BSkyB Announces 3rd Quarter Results

[Arthurgray50@blu]

I am going to throw a spoke in the works on this news about Sky having more customers on the increase. I was with Sky for 13 years before switching to VM. What the major problem is, is that we have the stubbornness of Virgin, who want to take on the world, and amazingly a great deal of people like the basic channels of Sky, and there are a lot of people who in places that cannot get Sky and depend on Cable TV.
Why people are switching to Sky is that they offer a better service, with VM l believe is that they feel that Sky are being big headed on what they can achieve, and this is all over the share that Sky bought in ITV, as l have said in previous threads, Sky have much more clout to offer better deals and more channels than VM, l only switched to VM becuase of price and employment problems, but l feel that (TELEWEST / NTL) cable is paying the price for a poor reputation from NTL days, and VM have got a lot of work to do to retrieve these customers and at the moment Freeview are overtaking us, remember in a customer survey it claimed that Freeview have overtaken SKY and we are Third in customer service, it is only the loyal cable viewers keeping it viable. - it is no good in trying to take on Sky if you haven't got the clout, l heard recently, that VM were going to take off PERFORMANCE CHANNEL, WHY, Sky would only take the channel off if they bust, VM have taken the channel off just for the sake of it. any comments ?

[TheBlueRaja]

Originally Posted by Mick

They haven't lost as many as that at all and they didn't shaft their customers over the loss of the basic channels, remember it was your greedy satellite supplier who wanted more money (whilst wanting to pay less for VM's own channels such as Living, Bravo etc etc). VM wanted to settle the dispute with arbitration, Sky being Sky refused and now it has backfired on them.

With Sky's absolutely dire broadband service I wonder what next Qtr's churn rate will be.

Oh right, of course, my mistake, Sky should give Virgin all their channels for the same fee every year because that's how business works isn't it. Sky produce all these channels that you dont want to watch but somehow you all get so upset about and is supposed to hand them over otherwise there the big bad greedy satellite provider.

Virgin are a competitor of Sky who benefit from distributing these channels and as such should pay a fee for them, a fee which goes up every time the contract gets renewed because - hey - thats business, costs rise and situations change. If you dont want it, dont pay for it, dont get it.

The difference is that Sky actually carry expensive programs which people watch whilst Living / Bravo etc are quite frankly dire carry no programs of any particular interest to most (Most Haunted perhaps an exception) and are watched by far less people.

You keep whining on about broadband as well, unlike NTL you don't have to have it, your landline is still provided by BT and you can choose anyone you like for your service unlike NTL where your forced into their broadband service unless you install a separate line. Personally, i'd rather have the choice.

As to whether its crap or not, i've no idea, i dont have it, neither do you (even though you like to comment on it) but Matt does and he seems to like it.

I suppose you will conveniently overlook that though.

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[Bob]

Originally Posted by TheBlueRaja

You keep whining on about broadband as well, unlike NTL you don't have to have it, your landline is still provided by BT and you can choose anyone you like for your service unlike NTL where your forced into their broadband service unless you install a separate line. Personally, i'd rather have the choice.

Not strictly true...you can take Virgin's TV service without a phone line now. You'll pay a premium if you only take the TV, but not if you take another service such as BB

So you aren't really forced to do anything now, but it's more cost effective if you do

[TheBlueRaja]

Originally Posted by Bob

Not strictly true...you can take Virgin's TV service without a phone line now. You'll pay a premium if you only take the TV, but not if you take another service such as BB

So you aren't really forced to do anything now, but it's more cost effective if you do

Ta

[Gareth]

Originally Posted by Mick

They haven't lost as many as that at all and they didn't shaft their customers over the loss of the basic channels, remember it was your greedy satellite supplier who wanted more money (whilst wanting to pay less for VM's own channels such as Living, Bravo etc etc). VM wanted to settle the dispute with arbitration, Sky being Sky refused and now it has backfired on them.

Care to back up that claim with some figures that can be substantiated? I'd be very interested to know how many punters Virgin Media have lost over the channels that, on the one hand are so insignificant that they're not worth paying for, yet on the other hand are so important that they're worth taking BSkyB to court over.

