Virgin Media to drop Sky One

Magenta_Wolves

How can Sky not allow Virgin to show sky news as that's one of the channels available on freeview, I think Sky two is as well. Surely they can't take away free channels?

alanrowell

I've got the basic Telewest package & I find I watch the likes of Sky One for 1 hour a week. So it isn't going to be a great loss if I lose it

thescouselander

I phoned Virgin media on Saturday to ask what they would be doing about the loss of sky and wheather I would be able to end my contract despite still being within the 12 month min contract period. They said they would not allow this and cut me off (which annoyed me because I had to wait 40 mins before I could speak to anyone). I still intend to leave if Sky one goes and here's how I intend to do it.

Section J of the terms and conditions states:

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. If you do not give us notice of cancellation within 30 days of any increase in charges or changes to the services or this agreement being notified to you or, if later, receipt of your first bill following such increase in charges, we and Virgin Media Payments will assume that you have accepted the increase in charges and the changes to the services and this agreement and you will no longer be able to cancel your services under this paragraph.

My view is that the loss of Sky One, with shows like Lost, 24 Battlestar Galactica is a significant change (although this is open to interpretation as there is no definition of what a significant change is).

If Virgin media dispute this I will use the legal expenses cover on my household insurance and I will go to court if neccessary. This shouldn't cost me a penny.

I have only recently signed up with Telewest/Virgin Media and I wouldn't have done this had I have known Sky One was going. Also, I am still really annoyed at being cut off. there is no way I'm letting them get away with this!

jembie

I for one won't be moving to Sky. I couldn't if I wanted to but all the programs I want to watch I can probably find to download and watch on my PSP at my own leisure which would leave more room for doing other stuff with my kids.
I have a friend in the states who records Lost for me (I know we get it the same time but she has been doing it for me since the beginning and I thought I would keep the DVDs for later viewing)

Sky's current campaign is all just to steal Virgin's customers and I am not someone who falls for that.

david_b_so23

Let us be in no doubt about what Sky are trying to do here. A couple of weeks ago they announced (or rather whispered very quietly) that they were soon to withdraw their channels from Freeview. Now I'm not too bothered about Sky Three or Sky News (which, if the regulators allowed it, they would turn into a UK version of Fox News) but Sky Sports News with Jeff Stellings Soccer Saturday is far superior to the BBC'S Score, and I wont be happy about losing that. Sky can deny it all they want but they ARE trying to force people to switch viewing platforms. Murdoch's got past form for this sort of thing. Anybody remember BSB?:mad: GRRR!

mistyarthur

Lady_K wrote:

How much % does Richard Branson own of the virgin/ntl? As I understood that its still NTL but that Branson only has a small % for the name so how much is all this to do with him anyway then?

It hasn't been bought by virgin, NTL bought virgin mobile and currently pay richard something along the lines of 10m a year to use the virgin name. Branson already had an 11pc stake in NTL making him a majority shareholder back then. Not sure but I think it went up to around 17pc and got him a place on the board.

Virgin reckon their customers are responsible for 45 million in advertising for sky but analysts reckon it is closer to 22, still a sizeable amount!

nej

samtheman wrote:

Sky just recently got a long term deal for these channels at a reduced rate.

You are quite right... so that makes it even WORSE that Sky now pull this crap on Virgin! Virgin give them a good deal, and Sky screw them in return. Very nice.

And for those who think they can cancel because of a "significant change" in the provision of service - think again. Losing Skyone is 1 channel, out of a minimum of 39. Losing one of about 4 or 5 news channels is hardly a great loss either, as there are 4 others to replace it. I also believe Virgin are going to launch their own news channel.

So you are losing one thirty-ninth (max) of your service. My "XL" TV has 129 channels... so even less of a loss, realistically. The fact that you might only watch this channel is irrelevant, really.

thescouselander

nej wrote:

You are quite right... so that makes it even WORSE that Sky now pull this crap on Virgin! Virgin give them a good deal, and Sky screw them in return. Very nice.

And for those who think they can cancel because of a "significant change" in the provision of service - think again. Losing Skyone is 1 channel, out of a minimum of 39. Losing one of about 4 or 5 news channels is hardly a great loss either, as there are 4 others to replace it. I also believe Virgin are going to launch their own news channel.

So you are losing one thirty-ninth (max) of your service. My "XL" TV has 129 channels... so even less of a loss, realistically. The fact that you might only watch this channel is irrelevant, really.

In my oppinion Losing Sky One is a significant change because many of the shows on Sky one are among the most watched shows on Satellite/Cable and the new series of these shows can't be watched on the replacement channels or by any other method on Virgin Media

On the other hand, if Virgin Media dropped some of the other channels that showed repeats which are available through other means (such a V Central) then that would not be a significant change.

It isn't about the number of channels available but rather the content on the available channels. Essentially I will be arguing that the loss of 20 of the most watched pay-TV shows is the "Significant Change".

TaBunny

Sigh last night I saw Blood Diamond and it's attrocities suddenly put it all in perspective, I mean everyone (including me) have been moaning about the loss of a tv channel or 2 and others are dying, so let's keep it real and think of better things to do than watch tv why don't we ALL cancel everything from all our suppliers lol they'd soon have something to say then )

nej

thescouselander wrote:

It isn't about the number of channels available but rather the content on the available channels. Essentially I will be arguing that the loss of 20 of the most watched pay-TV shows it the "Significant Change".

That's not a bad way to argue it - good luck!