie

24-02-2007, 07:42

Doesnt bother me at all, the only time we watch sky 1 is if nothing else is on so my Boyfriend puts on one of the many Simpsons repeats we have watched over and over again anyway.

BoroughGal

24-02-2007, 08:10

Ooops this link has already been shown in the thread - sorry! (http://allyours.virginmedia.com/fairplay/index.html)

I'll stick with Virgin - I'm not arsed about Sky1.

Cyclone

24-02-2007, 08:13

Saturdays listing might be a bit poor, but I believe that sky one is showing these new series at the moment.

Stargate
Stargate Atlantis
Battlestar Galactica
24
Lost

Probably more, things like Bones that I don't watch.
Of the 5 listed, 3 of those are half my weekly tvDrive schedule. I don't watch whatevers on at the time, but I do want to be able to continue following these series.

Plain Talker

24-02-2007, 11:26

If Sky are stopping Virgin media customers from getting Sky channels, then I shall be "chucking over" my subscription to VM, and I shan't be going to Sky, either.

Mathom

24-02-2007, 12:15

Fudbeer

24-02-2007, 12:28

If sky take on Virgin then I know who my money would be on and it aint the ginger bearded ones company!

Although I think sky 1 is basically rubish it is popular and the free broadband promotion they do is a masterpiece of marketing and is already proving hugely popular and it should reduce churn (people leaving) as they will think twice before canceling the tv chanels if is means losing free broadband.

The thing that anoyed me about ntl was the constant changing of channels I agree most on sky are rubish but I can pick out the ones I want to watch after all you only watch so much tv so it might as well be something you are interested in.

Mathom

24-02-2007, 12:51

I think the thing is, if something is offered 'free' then it isn't really - there's always a catch. I don't tend to take up these all in one deals - I use Sky for TV, BT for phone (which is only there for the line) and Orange for net and mobile. I've had no problems so far (touch wood) with any of these unlike the horror stories I hear of these 'deals'. I think it's very much a case of 'you pays your money you takes your choice'. I'd rather pay a bit more and have peace of mind and no hassle.

Darkstar

24-02-2007, 12:57

Hi Guys,

Sky are basically trying to push virgin media out of the market. They have pulled the channels to try and get customers to leave. But virgin have lots of channels on sky such as living TV and the UK channels. Its all very much dirty tactics and they are just wanting to corner the market again instead of opening up a fair playing field. Its just a shame that sky dont want to give people a choice.

Seems like they are just pretty scared of Virgin and have pulled it to punish the customers more than the company!

em2007

24-02-2007, 13:01

can i cancel virgin/telewest before the end of my 12 months as the contract i signed didn't say all this nonsense in it and they're taking away lost!!!!!

woodmally

24-02-2007, 13:46

Susie

24-02-2007, 14:21

Zebra

24-02-2007, 19:10

[QUOTE=woodmally;1987583]cheers for that It makes me feel better about loosing sky. Your right just hope they reduce the amount you pay for tv.

QUOTE]

It didn't worry me too much when I looked at that list but then I looked at the higlights on Sky1 and found Lost, The Lost Room, The Dresden Files, Nip/Tuck and Bones - that's enough for me not to want to lose it so I'm going to Sky.

DynoDon

24-02-2007, 20:10

cheers for that It makes me feel better about loosing sky. Your right just hope they reduce the amount you pay for tv.

One question why don't virgin refuse to play sky news does anyone bother to watch it!!!!

Politics may be in play there as Sky News is number two in 24 hour news and MPs won't be happy, rightly so, that after the collapse of the ITV News Channel there's only BBC News 24 left for the huge cable market.

MPs would then look at it as it is - an unfair attack by Sky much closer if their ugly mugs weren't on in as many homes with Sky News taken off cable because of Sky demanding a doubling of rates, presumably Sky charges peanuts for their news channel.

In the limited areas where Sky and the old NTL/Telewest compete, after all Sky is always second in numbers of subscribers.

base2001

24-02-2007, 22:12

ok, can people answer this for me,
sky one is losing viewers every week, sky wanted the double amount for the channels even through sky one is losing viewers every week, so if vm had sky one and had the put prices up would you be happy, no well stop being stupid and think about the buisness side of things, its all about buisness and money nothing else,
Murdoch just likes to have power on all things, that's it.........end of

think about this, LOST went to sky one and lost alot of viewers, now sky as pulled this from vm platforn so as lost more customers, so sky will not have power or money to fund such series again, due to lack of viewers

base2001

24-02-2007, 22:14

can i cancel virgin/telewest before the end of my 12 months as the contract i signed didn't say all this nonsense in it and they're taking away lost!!!!!

no ya cant, stop moaning, just download it,

subject to channel changes

alchresearch

24-02-2007, 22:34

As a Telewest customer I can't say I'm that bothered. Sky One has really gone downhill lately. I don't bother with Lost or 24 and have seen all the good episodes of the Simpsons and TheRedWizard's listings show just how bad it is.

Fudbeer

24-02-2007, 23:07

Cyclone

25-02-2007, 02:14

can i cancel virgin/telewest before the end of my 12 months as the contract i signed didn't say all this nonsense in it and they're taking away lost!!!!!

I think so, if they change the listing they are in breach of contract, so you can choose to terminate immediately at that point.

DIVA

25-02-2007, 02:35

All sounds about right for Telewest/Virgin/whoever they are these days. I got royally done over by them almost ten years ago and I will never ever even contemplate anything to do with them ever again. I was one of the first onto Sky digital and I will stick with them. The fact that Telewest have now got the name of Virgin is ironic - two useless brand names that wouldn't know what customer service was if it bit them aligned.

Couldn't agree more with the last point you make. I tried to phone VM this lunchtime - i'm paying just short of about hundred quid a month on services to them and wanted to see if I could get a better deal. The first and second time I called, painstakingly I worked my way through the frustating automated phone system then only to find myself cut off after a message 'we have failed to route your call!' - no apology! The third time, I thought, I'd press the option where you're calling to upgrade your service - thought i'd have more luck - after holding for seven minutes and listening to the worst excuse for music I've ever heard on a phone, I put the phone down. I'm really angry with them - I pay them a lot of money and I want them to pick up the bloody phone at a time when it's convenient for me!!!! I'm also fed up of message 'no programme information' coming up all the time now, on all channels and the fact that since it's gone over to VM I've not been able to access teleport. From what I've experienced, if I could get a sky reception, I'd be off like a shot. Seems like their customers get treated better than this. Anyone have any suggestions?

Darkstar

25-02-2007, 07:25

Why didnt you just press that option first? no wonder you cant get through if you dont pick the correct option.

Ever thought they are so busy over this very point?

Im with Sky but just cause im not in a VM area and they have the worst customer service going. Instead of putting more money in to pull their customer service up and put action plans in place. Some Idiot with the common sense equal to a boiled egg has thought. "I know ill put lots of adverts on the sky channels saying Virgin Media are going to drop our channels prehaps you should call them and tell them how unhappy you are about this"

Oh and then everyone is phoning all the time and blocking up the phones lines of people who really need to get through.

Sky just do what they normally do use the masses!

Im with Sky but would drop them like that if I could get VM.

All these people slagging off VM come on people lets at least be allowed a choice!!!!!!!!!!!!

littleboo

25-02-2007, 08:29

I worked for Telewest a few years ago and they did exactly the same with Nickelodeon, Sky put the price right up so Telewest axed it. At the end of the day they are competitors and sky own so many of the Channels that if Telewest, Yorkshire cable, NTL, Virgin (or whatever they are calling themselves these days) start gaining more customers then Sky can do something about it, Telewest were and obviously still are struggling financially (bought out twice within months) therefore Sky have the upper hand.
We have Sky now but in fairness I think that both companys are rubbish!!

Twiglet

25-02-2007, 09:08

cheers for that It makes me feel better about loosing sky. Your right just hope they reduce the amount you pay for tv.

One question why don't virgin refuse to play sky news does anyone bother to watch it!!!!

Sky is also pulling Sky News. VM customers will not only lose Sky One, they are also losing Sky Two, Sky Three, Sky News and Sky Sports News. This will be with effect from the end of February.

em2007

25-02-2007, 09:38

honeybee

25-02-2007, 09:43

I think so, if they change the listing they are in breach of contract, so you can choose to terminate immediately at that point.

I think they are usually covered in the contract by saying they can change the channel line up as and when they like to a certain extent. Sky is the same, otherwise people could leave whenever, as they are always adding and removing some of the obscure channels.

em2007

25-02-2007, 09:46

but they are 3 pretty big channels! and i have yet to be told by telewest themselves!!

em2007

25-02-2007, 09:47

just to add, they are still advertising sky one as part of the package! what about the people that are just about to sign up for 12 months when virgin know full well they are about to cut it!!?

em2007

25-02-2007, 09:57

Some services (for example, television channels that form part of our television services) are supplied by other organisations. As a result, we may, due to matters outside our reasonable control or for commercial or contractual reasons, change all or any programming, programming services, channel allocations and channels, or cancel, postpone or alter the details of any advertised Pay-Per-View or programmes on demand or interactive services without notice. We will give you reasonable notice of any withdrawals and changes where it is possible to do so. You will be entitled to end this agreement if the changes are significant, as described in paragraph J3. (see below)

If:
we and/or Virgin Media Payments increase our charges under this agreement;
we make significant changes to the services so the services you are entitled to receive in return for the charges you pay are significantly altered or reduced; or
we and/or Virgin Media Payments make significant changes to the terms and conditions of this agreement (including the other legal stuff),
you may cancel those services affected without penalty by giving us at least 30 days' notice in writing. If you cancel any services in these circumstances, the increased charges will not apply to those services during the 30 day notice period and paragraph J2 will not apply if you cancel before the end of the minimum period.

this is from the terms and conditions. from how i read it i can cancel. am i right?? i consider taking away sky one and sky sports news significant seeing as we only pay so we can watch lost! and we're not getting a lower price and haven't even been told.