The only figures I'm aware of, as per this article, show that "Virgin Media, announcing results showing it lost 37,000 customers in the last three months of 2006". This is before the VM/BSkyB spat, of course. If you've got other information that can be backed-up, I'd appreciate you sharing it with us.

I think TBR has succinctly addressed the point about the deal for the Flextech channels versus the deal for Sky's channels... however, I'd like to add that the 2 deals are completely disparate any way. Jim Mooney likes to make out that he was coerced into accepting Sky's deal for Living, Bravo et al... personally I see it as a failing on Virgin Media's part that they failed to negotiate better terms.

Originally Posted by Mick

With Sky's absolutely dire broadband service I wonder what next Qtr's churn rate will be.

With all due respect, I think Matt's comments, considering he is a Sky broadband customer, are more relevant than your's. Similarly, BSkyB's profits increased largely due to the higher-than-expected number of customers signing-up to Sky's broadband service. If the service was, as you put it, "absolutely dire" I don't think we'd be seeing such high figures.

Oh, just out of interest to try and help me ascertain your level of impartiality, are you employed by Virgin Media or one of NTL's subsidiaries? Just so you know, I'm not on BSkyB's nor Virgin Media's/NTL's payroll.... I just happen to be a customer of both companies.

[Maggy J]

Calm down!! With all the death and destruction this weekend the dispute between Sky and VM is of miniscule importance.It's not worth beating our chests about to be frank.

[Mick]

Originally Posted by Gareth

Oh, just out of interest to try and help me ascertain your level of impartiality, are you employed by Virgin Media or one of NTL's subsidiaries? Just so you know, I'm not on BSkyB's nor Virgin Media's/NTL's payroll.... I just happen to be a customer of both companies.

I do not work for Virgin Media, never have done, never will do. But I'd like to know what my impartiality got to do with anything and since when do team members have to be impartial? - I am absolutely entitled to my views if you don't mind. What a ridiculous question.

I'd like to further add that I have never said Virgin Media runs a perfect service and everything is all fine and dandy with them. I know they have their faults and a number of customers go through hell with them, no service is perfect, but its when some people come along and paint this wonderful picture of Sky being angels and then have the nerve to call VM.

[themelon]

Originally Posted by TheBlueRaja

Virgin are a competitor of Sky who benefit from distributing these channels and as such should pay a fee for them, a fee which goes up every time the contract gets renewed because - hey - thats business, costs rise and situations change. If you dont want it, dont pay for it, dont get it.

The difference is that Sky actually carry expensive programs which people watch whilst Living / Bravo etc are quite frankly dire carry no programs of any particular interest to most (Most Haunted perhaps an exception) and are watched by far less people.


<removed>

Absolute Garbage of the highest order I have never ever read so much rubbish in my life.

Sky paid over the odds for imported ' IMO trash' from the USA.

Skys basic channels have been loosing viewers year after year for the past 5 years, and are still continuing the decline - FACT - BARB

Flextech channels Bravo and Living are increasing their viewer share - FACT- BARB

If the Flextech channels are increasing their viewer share 'they' must be doing something right.

Skys business bods have seen they have screwed up big time in paying over the odds for this US 'Content' and some wise owl thought 'I know lets screw over ntl/Virgin media'.

In the past ntl would probably have paid the increased prices, but Virgin were not such wimps at the negoitating table and Im damn glad too. Unless you are a complete clown you do not pay more for something in decline, hell Sky didnt want to pay more for something (Flextech Channels) which are factually shown to be increasing in popularity BARB despite how rubbish you and I may think they.

Sky has a major problem.....the channel Sky One is loosing viewers in a constant trend. BARB

Would you pay over the odds for a F Reg Skoda just because id brought a casette player from the dodgy bloke down the pub for £1000? I dont think you would! The same applies for Sky just because they decided to pay over the odds for something does not mean Virgin should pay more. Im damn glad they didnt get ripped off. I expect Sky will now need to increase subs to their own subscribers to fund the deficiet........and advertisers arent happy with the drop in potential viewers either. Hopefully our subs wont need to increase to fund this.