Twiglet

25-02-2007, 10:03

this is from the terms and conditions. from how i read it i can cancel. am i right?? i consider taking away sky one and sky sports news significant seeing as we only pay so we can watch lost! and we're not getting a lower price and haven't even been told.

I think you could, but I think it's unreasonable for them to demand 30 days notice when they have not given reasonable notice of the withdrawal of the channels.

I'm just hoping VM don't throw their toys out of the pram now and withdraw their channels, e.g. Living TV, from Sky :?

MrNM

25-02-2007, 12:16

Everyone seems to be poo'ing themselves about looking the Sky channels. It's a bit on top but I can flip to the built in freeview for Skysports news and Sky news so it's just Sky 1 & 2 that are missing. Most of the good stuff is on the like of Bravo / UKTV channels anyway.

Virgin Media has been live for 11 days and people are already wondering why it's nothing more than rebranding. 11 days!!!! Do you not think they will expand on their own portfolio of channels, start doing sport / new etc making it their own as time goes by.

Moving to SKY is a panic reaction unless your addicted to nearly every program on Sky 1. Give it time, as I'm sure there is plenty in the pipe line which is why I'm getting it installed on Thursday!

MrNM

25-02-2007, 12:18

I think you could, but I think it's unreasonable for them to demand 30 days notice when they have not given reasonable notice of the withdrawal of the channels.

I'm just hoping VM don't throw their toys out of the pram now and withdraw their channels, e.g. Living TV, from Sky :?

They are not in breach of their T&C's so you will honour your contract I'm afraid!

I hope they do. Someone needs to give that little s**t who owns SKY a kick up the backside!

em2007

25-02-2007, 12:19

i've got sky and telewest. the only damn thing i ask is to be able to watch lost and nowi can't. if telewest want to send me the box set then fair enough i'll stay with them, just don't see how they couldn't give us some notice!?

BlackVelvet

25-02-2007, 12:22

dont affect me, as we dont have cable around here. Freeview reception is pretty hit and miss here too. skys not perfect and some of their customer service leaves a lot to be desired, but right now, we have no real alternative but to stick with them if we want more than bog-standard channels

MrNM

25-02-2007, 12:23

em2007

25-02-2007, 12:25

Why have both? Made of money? :)

yeah i wish! used to have sky, when we switched to telewest we put sky box in bedroom. don't pay for it, just have free channels. pay for telewest downstairs but not for much longer if they're ditching sky one.

MrNM

25-02-2007, 12:27

yeah i wish! used to have sky, when we switched to telewest we put sky box in bedroom. don't pay for it, just have free channels. pay for telewest downstairs but not for much longer if they're ditching sky one.

Oh, makes sense now. Something tells me they won't ditch the channels, and if they do they will probably get them back at some point. I'd give VM a couple of months to see how it pans out.

em2007

25-02-2007, 12:28

i'm going to phone them now. what shall i say?

hey, i heard on sheffield forum you were getting rid of sky one?! pleeeeaseee don't! i need to watch lost!!

would that work?

MrNM

25-02-2007, 13:21

i'm going to phone them now. what shall i say?

hey, i heard on sheffield forum you were getting rid of sky one?! pleeeeaseee don't! i need to watch lost!!

would that work?

Just ask to talk to Richard Branson and tell him to get his checkbook out! lol!

Twiglet

25-02-2007, 13:51

They are not in breach of their T&C's so you will honour your contract I'm afraid!

I hope they do. Someone needs to give that little s**t who owns SKY a kick up the backside!

I don't have a contract, em2007 does. They are not in breach of their T&C's but their T&C's state that the customer CAN end their agreement if a significant change is made to their services, and this IS a significant change.

Everyone seems to be poo'ing themselves about looking the Sky channels. It's a bit on top but I can flip to the built in freeview for Skysports news and Sky news so it's just Sky 1 & 2 that are missing. Most of the good stuff is on the like of Bravo / UKTV channels anyway.
Not for long. Sky News and Sky Sports News (as well as Sky Three) will shortly be coming off Freeview to make room for four new Sky terrestrial subscription channels.

MrNM

25-02-2007, 14:51

Not for long. Sky News and Sky Sports News (as well as Sky Three) will shortly be coming off Freeview to make room for four new Sky terrestrial subscription channels.

Where have you heard that?

em2007

25-02-2007, 15:11

well, just phoned virgin/telewest! she said its true, they're getting rid of sky one and the news channels. she went into a bit of a speech about how sky are blackmailing richard branson!! and thats how she actually put it!

so anyways, richard branson saved us all from having to pay twice as much, apparently (all hail richard branson....) she says if i want to cancel my contract its a decision customer relations will have to make, but they only open weekdays! (0800 0730591, in case anyone wants it)

and she says we are going to be notified via some form of literature.

she was a bit shocked when i said i've been told its end of february, she says....oooh noo, we're looking more likely to be 11th march!! thats only 10 days later luv~!, although it is one extra lost episode...

so there.....

Twiglet

25-02-2007, 15:33

Where have you heard that?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6343715.stm

Twiglet

25-02-2007, 15:35

she was a bit shocked when i said i've been told its end of february, she says....oooh noo, we're looking more likely to be 11th march!! thats only 10 days later luv~!, although it is one extra lost episode...

so there.....

:confused: VM's own press release states it will be the end of February. This is all to do with a contract renewal and I'm guessing the old contract ended on February 28th.

littleboo

25-02-2007, 16:02

but they are 3 pretty big channels! and i have yet to be told by telewest themselves!!

My mum and Dad are on Telewest and they were told to write in to say that they use them and want to keep the channels.

Plain Talker

25-02-2007, 16:08

Sky is also pulling Sky News. VM customers will not only lose Sky One, they are also losing Sky Two, Sky Three, Sky News and Sky Sports News. This will be with effect from the end of February.

hang fire... I'm with VM, and we don't get Sky 2 or 3, and never have done!!!

anyway, as I said... Stuff sky, and stuff VM... I shall be telling them where to put their subcription, (and the sun don't shine there, I can tell you)

I've had enough, on top of the nothing-but-hassle I've had with the TVdrive, which hasn't worked right since It was installed, and X number f reformats and completely new boxes being installed, this is the last straw.

Plain Talker

25-02-2007, 16:09

Twiglet

25-02-2007, 16:45

hang fire... I'm with VM, and we don't get Sky 2 or 3, and never have done!!!

They are included with some packages and Sky 3 is a freeview channel (but soon to be no more). The information was taken directly from VM's press release so blame them if it's incorrect.

carter101

25-02-2007, 16:59

If Sky are stopping Virgin media customers from getting Sky channels, then I shall be "chucking over" my subscription to VM, and I shan't be going to Sky, either.

I agree.

Lost, 24 and Battlestar Galatica are 3 of the 5 things I love to watch atm. I'd be irritated if VM loses them and probably cancel our contract.

But I couldn't sign up with Sky after them causing this problem. I don't think it is business, I think its two rather large personalities!

(the other 2 are Life on Mars and Heroes)

MrNM

25-02-2007, 17:50

I'm p*ssed about Sky Sports News! They could at least lump it in with the sports packages!

Sizza

25-02-2007, 18:47

I suppose I can't complain - I have the free tv package (with Sky 1 included) but I will miss the channel if it goes - oh bring on the time where you just choose the channels you want and throw the rest away

alchresearch

25-02-2007, 20:46

What's happening with 24 at the minute? I've heard they're showing a completely different version - poor visual quality with narration for the blind or something.

Magilla

26-02-2007, 10:28

When OnDigital went tits up I missed Sky 1...

...for about five minutes.

Anything decent gets syndicated anyway.

Indeed, it's the worst "premium" channel I've ever watched. The notion of paying for a channel that carries adverts seems absurd to me.

TattyBear

26-02-2007, 10:55

Not totally relevant to this thread but as we have sky tv (i didnt want there internet) we pay;'

Skyplus tv full package with multi room: £53.40
BT internet & house phone top option: £26.99

Total: £80.39 a month

its mad isnt it!

Ruff

26-02-2007, 11:17

bladesufc1

26-02-2007, 11:52

What annoys me is that Virgin say if they don't get the Sky basic channels they won't drop their prices but re-invest the "saved" money in other content. Surely that means more repeats and programmes for "Teleport" which most people don't even know about, yet alone watch?

http://www.guide-to-tv.com/

may be the way forward is, now virgin owns all the uktv channels, maybe they can and will offer a simular to sky1, like virgin 1, and get the programmes after sky has them. the football isn't a problem, as other providers are broadcasting next season, so stuff sky, virgin will win this 1 eventually

TattyBear

26-02-2007, 12:48

i recently moved to sky, i have always had telewest. I really miss a couple of things.

1. teleport which was handy if i'd missed say, eastenders!
2. when you put the tv guide on you could still see what u are watching in top corner.

3. The layout of the pay per view movies, telewest was much better.

Not sure i should have moved to sky, however skyplus is being installed tomorrow and im excited!

TheRedWizard

26-02-2007, 16:04

Anybody seen the new Virgin central which looks like it has just started today - looks great. I'm off to explore.

bladesufc1

26-02-2007, 16:14

Anybody seen the new Virgin central which looks like it has just started today - looks great. I'm off to explore.

yeah it looks very basic, but could have the potential to kick of virgin TV!! instead of sky1

DIVA

26-02-2007, 17:10

Why didnt you just press that option first? no wonder you cant get through if you dont pick the correct option.

Ever thought they are so busy over this very point?

errr...I DID choose the correct option for what I wanted. As I explained in my post, it said they'd failed to route the call twice, so I had no choice but to try a different option, just in an attempt to get to speak to someone.

How busy they are is their problem to deal with effectively, and shouldn't be turned into my problem as they can 't deal with if efficiently.

nightrider

26-02-2007, 20:03

There has obviosly been some change in the way it is being ran. Virgin media will be getting rid of Sky One and Mr Branson created Virgin, I can't believe he doesn't have some say in something that bears his companys name.

I think he owns a lot of shares in it. But virgin media was bought by ntl and then they changed their name (after all ntl has a pretty awful reputation for customer service!) to virgin as I understand it.

MrNM

27-02-2007, 09:05

yeah it looks very basic, but could have the potential to kick of virgin TV!! instead of sky1

So any more feedbck on this? Any good?

coretext

27-02-2007, 13:18

Sky, Sky, Sky tut tut tut....................

The problem is with Telewest:NTL - Virgin Phone Merger there are few competitors in the cable TV front, and with incresaed need for bundled services like TV, Phone, Broadband and Mobile the big players Virgin and Sky are trying to score points off each other.

I mean competiiton should be about bring prices lower, we'll do it cheaper and better, yet Sky is forcing to make things more expensive so booo to sky :rant: I'll never go on Sky, they should stop trying to annoy people and concentrate on delievring High Quality programmes for less and stop pushing HD costs onto non-HD services.

Rant Over, :hihi: :thumbsup:

holymoses

27-02-2007, 18:41

I think so, if they change the listing they are in breach of contract, so you can choose to terminate immediately at that point.

Sorry guys just read my T&C for Telewest, they have the right to change the channels that are supplied by other sources. Such as Sky one.
Some legal eagle has already covered this one.
:confused:

Cyclone

27-02-2007, 19:57

Why don't all the 'we love US drama - it's the be all and end all - so we only watch Sky 1' bum chums just emmigrate to the US and have done with it!

3/10 for your trolling attempt. Must try harder. :hihi:

Cyclone

27-02-2007, 20:00

Sorry guys just read my T&C for Telewest, they have the right to change the channels that are supplied by other sources. Such as Sky one.
Some legal eagle has already covered this one.
:confused:

If:
we and/or Virgin Media Payments increase our charges under this agreement;
we make significant changes to the services so the services you are entitled to receive in return for the charges you pay are significantly altered or reduced; or
we and/or Virgin Media Payments make significant changes to the terms and conditions of this agreement (including the other legal stuff),
you may cancel those services affected without penalty by giving us at least 30 days' notice in writing. If you cancel any services in these circumstances, the increased charges will not apply to those services during the 30 day notice period and paragraph J2 will not apply if you cancel before the end of the minimum period.

Em already posted these, now as to what constitutes a significant change could be up to a court to decide... but the loss of several major channels sounds fairly major to me.

em2007

27-02-2007, 20:01

Sorry guys just read my T&C for Telewest, they have the right to change the channels that are supplied by other sources. Such as Sky one.
Some legal eagle has already covered this one.
:confused:

see my post about their terms and conditions. it says you can cancel contract if they make a 'significant' change.

ok, guess we were writing at the same time!

Eric_Collins

27-02-2007, 20:35

Just had me new HDTV boxed installed today at 9:20am, They engineer said thats it wait 2-3hrs abd the stations will be on. 7 hours later not picture. I rang up Virgin and the engineer had supplyed us with an unregisted smart card. So we registed it ( that should have been engineers job ). , we were then told to wait a further 2hrs to get all the channels.

Now tried it again and we have unlocked all the channels but a blank screen. The bar at the bottom says sky movies one ect... your now viewing starwars but the screen and sound an't there.

So after phoning Virgin for a 5th time we now have to stay in again or face a fine if we miss another engineer to fix this issue. ranting

only TV we can watch is 1-5 and the BBC Free View

and i can't even view the HD channels i'm also paying for !!!!!
________
EROTIC (http://www.****tube.com/)

MrNM

28-02-2007, 11:18

3/10 for your trolling attempt. Must try harder. :hihi:

Ok, the term 'Bum Chum' might have been a little off but the thread was perhaps bourne out of complete and utter frustration more so from reading the posts on VM's customer site. I just don't accept that Sky One is the only channel these people watch and that they can overlook a service based on two or three programs that will only run for an infinite time. I'll miss Dream Team, and I'm gonna be screwed with no Sky Sports News if they pull it from the built in free-view so I too am affected directly but as an intelligent consumer I'll look at the bigger picture. Might have a rethink if the VM service does not do big things over the next 12 months but have lots of faith at the moment.

MrNM

28-02-2007, 11:21

If:
we and/or Virgin Media Payments increase our charges under this agreement;
we make significant changes to the services so the services you are entitled to receive in return for the charges you pay are significantly altered or reduced; or
we and/or Virgin Media Payments make significant changes to the terms and conditions of this agreement (including the other legal stuff),
you may cancel those services affected without penalty by giving us at least 30 days' notice in writing. If you cancel any services in these circumstances, the increased charges will not apply to those services during the 30 day notice period and paragraph J2 will not apply if you cancel before the end of the minimum period.

Em already posted these, now as to what constitutes a significant change could be up to a court to decide... but the loss of several major channels sounds fairly major to me.

It's down to interpretation, the best representation being that 3 stations have been revoked but one interactive channel has been added. People on the L or XL packages thus lose 2 or 3% of channels. Not significant. Channels come and go. Why is Sky bigger UKTV? No breach of terms and conditions I'm afraid!

em2007

28-02-2007, 11:35

virgin central is just teleport with a couple of different programs! not a new exciting interactive channel!

bladesufc1

28-02-2007, 11:42

VIRGIN WINS LOST TVOD (UP YOURS SKY)

http://www.brandrepublic.com/login/News/635366/

em2007

28-02-2007, 11:44

VIRGIN WINS LOST TVOD (UP YOURS SKY)

http://www.brandrepublic.com/login/News/635366/

if virgin keep lost, they keep me!! yay richard branson

fox20thc

28-02-2007, 11:45

but dont you have to pay extra for on demand.

em2007

28-02-2007, 11:46

but dont you have to pay extra for on demand.

ahhh no!!

looks like i'll be downloading after all

bladesufc1

28-02-2007, 11:51

but dont you have to pay extra for on demand.

YEAH U DO, but you also have to pay for sky channels 2. Sky are wating each Virgin cusotmer to pay 3p per day for carrying all the sky channels,

0.03p x 3,000,000ish tv customer) = £90,000 per day = £32,850,000 per year.. now that's a lot saved to imput back into Virgin

bladesufc1

28-02-2007, 11:54

"Reports have estimated that if no deal is reached Sky stands to lose around £60 million from its channels being removed from 3.3 million Virgin Media homes, with some analysts calculating Sky will need to gain about 150,000 Virgin customers to make up the revenue shortfall"

bladesufc1

28-02-2007, 16:09

update!!

http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2023481,00.html#article_continue

would be interesting if virgin pulled the plug on the UKTV channels, from sky!! who'd be more upset then? virgin cusotmers or skys?

answer = skys, cos they have a massive 8 million customers!!

nick2

28-02-2007, 16:14

I don't realy watch Sky 1, so i probably wouldn't miss it.

mc55

28-02-2007, 16:35

we're tied to virgin media as OH uses e-mail address for business - would consider just taking BB and using freeview instead for TV, but we like Living channel.

Certainly wouldn't consider moving to Sky - they cost so much more. We've decided to rent dvds of 24, Nip Tuck etc when they are available - cheaper in the long run and no adverts.

Cyclone

28-02-2007, 16:36

It's down to interpretation, the best representation being that 3 stations have been revoked but one interactive channel has been added. People on the L or XL packages thus lose 2 or 3% of channels. Not significant. Channels come and go. Why is Sky bigger UKTV? No breach of terms and conditions I'm afraid!

They're welcome to argue that in court and try to prove what I consider to be significant and don't.