[boodykaka]

More customers will leave VM in the coming month's because of the traffic shapping, some of the comments read on this board should be taken with a pinch of sault, because it's VM friendly kind of like the Green Peace of digital tv

[themelon]

Originally Posted by TheBlueRaja

You keep whining on about broadband as well, unlike NTL you don't have to have it, your landline is still provided by BT and you can choose anyone you like for your service unlike NTL where your forced into their broadband service unless you install a separate line. Personally, i'd rather have the choice.

As to whether its crap or not, i've no idea, i dont have it, neither do you (even though you like to comment on it) but Matt does and he seems to like it.

I suppose you will conveniently overlook that though.

<removed>

Also people conveniently overlook the fact that there are many people happy with the service provided by ntl/Virgin for all 3 services and find it by far superior.

I have had BT and Sky in the past and suffered for poor crackling BT Line and very slow ADSL due to the poor line which BT offered. The Sky Digital after the appaling installation worked intermittently particularly badly in poor weather. I would never entertain either in future unless A: I have no choice, B: They show they have improved dramatically.

Sky and BT can get away with being rubbish because for over 10 million homes there is no other choice, they know it.

No service is perfect or better than the other they both have major drawbacks, poor customer service, bad features and lack if respect for customers and its up to the individual to chose at the end of the day which they prefer.

[Chris]

Originally Posted by boodykaka

More customers will leave VM in the coming month's because of the traffic shapping, some of the comments read on this board should be taken with a pinch of sault, because it's VM friendly kind of like the Green Peace of digital tv

The big mistake in making predictions like this is to assume that forum-crawling nerds make up the majority of VM's customer base. The fact is, they don't. The majority of people do not know what traffic shaping is, do not run bandwidth-hogging p2p apps, won't be affected and won't be cancelling their subscriptions.

And speaking as a forum-crawling nerd, can I ask what's wrong with being VM-friendly? Flaming from the sidelines changes nothing. Free-thinking, constructive engagement makes a difference. Of this we have proof.

[Safeman]

Originally Posted by Mick

Sky losing 290,000 customers and you say they are doing something right? Don't make me laugh.

lol m8 i read that some where too mmm trying to make them self look good lies all lies SKY

[TheBlueRaja]

Originally Posted by themelon

Absolute Garbage of the highest order I have never ever read so much rubbish in my life.

Sky paid over the odds for imported ' IMO trash' from the USA.

Skys basic channels have been loosing viewers year after year for the past 5 years, and are still continuing the decline - FACT - BARB

Flextech channels Bravo and Living are increasing their viewer share - FACT- BARB

If the Flextech channels are increasing their viewer share 'they' must be doing something right.

Skys business bods have seen they have screwed up big time in paying over the odds for this US 'Content' and some wise owl thought 'I know lets screw over ntl/Virgin media'.

In the past ntl would probably have paid the increased prices, but Virgin were not such wimps at the negoitating table and Im damn glad too. Unless you are a complete clown you do not pay more for something in decline, hell Sky didnt want to pay more for something (Flextech Channels) which are factually shown to be increasing in popularity BARB despite how rubbish you and I may think they.

Sky has a major problem.....the channel Sky One is loosing viewers in a constant trend. BARB

Would you pay over the odds for a F Reg Skoda just because id brought a casette player from the dodgy bloke down the pub for £1000? I dont think you would! The same applies for Sky just because they decided to pay over the odds for something does not mean Virgin should pay more. Im damn glad they didnt get ripped off. I expect Sky will now need to increase subs to their own subscribers to fund the deficiet........and advertisers arent happy with the drop in potential viewers either. Hopefully our subs wont need to increase to fund this.

Wow its amazing how upset your getting over something you dont care about..

[Mick]

Originally Posted by TheBlueRaja

Wow its amazing how upset your getting over something you dont care about..

As the saying goes ...

If the shoe fits, wear it.

[TheBlueRaja]

Please show me where i got upset?

Also, were still waiting on those figures for lost Virgin customers or is your shoe still in your mouth?