Whatif wewin

28-02-2007, 17:28

I think the main point of this is that virgin didnt want to push up subscription prices for the customer for the sake of a couple of channels that they have found arent that popular with customers.
Personally I think virgin are right for not bowing down to these seemingly bully boy tactics by Sky.
I agree with you, and the one and only sky prog we watch is The Simpsons.
I hope Murdochs crew get a slap in the face from this deal.

Twiglet

28-02-2007, 17:58

update!!

would be interesting if virgin pulled the plug on the UKTV channels, from sky!! who'd be more upset then? virgin cusotmers or skys?

answer = skys, cos they have a massive 8 million customers!!

I don't believe there's actually been any speculation of this happening yet?

I find this entire thing very disappointing, despite being a Sky customer (no other option in my area, I can't even get terrestrial). Why should any customers be forced to choose between providers because of disputes over channels?

I believe Sky are putting together a cheap option to enable VM customers to receive their channels if the issue is not resolved.

Twiglet

28-02-2007, 18:01

YEAH U DO, but you also have to pay for sky channels 2. Sky are wating each Virgin cusotmer to pay 3p per day for carrying all the sky channels,

0.03p x 3,000,000ish tv customer) = £90,000 per day = £32,850,000 per year.. now that's a lot saved to imput back into Virgin

So you'd rather pay over £1 per episode for on demand services than 90p extra per month to keep the channels?

Eric_Collins

28-02-2007, 18:18

So you'd rather pay over ?1 per episode for on demand services than 90p extra per month to keep the channels?

sky 1 to me isn't worth 9p a month never mind 90p. Who in the right mind wants to watch a channel that basicly plays a DVD disk and calls it a channel.

I remember when we 1st had SKY back in the 80's. We fetched our box from Crystal peaks. Back then EVERYTHING was free once you bought the box. When SKY1 was on then it was a cracking channel. WWF was on it,Cartoons,Morning shows ect... basicly a clone of BBC or ITV. Now it's a faceless channel spewing out 6 episodes of back to back rubbish that can be found on any of the other 120 TV stations.

C'mon if this was BBC1 or ITV1 the nation would be up in arms and calling for blood to remove it from AIRING !!!!
________
W220 (http://www.mercedes-wiki.com/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W220)

alchresearch

28-02-2007, 19:36

Channel 4 was the same when they first started - they comissioned lots of new shows. Once the licence is earned things start to slide.

Thunzi

28-02-2007, 23:14

Sky One etc went off bang on midnight.

greenrat

01-03-2007, 01:59

Funky_Gibbon

01-03-2007, 06:39

Better just getting Freeview anyway - the best stuffs on the free channels.
I'm sure that people can live without the bigoted right-wing views on Sky News, the crap sports coverage on Sky Sports News, and the ten-episodes-a-day helping of The Simpsons on Sky One :hihi:

Well if you want to get your news from left-wing sources only that's up to you but I prefer hearing things from both sides - that way I can decide who's trying to pull the wool over my eyes in a particular story.

Sky Sports News might have been 95% rubbish but their Sports Saturday coverage was fantastic for those people without the premium sports channels. This morning some wag at Virgin has renamed the channel Sky Sports Snooze...

And Sky One is currently showing half a dozen US TV shows that are very popular. You only get 10 episodes of the Simpsons on a saturday ;)

Does this Virgin Central channel actually work for anyone? I keep trying the red button but nothing is happening. Not that it's actually anything new - it's just a rebranding of Telewests' Teleport TV - but if I still have to pay full price for a reduced service I at least want to get access to what I'm paying for.

Ann*

01-03-2007, 06:41

willman

01-03-2007, 06:44

its always the same when you go with the cheaper options.

now why are they cheaper - oh yes 'cos they don't finance any of their own shows and they can't afford the premiums commanded by some series' when they are franchised out.

Cyclone

01-03-2007, 06:47

I think i'll be phoning virgin tonight to advise them that i'm cancelling the service. I expect that they'll demand notice in writing... How long does it take to get sky+ installed these days.

Funky_Gibbon

01-03-2007, 07:11

I'm going to phone them not to cancel but to threaten to cancel because I can't get access to the on-demand stuff any more, perhaps because my cable box is pretty old. Either they upgrade my system to something newer or I cancel my service and my broadband as well (although I was going to do that anyway but they don't know that) ;)

Illegal downloads of TV shows are going to go through the roof because of this.

Scutts

01-03-2007, 07:14

I think i'll be phoning virgin tonight to advise them that i'm cancelling the service. I expect that they'll demand notice in writing... How long does it take to get sky+ installed these days.

Another victory for the Sky bandits then :thumbsup:

Mathom

01-03-2007, 07:33

Well I thought I didn't watch Sky one that much but I do - Simpsons is always good if there's nothing else on, and they have the latest episodes (C4 is about 4 years behind, and I don't want to wait 4 years to see 'em!). Then there's all that lovely sci-fi. I'm not into 24, Lost or Nip/Tuck but I do love Brainiac and I'd really miss that! Those hilarious Julie Burchill docs they do. Britain's Hardest. Plenty of stuff I like, then.

But most of all - without Sky One I'd never have seen Hogfather which was up there with the best - they proved that they can make superb, truly original TV with that.

UKTV? What's that? Living TV? Most Haunted is their only well known show! Bravo? Load of tripe! Branson can keep it if he wants to throw his dummy. Virgin media sounds like a cheapskate option to me - as I said to a telewest salesman last year, why would I want to pay for a satellite service that didn't give me everything, that's the whole point of having it, to have the ultimate level of choice.

dieselbabe

01-03-2007, 07:36

I love sky 1 and even sky news and sports, But now i can no longer watch them as just seen tune in to sky news to find sky snooze channel (even thoe made me chuckle with the name they gave sky news) and then seen the rest of SKY channels have gone.

If the service does not pick up and put more channels on then im changing back to sky TV now SKY has internet service too, i only swap over from SKY to Telewest (b4 virgin) has it was costing me the earth with haveing SKY-BT-AOL running a month and T-west at the time was cheaper to have all three and i still get the channles i liked. Same with Virgin central channel, this sopose to be the bees knees in TV the way they was talking about it, i thought it be anouther new channel to watch, only to see that its only TV on demand just like Telwest had in the first place.

Ann*

01-03-2007, 07:59

I've been a Sky customer for the past 9 years, but I'm not sure who to side with on this issue.

According to this (http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/digitaltv/a42523/sky-to-launch-new-dtt-service.html), Freeview is going to be losing a lot of channels supplied by Sky later this year, which will make the Freeview set top boxes more of less defunct apart from the current terrestrial channels and a few crap channels that nobody ever watches anyway ~ I've noticed that even Top Up TV isn't supported by Sky anymore.

Sky seems to be trying to monopolise the market and, unless an organisation like Virgin is willing to challenge Sky to the hilt, Sky is going to win, and nothing will be for free anymore.

bladesufc1

01-03-2007, 08:02

I don't believe there's actually been any speculation of this happening yet?

I find this entire thing very disappointing, despite being a Sky customer (no other option in my area, I can't even get terrestrial). Why should any customers be forced to choose between providers because of disputes over channels?

I believe Sky are putting together a cheap option to enable VM customers to receive their channels if the issue is not resolved.

well i've only lost 2 channels this morning!! sky one and sky news, sports and movies still available, mainly becuase these are paytv

bladesufc1

01-03-2007, 08:04

Well if you want to get your news from left-wing sources only that's up to you but I prefer hearing things from both sides - that way I can decide who's trying to pull the wool over my eyes in a particular story.

Sky Sports News might have been 95% rubbish but their Sports Saturday coverage was fantastic for those people without the premium sports channels. This morning some wag at Virgin has renamed the channel Sky Sports Snooze...

And Sky One is currently showing half a dozen US TV shows that are very popular. You only get 10 episodes of the Simpsons on a saturday ;)

Does this Virgin Central channel actually work for anyone? I keep trying the red button but nothing is happening. Not that it's actually anything new - it's just a rebranding of Telewests' Teleport TV - but if I still have to pay full price for a reduced service I at least want to get access to what I'm paying for.

yeah there's 6 different programmes on, when you press the red button, again this will be done per 2,000 households per time

nick2

01-03-2007, 08:16

I'll stick with Virgin, for now, people at work who have Sky broadband say it's total pants.

Losing 2 or 3 channels I don't watch is no big deal.

I'm glad Sky & Virgin have acted in such a grown-up bussiness-like way over the whole thing though (not)

Ruff

01-03-2007, 09:02

It's fine VM saying that have secured the rights for Lost - Series 3 for Teleport later in the year but not everyone has access to Teleport. At the moment it is free for the next two months (they kept the first month free very quiet...) and after that it is free to XL TV subscribers but £5 a month to L and M subscribers.

As far as I can see it VM are saying customers won't get a reduction in tariffs because they are instead investing in new content that some customers will have to pay extra for. Surely that means those not on XL are in fact paying over the odds just to watch the programme(s) they want?

JA5E

01-03-2007, 09:04

It obviously isn't 'one size fits all' situation, depending on the customers needs and tastes VM or BSkyB may be suitable and best value. Personally, the package i have with sky is £20 a month more with VM.

I do think that VM have dropped a serious clanger with the 'bravado' act they have had since the launch. The VM chairman's comments just before launch (http://www.hdtvuk.tv/2007/02/virgin_media_la.html) won't have sat well with the big wigs at BSkyB. Neither would the banners on VM's site stating that you can get Sky sports cheaper with VM than Sky.

In my opinion, if you don't have the media content to back up the 'big time' act, don't bite the hand that feeds you. Telewest never did it, so why are VM doing it?

bladesufc1

01-03-2007, 09:17

Virgin media, has the potential to be bigger in the UK than SKY by miles, they've got the infrastructure already, and with the off network services there'll be offering, they now have the best opportunity to beat SKY, BT hands down

neeeeeeeeeek

01-03-2007, 09:30

I can't believe everyone’s running off to sky because they are loosing Sky one. Get a grip, Virgin Media has the best Broadband, the watch again features are excellent, it does not suffer the same drop outs as Sky. It's not perfect but it's not that bad. So you loose repeats of the Simpson’s, Star Trek and Futurama, that's got to be a good thing I sit and watch them even though I have seen them millions of times before. It's a bit like the smoking ban; lots of smokers are actually for it as it will make them stop!!
I would rather download Lost the day after and watch it with no adverts in than watch it live on Sky 1. I think Virgin media will also need to try much harder with new features and they have stronger technology to do it. Bugger off to sky then but I bet you come crawling back when your box breaks and they want £200 to replace it, or when the encryption on the non HD channels gets that bad you can't bloody watch it any longer.

JA5E

01-03-2007, 09:33

MrNM

01-03-2007, 10:05

virgin central is just teleport with a couple of different programs! not a new exciting interactive channel!

Offers additional choice though... and VM is ummm, 2 weeks old. Lets give em some time eh?

Funky_Gibbon

01-03-2007, 10:06

I think the main gripe is that we are being asked to pay the same monthly fee for fewer channels. I already pay for the full TV package so I get the Teleport stuff anyway (at least I could before Virgin took over Telewest). Perhaps in 6 months the Virgin Channels will turn out to be fantastic and Virgin Media will offer new services but right now they are making people pay for something they no longer have.

Incidentally, has anyone else experienced a large increase in loss of connections on the internet? I didn't have any problems while it was still Blueyonder but at the same time it switched to Virgin Media I started getting disconnected from the internet 3-4 times a week. It's only momentary but it's a pain if you're in the middle of an online game. Perhaps it's a coincidence since my modem is pretty old but the timing is suspicious.

MrNM

01-03-2007, 10:07

VIRGIN WINS LOST TVOD (UP YOURS SKY)

http://www.brandrepublic.com/login/News/635366/

Na na na na hes a blade, an hes a blade!!! Sorry, just got as equaly excited. Branson 1 - Murchoch 0!

em2007

01-03-2007, 10:15

theres a whole recorded message to listen to now! takes the mick of sky a bit too, listen.......its free too.......0800 052 1139.

i'm still not impressed though!

Twiglet

01-03-2007, 10:16

well i've only lost 2 channels this morning!! sky one and sky news, sports and movies still available, mainly becuase these are paytv
You'll also have lost Sky Sports News, 3 channels.

Sports and Movies won't be going because you pay for them in addition to your basic package.

It's not perfect but it's not that bad. So you loose repeats of the Simpson’s, Star Trek and Futurama, that's got to be a good thing I sit and watch them even though I have seen them millions of times before.

Why do people keep saying this? People are paying for a service, it's their choice whether to switch or not. There are plenty of original programmes that are shown on Sky One, some of which have never made it to freeview or other channels; Lost, Bones, 24, Project Catwalk, Nip/Tuck, new series' of The Simpsons. For those that do eventually get shown on other channels, some of us aren't prepared to wait for spoilers all over the internet and media to ruin something we enjoy watching.

Dick

01-03-2007, 10:16

Don't worry. You'll still be able to see Wednesday's matches because they're on the comedy channell.

MrNM

01-03-2007, 10:18

They're welcome to argue that in court and try to prove what I consider to be significant and don't.

Seems a waste of money. You'll loose!

Ann*

01-03-2007, 10:22

Offers additional choice though... and VM is ummm, 2 weeks old. Lets give em some time eh?

Virgin Media is not only two weeks old....it's the new name for NTL/Telewest, and both those companies, when they were separate, have been around for yonks.

Na na na na hes a blade, an hes a blade!!! Sorry, just got as equaly excited. Branson 1 - Murchoch 0!

Richard Branson doesn't really have anything to do with this. He has leased out the Virgin brand name. This has been mentioned before in this thread.

em2007

01-03-2007, 10:28

i've just changed mine to just have the free tv channels, see if we can live with them. its gone down from £41 to £26. the money i saved can go to pay sky so i can watch sky one!

its stupid that you have to mess around so much just to watch a tv channel!

and she said she's no idea why i was told 11th of march but didn't want to look into it!!?!

and also that they are going to be removed from freeview too, as if thats meant to make it ok. like, its not just you, noone can watch them!?! mad!?!

em2007

01-03-2007, 10:32

Offers additional choice though... and VM is ummm, 2 weeks old. Lets give em some time eh?

additional choice?! like, re-runs of the office special, or little britain series!?!

not exactly much compared to losing all saturday football results and commentary and the new series of lost etc.

MrNM

01-03-2007, 10:51

Virgin rename Sky News, Sky Snooze (http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/digitaltv/a43319/sky-one-sky-news-pulled-from-virgin.html).

The story is a bit misleading by saying that Virgin have secured the VOD rights to Lost; that isn't until something like September, and I thought that C4 already had the rights to show Series 3 from May/June.

Sky's going to make a mint out of this, because Virgin customers aren't going to want to pay for a service that they're not receiving.

Cos they can't wait till September. Read the signs! They got Lost already so what does that tell you? Judge things after the first two weeks, move to Sky then watch your prices go up when your all in new 12 month contracts. Fickle disloyal UK consumers who can't see the bigger picture do more damage than anyone in this country.

willman

01-03-2007, 10:52

JFKvsNixon

01-03-2007, 10:53

Richard Branson doesn't really have anything to do with this. He has leased out the Virgin brand name. This has been mentioned before in this thread.

Virgin Media have a 30-year licensing agreement with Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Enterprises Limited to licence out all the relevant Virgin sub-brands for a term of 30 years, with a ten year opt-out clause.

But here is the interesting bit: Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Entertainment Investment Holdings Limited is the majority share holder in Virgin Media.

MrNM

01-03-2007, 10:57

ahhh no!!

looks like i'll be downloading after all

These will be broadcast via 'Virgin Central'. Some of the On demand content is a fiver a month if you are not on the top pagacke, but even on the free TV package 'Virgin Central' (channel 119 I think) IS FREE FREE FREE! :)

WallBuilder

01-03-2007, 10:59

I'm really hoping Virgin Media are rreading all the forums and discussion about their services and what they are offering. If they are taking note of which programs are going to be missed the most then I'd like to hope that they are trying rreally hard to obtain them from other sources. Most of the stuff I like watching has been shown in the States several months before and so must be out there somewhere.
I'm not going to repeat what I think of Sky but i hope they find they have really shot themselves in the foot over this bullying tactic.
I know VM are saying the monthly price costs for customers are not going to go down and the money is going to be used to improve and expand their services but it'd be nice to know what they are going to be doing to improve things. At the moment my on screen displays are still the blue screen although I've been assured they are rolling out the new layout as fast as possible and the new channel? where you press the red buttn needs looking at ASAP as at the moment only six series are showing although again I have been told they are going to be increasing these in the months ahead, why months though?
I also think VM should put up some clear info with dates saying how their service is going to improve as the info at the moment seems to be in different places which isn't helping.

em2007

01-03-2007, 11:05

These will be broadcast via 'Virgin Central'. Some of the On demand content is a fiver a month if you are not on the top pagacke, but even on the free TV package 'Virgin Central' (channel 119 I think) IS FREE FREE FREE! :)

but lost isn't going to be on virgin central is it?? even so, i want to watch it now, not in bloody september when evryones already told me what happened!

MrNM

01-03-2007, 11:07

Potential is one thing, actual market share is another.

I just think that VM have handled it a bit wrong. Maybe they should have have kept their heads down, pushed their VoD portfolio, then when bidding time comes around for shows/packages etc. Put seriously competitive bids in to capture them.

Despite my own vigourous defence and support of VM I tend to agree with this. At least get a few months under their belt before getting brave with SKY. A bit of a lack of patience could make it a bit of an uphill struggle. Too much faith in the vast majority of the consumers...

willman

01-03-2007, 11:12

MrNM

01-03-2007, 11:15

Virgin Media is not only two weeks old....it's the new name for NTL/Telewest, and both those companies, when they were separate, have been around for yonks.

Oh dear! Yes, they have taken over Telewest / NTL but VIRGIN MEDIA are only 2 weeks old. I think it's a little more than a new name! Richard Branson may not have an opertional role but his influence and off the record desicion making will be paramount. Thats why he plasters his name about the place...

MrNM

01-03-2007, 11:17

instead of getting snotty with sky.
why dont VM launch their own programmess or buy their own programmes.

sky is it in it for money, as are VM.

why should VM get "my" programmes cheaper then i can - it's my subscriptions that's funded them in the first place.

This is what we hope will happen. If it did not I admit many of my arguments would amount to nothing but one likes to show a little faith and give one half a chance.

landi

01-03-2007, 11:31

I'm staying with Virgin upgrading to VIP pacakge next week
finally the Simpsons are Dead lol may they rest in peace
Cant say i watch sky 1 anyway and haven't a clue what channel sky news or sky news sports were on so wont be missed here

MrNM

01-03-2007, 12:03

I see the link to the story about VM aquiring Lost comes up with an error now. Has that media influencing communist got it pulled!?!

pertfoxylush

01-03-2007, 12:08

but lost isn't going to be on virgin central is it?? even so, i want to watch it now, not in bloody september when evryones already told me what happened!

BUT VM have bought the rights to Lost from the new series, so they'll be able to show it on whichever channel they like!

BlankFrack

01-03-2007, 12:20

I'm really hoping Virgin Media are rreading all the forums and discussion about their services and what they are offering.

I would be astounded if MrNM didn't turn out to be a representative of Virgin Media.

I'm giving VM a few weeks bedding in time to see where it goes 'cos it'd be a monumental pain switching TV, phone and broadband. At the moment, though, having lost Teleport and Sky One (which is, admittedly, 90% garbage) it's not looking promising for MrNM's gang.

Twiglet

01-03-2007, 12:21

BUT VM have bought the rights to Lost from the new series, so they'll be able to show it on whichever channel they like!

Only the Video on Demand rights, i.e. pay-per-view, so nope, they can't show it on whatever channel they like!

MrNM

01-03-2007, 12:55

I would be astounded if MrNM didn't turn out to be a representative of Virgin Media.

I'm giving VM a few weeks bedding in time to see where it goes 'cos it'd be a monumental pain switching TV, phone and broadband. At the moment, though, having lost Teleport and Sky One (which is, admittedly, 90% garbage) it's not looking promising for MrNM's gang.

LOL, I'm not - just getting it installed this afters so is all I can think to talk about. I too do hope it's not a let down but you don't usualy get s**t when Virgin splats it's name accross something and this just needs some time to see how it pans out.......

em2007

01-03-2007, 12:57

i don't think mrnm is working for vm . more like, he's just got a 12 month contract and is hoping its going to be worth all this cash and be worth it in the long run.

*Ryan*

01-03-2007, 13:02

Sky1.. ha! Sports news, the only 1 i watch has gone, im just lucky ive got a freeview box i guess! :)

JFKvsNixon

01-03-2007, 13:06

Sky1.. ha! Sports news, the only 1 i watch has gone, im just lucky ive got a freeview box i guess! :)

Sky sports news is leaving free view soon, along with sky 3,and sky news.

*Ryan*

01-03-2007, 13:07

Sky sports news is leaving free view soon, along with sky 3,and sky news.

Howd u know this?

Got a link?

em2007

01-03-2007, 13:09

Howd u know this?

Got a link?

phone this freephone number ...0800 052 1139, explains why the channels are gone and also says they're leaving freeview too!

JFKvsNixon

01-03-2007, 13:09

Howd u know this?

Got a link?

No link, but I heard it on 5live this morning.

willman

01-03-2007, 13:10

check the telegraph website, or sky.com

i've just been on upgrading my sky package
to include the free broadband & telephone service that i can recieve with my subscription to the biggest choice of channels in the UK.

Twiglet

01-03-2007, 13:12

Howd u know this?

Got a link?

I posted about this and a link about 2 pages back on this thread.

nick2

01-03-2007, 13:35

Is it true that Virgin will start limiting the broadband dowloads per month too ?

Funky_Gibbon

01-03-2007, 15:29

Is it true that Virgin will start limiting the broadband dowloads per month too ?

They do that and they can kiss their business goodbye. It'll be Johnny Vegas and Monkey all over again.

sephiroku

01-03-2007, 15:36

well ive just realised that i no longer i have sky one,they have just taken it off without proper notification.I am looking to switch to another company for both tv and braodband but dont know which would be the cheapest.take note that i dont really want a phoneline since i am not sure if i already have one in and would have to fork out 125 quid installation.

bladesufc1

01-03-2007, 15:36

Don't worry. You'll still be able to see Wednesday's matches because they're on the comedy channell.

:thumbsup: quality:thumbsup:

carcrash

01-03-2007, 16:23

They have told me that there are no plans to cap downloads on put in a fair usage policy.

bladesufc1

01-03-2007, 16:26

Cheeky B*****ds

Last month Sky secured a dramatic cut in what it pays for the channels - including Living TV - slicing Virgin's take from 40p a month per subscriber per channel to less than 10p.

Sky says it is asking for just over 90p per month per subscriber for its channels.

UKTV is worth loads mor ethan any sky channels EVER!!

Jabberwocky

01-03-2007, 16:32

Im starting with VM tomorrow, phone, internet and tv.
I dont think the loss of Sky is going to do me much harm, but Im going to be watching them closely. Especially if theyre planning to mess with the internet.

nick2

01-03-2007, 16:33

They do that and they can kiss their business goodbye. It'll be Johnny Vegas and Monkey all over again.

Same here, I NEED to download several gigs of crap per week.

Mathom

01-03-2007, 17:55

......you don't usualy get s**t when Virgin splats it's name accross something and this just needs some time to see how it pans out.......

What? Like his splendid rail service? With the trains that catch fire and regularly travel packed as solid as slave ships? And stink of dirty toilets?

It's Branson, what do you expect? Something actually decent?

How ironic he has taken over Telewest (or whoever they had become) - the company with all the customer service skills of Basil Fawlty. When I heard about him taking over I thought something dodgy was bound to happen to the customers before long. It's not as if Telewest were any good to begin with. They blatantly lied to me about the price of cable TV, the 'services' they offered, gave me broken equipment and ended up costing me a lot of money and when complained to about this they treated us like turds. Been on Sky and BT for about 8-9 years now.

Maybe seeing as they have the call centre here, there are a few people sticking up for their own company? ;)

But this is a lesson for those who have all-in-one services, it's not that easy to switch when one goes backside up - which is why I use individual services - nothing comes for free, there's always a catch!

alchresearch

01-03-2007, 18:43

It's not as if Telewest were any good to begin with. They blatantly lied to me about the price of cable TV, the 'services' they offered, gave me broken equipment and ended up costing me a lot of money and when complained to about this they treated us like turds. Been on Sky and BT for about 8-9 years now.

I'm afraid I can't agree. I've had cable since the 90's, broadband since the 512K service first started in my area (2000-2001?) and haven't had any major problems. A cable modem failed last year, but the came precisely when they said they would and brought a brand new one.

Shazbat

01-03-2007, 18:47

I had Virgin installed yesterday so I had access to Sky for about 6 hours before they pulled the plug. Personally I'm not arsed and I think Branson should be applauded for standing up to Murdoch.

My only gripe now is that they didn't get my number transferred from BT and I'm having a helluva time trying to speak to someone who can sort it out for me ....

Mathom

01-03-2007, 18:51

I'm afraid I can't agree. I've had cable since the 90's, broadband since the 512K service first started in my area (2000-2001?) and haven't had any major problems. A cable modem failed last year, but the came precisely when they said they would and brought a brand new one.

They mis-sold it to me. Salesman charged me £90 which he shouldn't have done, pocketed it and Telewest told me it was MY fault, I shouldn't have paid it to him! Yet it was THEIR salesman who told me I had to pay a fee upfront for switching from BT - alas I paid it in cash. BT told me at the time they were known for their dodgy sales staff (it was Yorkshire Cable back then). The phone service would cut out at random times and was no cheaper than BT. And the cable box was second hand, covered in scratches, an old model, with a broken remote and the numbers half rubbed off. The picture was cr@p too. They also left a gaping hole in my wall - the Sky Digital engineer fixed it up though. :thumbsup:

Zebra

01-03-2007, 22:59

Well, as Sky 1 switched off from VM last night at midnight, we switched to Sky today at 11.30am and I was able to continue watching Bones which is mid series, on Sunday I shall watch Lost - midseries and on Monday I shall continue watched Nip/Tuck which is also midseries. There are various others too but they're the biggies.
I have no regrets about switching to Sky, my loyalty does not lie with any one company, I think most of them are very average and if I'm going to pay for a service I'm paying for the channels I want and not the ones they see fit to provide.
If VM had kept Sky 1 we wouldn't have moved, we had only just renegotiated the price of the package we had with them and were feeling quite happy about it.

TheRedWizard

02-03-2007, 07:22

We're in a set of newly-converted apartments, which had Telewest installed throughout, with no ariels. Guess we can't change, although I wouldn't bother for the sake of a couple of channels anway.

Ruff

02-03-2007, 11:20

Looks like Virgin and Sky might get into some trouble over this. Look at http://www.guide-to-tv.com/ (http://www.guide-to-tv.com/content.asp?pagerequested=247862&title=National_Consumer_Council_Criticises_Virgin_ Media_and_Sky)

basshedz2

02-03-2007, 14:18

Looks like Virgin and Sky might get into some trouble over this. Look at http://www.guide-to-tv.com/ (http://www.******.com/content.asp?pagerequested=247862&title=National_Consumer_Council_Criticises_Virgin_ Media_and_Sky)

Out of interest, do you make any posts without link spamming? I take it you own this network you keep linking to.

bladesufc1

02-03-2007, 15:20

Has anyone on VM tried phoning customer services to demand a reduction in their bill for the reduction in service?

you wont have a cat in hells chance, they'll refer you to your contract. in the contract it does state that Telewest (at the time) has the power to alter it's channel line up, and with you signin the contract, you not got a leg to stand on

when they put new channels on would you ring up and say i'd like to pay extra:hihi:

bladesufc1

02-03-2007, 15:33

it never hurt anybody asking !!

well done.

the post read, because you have lost channels, you were trying to get a discount becase of that.

i c now

Jabberwocky

02-03-2007, 16:05

Im now online with VM.

The tv package is only a third active and so is their internet, because of "A problem that will be worked out in less than 24 hours"...

mistyraven

02-03-2007, 21:40

I have sky but my daughter has vm in her bedroom, so I decided to change to vm too so I just get one bill and its cheaper but after reading this thread I am not sure if I have done the right thing now.

neeeeeeeeeek

02-03-2007, 22:26

I have been with telewest / now VM for years and my internet has been faultless. TV is as good as digital gets and I certainly don't want to help Sky take over the world. Look at Tesco, it aint big and it aint cleaver..

clifford

03-03-2007, 06:34

not read the whole thread so this may have already been said,when i heard i was losing a few channels(ones i don't even watch) my reaction was to ring up virgin and complain and try for some discount,the line was constantly engaged so i never got through,but ive changed my mind,my opinion is sky are playing dirty tricks in order to poach virgins customers..well sod off sky i'm staying put..i'm very happy with virgin and the loss of sky 1 and all its american crap aint gonna change my mind........lets just say sky did take all the trade,with no competitor they'd have us all over a barrel...:rant:

Sheffielder

03-03-2007, 07:27

This is all fantastic news for customers.

I would be careful when writing Virgin off and praising Sky, as it could all backfire massively when Virgin sports is launched and they win the rights to Premiership Football and leave Sky customers without their major attraction.

Plus - Virgin has been fantastic since it's launch, offering some fantastic packages.

On top of all that since the sky channels were pulled from Virgin I got a reduction of a tenner a month on my package by calling up and complaining - and they knocked a tenner a month off saying it will still apply even if they get the channels back on next week

;-)

Finally - Virgin are snapping up the rights to as many of Sky's major programming such as Lost, 24 etc

And not only will they be putting them on the telly, but will be storing them on the Virgin channel where you can watch them anytime you like - just click on virgin channel, choose the series and watch when you want.

Brilliant - all this should be embraced instead of criticised as it's going to benefit the uk massively.

Twiglet

03-03-2007, 09:06

Finally - Virgin are snapping up the rights to as many of Sky's major programming such as Lost, 24 etc

And not only will they be putting them on the telly, but will be storing them on the Virgin channel where you can watch them anytime you like - just click on virgin channel, choose the series and watch when you want.

They won't be putting them on the telly, they have only won the View on Demand rights (i.e. pay per view) not the series rights, and you will have to pay for every episode you watch.

em2007

03-03-2007, 09:39

They won't be putting them on the telly, they have only won the View on Demand rights (i.e. pay per view) not the series rights, and you will have to pay for every episode you watch.

'on demand' is the teleport replay service, now virgin central, which is free!

Twitcher

03-03-2007, 11:05

Teleport replay was always free so it's nowt new - even though it was full of rubbish you wouldn't want to watch...

em2007

03-03-2007, 11:07

Teleport replay was always free so it's nowt new - even though it was full of rubbish you wouldn't want to watch...

i know, but what we're saying is you'll soon be able to watch lost on there.!

mrseggy

04-03-2007, 20:20

Twiglet

04-03-2007, 20:32

Hi all,

havin read all of this thread, i still can not figure out if i will be able to watch Lost 3 on Telewest/Virgin (whatever its called) :help:

Can someone please tell me

1, if i can

2, When

3, How

4, how much will it cost me

Thanks xx

1. Yes
2. August
3. On the TV Choice on Demand service
4. £5 a month to subscribe to the channel unless you have the 'XL' package, with which it is included.

mrseggy

04-03-2007, 20:43

1. Yes
2. August
3. On the TV Choice on Demand service
4. £5 a month to subscribe to the channel unless you have the 'XL' package, with which it is included.

Thanks Twiglet, :)

i dont want to wait till august.......GUTTED now :cry:

oh well looks like i will have to but it on ebay.........

me thick.................dont know how to download .......and me putor is old dont thick it does either......................:cry:

troyhark

04-03-2007, 23:26

Something no-one has mentioned is Murdoch's [Sky's] purchase of a big chunk of ITV. This upset Branson I believe, who was also bidding for ITV and that purchase is now under investigation for dubious dealings. Quelle Surprise! And I doubt Sky's tactics over last couple of weeks will help their case.
Murdoch owns Sky and now a major chunk of ITV, the Times, The Sun and NOTW. Blair went cap in hand to Murdoch before he was elected to get Murdoch's support, as he has so much influence. The chap who owns Sky directly affects who gets elected in this country. That's not a good thing. And why the Goverment will probably keep quiet about this affair.
Sky are threatened by Freeview and Virgin, so they pay Virgin a quarter of what they previously did for their channels and they double prices for their own channels, which were declining in audience share. Interesting tactic, designed to provoke a fight.

Now Sky is very expensive to watch and you get an obscene amount of advertising to put up with as well. Which is a good business idea as you get paid twice that way. But I'm not stupid enough to pay for their 'service', which is not good and the picture quality is awful too.

I've decided this withdrawal of Sky from Virgin/Telewest is actually a good thing. I will simply rent the DVD of the one or two programmes I watch on Sky [they only ever show about 3 or 4 programmes and a million repeats anyway]. It costs very little to rent nowadays and you can hang on to DVD until you've finished with it. Then I can watch the programmes I like without the stupid adverts interupting every few minutes. Plus I can watch a load of episodes on the trot, which is much better than 40mins every week + 20mins of filler. A friend missed some episodes of 24 last year and rented the entire series to watch at Xmas. He loved it, far more enjoyable.

BTW, I'm not a huge fan of Branson either, he is a very ruthless business man, who very cleverly markets himself as a cuddly Mr Nice Guy. This is the chap who started his business by doing organised Customs Tax fraud and had rich parents get him out of jail.
He likes to play the underdog Vs the nasty bully, to get public support. But in this case, it may very well be the case.

Kingmaker2

05-03-2007, 00:48

Something no-one has mentioned is Murdoch's [Sky's] purchase of a big chunk of ITV. This upset Branson I believe, who was also bidding for ITV and that purchase is now under investigation for dubious dealings. Quelle Surprise! And I doubt Sky's tactics over last couple of weeks will help their case.
Murdoch owns Sky and now a major chunk of ITV, the Times, The Sun and NOTW. Blair went cap in hand to Murdoch before he was elected to get Murdoch's support, as he has so much influence. The chap who owns Sky directly affects who gets elected in this country. That's not a good thing. And why the Goverment will probably keep quiet about this affair.

Branson was interviewed on BBC NEWS 24 HardTalK program about his various business ventures and the Sky/Virgin spat came up, Branson said that although he respected Murdoch he thought his buying up shares in ITV was not really on and that Sky had no intention of making any money from ITV I but purely to block Branson's own ambitions.
It's long been argued that Murdoch has too much power patricuarly over the media and press and now Sky want to dominate the internet market as well.
It wouldn't suprise me if Sky had this stratagey all along to offer some of it's channels on Free view and Virgin Media, they allow the Freeview and Virgin Media customers to experience Sky channels just long enough for many to get hooked to those channels and then withdraw or over price the channels from Freeview and Virgin Media, hoping that many viewers would switch over to Sky.... well from this thread at least it seems to be working!:suspect:

I myself like having the Sky channels, but hate how Sky run things with regard to their pricing and the way they reward their long term customers, i.e, they don't........ new customers always get special offers to join but long term customers never get discounts or special deals.
Sometimes Sky will send me a letter pronouncing "Great News".....
what a loyalty discount or reduction in monthly billing ? (I ask myself, with excitement).....Nope it just turns out to be an announcement that Sky are freezing there prices for 6 months!.....Errr in other words expect your monthly bill to go up after 6 months..... Yep that truely is "Great News" thanks Mr. Murdoch you're a true gentleman!:suspect:

CorkerSWFC

05-03-2007, 01:46

ive had virgin media for just over a month now, because they didnt send me a welcome pack i rang up asking for one to be sent, they also let me have my first 3 months on the phone, broadband and tv so im not complaining, don,t get me wrong i will miss sky sports news when my sky gets cut off.

clifford

09-03-2007, 14:14

don,t get me wrong i will miss sky sports news when my sky gets cut off.

why? its not like wednesday are ever on it :hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi:

bladesufc1

09-03-2007, 14:19

1. Yes
2. August
3. On the TV Choice on Demand service
4. £5 a month to subscribe to the channel unless you have the 'XL' package, with which it is included.

sorry LOST3 will cost £0.99 per episode to view!! if you look on 4OD via interactive they have other on demand series at a cost of £0.99p per episode, no adverts and you can watch all in 1 go if you really wanted to

personal5579

16-03-2007, 11:50

I am staying with Virgin Media, as I am very happy with the service I receive. I think the Broadband and Landline Phone are good products.

But I am dissapointed as we watch very little TV in our house, however, the little TV we did watch was 90% on Sky One - which we no longer receive!

I did look into switching to Sky, but they are sooooooooo expensive. I cant afford to switch. I also like to have 1 bill for all 3 services.

So I just have to accept that I wont be watching lost anytime soon!

I REALLY HATE THOSE SKY ADVERTS THOUGH - "Virgin Media customers Switch to Sky" - I think this proves that was Sky's aim from the start.

JA5E

18-03-2007, 22:09

I do think it's 'horses for courses' when it comes to value, as stated before, the package i have with Sky now is £20 more with VM.

It's certainly become interesting since the 'split'. Now that Ofcom are getting involved, hopefully the winners in all this will be us, the customer.

I'm still of the opinion that VM's aggresive marketing tactics have lead to sky's retailation.

I also agree that the sports portfolio, namely Premier league footie is the big incentive, however i believe that Sky now have the main packages for the next few years. Maybe if VM could agree a contract with Setanta, who also have certain premier league screening rights, they would get a foot in the door.

Interesting times.

Ann*

12-04-2007, 16:21

Not sure whether Virgin Media customers should treat this (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6549541.stm) as the tiniest bit of hope?

alchresearch

12-04-2007, 17:29

There was also this on DigitalSpy:

Satellite broadcaster Sky has seen the audience share on its basic channels drop by a combined 24.5% since they came off the Virgin Media platform last month.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/digitaltv/a44869/sky-suffers-without-virgin-media-customers.html

marc1990

12-04-2007, 17:43

since sky one begins with sky i rekon youre safe with sky (not been sarcastic , seriously)

personal5579

08-05-2007, 11:02

Does any1 know the latest position on this?

I want my Sky channels back!

Magilla

08-05-2007, 13:57

LOL, I'm not - just getting it installed this afters so is all I can think to talk about. I too do hope it's not a let down but you don't usualy get s**t when Virgin splats it's name accross something and this just needs some time to see how it pans out.......

Actually, since Virgin Media took over telewest, costs have increased and standard of service decreased considerably IMV.

Also, since the takeover Virgin have started bandwidth limiting their customers without telling them:-

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/05/08/vigin_nationwide_throttling/

At these rates I'd say the average user will fall foul of the limit in about an hour.

After seeing the low standards Virgin are happy to set themselves I'd have to say that given the choice in the future, I'd opt for the non-Virgin option just to avoid having to suffer their abysmal service.

In essence, having tried (and ditched) a number of their services, I'd say that s**t is exactly what I expect from Virgin.

Magilla

08-05-2007, 14:03

I'm having a helluva time trying to speak to someone who can sort it out for me ....

Welcome to Virgin!

Magilla

08-05-2007, 14:08

you wont have a cat in hells chance, they'll refer you to your contract. in the contract it does state that Telewest (at the time) has the power to alter it's channel line up, and with you signin the contract, you not got a leg to stand on

when they put new channels on would you ring up and say i'd like to pay extra:hihi:

Untrue.

If you state that you took their service because of a specific show or package (as per their advertising), then they are in breach of contract and must allow you to leave. As far as I'm aware Virgin specifically stated Sky1 as one of their lineup in the last ads I saw.

Their T&C's state that any change in service is only classed as "agreed" after you've payed your first bill for the changed service. Until that time you can choose to leave (with 30 days notice ofcourse).

neeeeeeeeeek

08-05-2007, 14:11

I don't miss sky one even though I did used to watch it. Same old repeats of the Simpsons, Virgin have done me a favour.

jezzyjj

08-05-2007, 14:39

Virgin made a big point of advertising it's no capped internet service. now they are capping it at the times people are most likely to use it a month or two later.
And if you are paying for a 20M connection as some are, you can exceed those thresholds PDQ. Even worse they cap your upload speed if you download too much, which is pretty crap anyway. More important to me as I need to send big files at times.
I actually use t'internet less at those times, but VM have taken Telewest [very good service in my experience] and are rapidly destroying any goodwill they may have had.
Time to start changing all my email contacts to non ISP dependent addresses in preparation for looking elsewhere.

bladesufc1

08-05-2007, 14:56

Not sure whether Virgin Media customers should treat this (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6549541.stm) as the tiniest bit of hope?

this is true, however dont forget Virgin owns ALL UKTV channels!! and if they want to they can remove these from sky.. but sky wouldn't have this so Virgin WILL will back the channels they have lost, sky have a far bigger base of cusotmers and if there upset then sky will shake in there boots.

P.s VIRGIN are currently trialing out a set top box or cusotmer who aren't in a Telewest / NTL / Virgin Area!!

so you will also be able to have all services at simular prices

bladesufc1

08-05-2007, 15:05

jezzyjj

08-05-2007, 15:10

if this is true, you'll receive a better internet connection via virgin than BT as BT and others are still via a telephone line, virgin will always be ahead o the rivals on the internet ALWAYS
And it used to be said you could never go wrong buying IBM. Things change and with disruptive technology, it can change very quickly.
The only reason I haven't left is because the others [at present] are even worse.

bladesufc1

08-05-2007, 15:15

And it used to be said you could never go wrong buying IBM. Things change and with disruptive technology, it can change very quickly.
The only reason I haven't left is because the others [at present] are even worse.

currently and goong forward nothing will be able to beat cable internet!! as the future of tv is via the internet.. 2 years ago telewest / ntl trialed a show house in london, this had a 120mg service going in to the house,

jezzyjj

08-05-2007, 15:21

Things change. Technology gets superseeded.

A friend of mine in Japan several years ago said he was ugrading from the 'slow' to the fast internet access. He only had 22m and was going to 100m.

howard11

08-05-2007, 15:27

It cant be that exp becuase NTL did it before it became VM

Magilla

08-05-2007, 15:39

if this is true, you'll receive a better internet connection via virgin than BT as BT and others are still via a telephone line, virgin will always be ahead o the rivals on the internet ALWAYS

At the minute this is true, mainly because the line from the exchange to your house is copper wire. This will not continue if BT want so deliver high quality HD video on demand. They've already spent over 10bn on upgrading the infracstructure to cope with all this so I don't think copper cabling will continue much longer.

When that's gone, BT will wipe the floor with Virgin in terms of performance.

Virgin bought NTL/Telewest for 1.67bn dollars, 1/5 of the money BT has invested in just upgrading their their network. Comparing Virgin to BT is like comparing your car to a nuclear sub.

Sorry, that's a long winded way of saying you're probably gunna be proven wrong.

bladesufc1

08-05-2007, 15:50

At the minute this is true, mainly because the line from the exchange to your house is copper wire. This will not continue if BT want so deliver high quality HD video on demand. They've already spent over 10bn on upgrading the infracstructure to cope with all this so I don't think copper cabling will continue much longer.

When that's gone, BT will wipe the floor with Virgin in terms of performance.

Virgin bought NTL/Telewest for 1.67bn dollars, 1/5 of the money BT has invested in just upgrading their their network.

BT were forced to unbundle their local loops, I wonder if Virgin might be forced to do the same to avoid multiple companies digging up the same roads over and over..... that's a thought!

sooooo untrue.. BT only change the exchanges to prodiuce a stronger signal to transmit the data. unless BT becomes non copper wire they will always be behind. and if BT becomes NON copper cable the only way they can go is cable!!

bladesufc1

08-05-2007, 15:51

At the minute this is true, mainly because the line from the exchange to your house is copper wire. This will not continue if BT want so deliver high quality HD video on demand. They've already spent over 10bn on upgrading the infracstructure to cope with all this so I don't think copper cabling will continue much longer.

When that's gone, BT will wipe the floor with Virgin in terms of performance.

Virgin bought NTL/Telewest for 1.67bn dollars, 1/5 of the money BT has invested in just upgrading their their network. Comparing Virgin to BT is like comparing your car to a nuclear sub.

BT were forced to unbundle their local loops, I wonder if Virgin might be forced to do the same to avoid multiple companies digging up the same roads over and over..... that's a thought!

are you really for real!!! Virgin over all is FAR bigger than BT hehe you make me laugh my friend

scott281178

09-05-2007, 08:41

haven't virgin launched a high court battle with sky?

bladesufc1

09-05-2007, 09:08

yes there's a link about 1-2 pages back rom this post

Magilla

09-05-2007, 15:52

sooooo untrue.. BT only change the exchanges to prodiuce a stronger signal to transmit the data. unless BT becomes non copper wire they will always be behind. and if BT becomes NON copper cable the only way they can go is cable!!

Nope, the exchanges are all optically connected. As I said, the bottleneck is between you and the exchange. BT will be forced to go optical for the wire between the exhange and you if they want to roll out the tech they've invested in. Is an optical wire a cable, or still a wire ? :)

For the minute they're trying out VDSL2:-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VDSL

which is already far better than anything offered by Virgin/Telewest.