[doinitwrong]

I am guessing from the threads in the Top Up TV section that it is very unlikely that Top Up TV will even exist this time next year.

[Rambler80]

April 2012 http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1651920

2011 http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1407966

2010 http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1191882

[fhs man 2]

Originally Posted by doinitwrong

I am guessing from the threads in the Top Up TV section that it is very unlikely that Top Up TV will even exist this time next year.

It's like a virus it never seems to go.

[doinitwrong]

Originally Posted by fhs man 2

It's like a virus it never seems to go.

I do apologize sincerely for any annoyance I have caused by starting this thread!

[Nick_London]

Originally Posted by doinitwrong

I am guessing from the threads in the Top Up TV section that it is very unlikely that Top Up TV will even exist this time next year.

Sky was going to launch something like this a few years ago but just providing the usual free to view channels but you would be able to pay for the following channels:

Sky 1
Sky 2
Sky Real Lives 1
Sky Real Lives 2
Sky Movies (Not sure how many channels)
Disney Channel
Sky Arts

Plus a few more, the point of this was to make up and reach to the Virgin Media customers who were not able to view some of those channels, it was also a marketing technique to advertise Sky TV. Ofcom stopped this from happening in 2008, Sky continue to use Pick TV, formerly Sky 3 to advertise Sky TV's products and services and TV content, occasionally Sky free weekend pass is placed on this channel.

The problem with TopUpTV is that the channel range is not as attractive as Sky or Virgin Media's.

For TopUpTV to become successful, a new design to the portfolio needs to be created, this could involve migrating to the use of Satellite or keeping it as it is but building IPTV services and features including TV on demand, TopUpTV with the same features as BT Vision but with the additional pay-tv channels you get now as well as the option not to be tied down to BT Broadband just to use it would make TopupTV more attractive and would be a better product than BT Vision.

I don't know how BT get away with BT Vision, there's nothing on it

[doinitwrong]

Originally Posted by Nick_London

I don't know how BT get away with BT Vision, there's nothing on it

I bet that next year, BT Vision will cease to exist!

[Nick_London]

Originally Posted by doinitwrong

I bet that next year, BT Vision will cease to exist!

It needs live channels, if it had the option to offer live channels like Virgin Media, it would have the possibility of overtaking Virgin Media and having at least 6 million subscribers

You would see something like this:

BT Vision: 6 million customers
Virgin TV: 4 million customers
Sky TV: 8 million customers

I strongly feel that if BT Vision had the same amount of live SD and HD channels as Virgin TV, it really would have an impact on Sky and would be a success. Most of the country has access to BT's network in BT areas nearly 95% of homes have a BT master socket which may or may not be active. Once BT has rolled out infinity and made changes to its infrastructure, i'm sure they would be able to offer the same services as Virgin Media.

[doinitwrong]

Originally Posted by Nick_London

It needs live channels, if it had the option to offer live channels like Virgin Media, it would have the possibility of overtaking Virgin Media and having at least 6 million subscribers

You would see something like this:

BT Vision: 6 million customers
Virgin TV: 4 million customers
Sky TV: 8 million customers

I strongly feel that if BT Vision had the same amount of live SD and HD channels as Virgin TV, it really would have an impact on Sky and would be a success. Most of the country has access to BT's network in BT areas nearly 95% of homes have a BT master socket which may or may not be active. Once BT has rolled out infinity and made changes to its infrastructure, i'm sure they would be able to offer the same services as Virgin Media.

So we could have live Sky1, Disney Channel, Nickelodeon etc possibly also in HD streamed via IPTV?

[Nick_London]

Originally Posted by doinitwrong

So we could have live Sky1, Disney Channel, Nickelodeon etc possibly also in HD streamed via IPTV?

Yes, you already can, FX coming to BT Vision.

Also Homechoice now called TalkTalk TV formerly Tiscali broadcasts channels in the same way, how TalkTalk TV works is that a majority of the channels like all the channels you get from Freeview come through the aerial, the remaining channels like Discovery Animal Planet,Discovery Channel,Sky1 and a few more come through the actual network.

TalkTalk TV is not currently available to new customers and is currently under redevelopment. As of 2009, the service was available across Greater London and Stevenage.

Fios is also available to Verizon Business customers, the Verizon network formerly MCI Worldcom offers fibre to the premises solutions and is a main factor in competing with Virgin Media and BT who struggle to offer that and instead in most cases only offer fibre to the cabinet. In the United States Verizon domestic offers Fios TV and seems quite successful, the lack of fibre and resources in the UK is holding products such as Fios and TalkTalk TV back from expansion.

Orange is another who tried to launch a BT Vision copy, they did all the research and pulled out, maybe it was something to do with the fact that there internet business was a joke and knew it would be a disaster

[chrisy]

Originally Posted by Nick_London

Also Homechoice now called TalkTalk TV formerly Tiscali broadcasts channels in the same way, how TalkTalk TV works is that a majority of the channels like all the channels you get from Freeview come through the aerial, the remaining channels like Discovery Animal Planet,Discovery Channel,Sky1 and a few more come through the actual network.

Really? Homechoice was always pure IPTV with no channels via the aerial. They must have changed that since they were bought out, although I don't see why they would have.

[joshua_welby]

Originally Posted by chrisy

Really? Homechoice was always pure IPTV with no channels via the aerial. They must have changed that since they were bought out, although I don't see why they would have.

Since Talk Talk bought Homechoice/Tiscali you can get the Freeview channels via an aerial and Sky 1 from their IPTV service similar to BT Vision

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by joshua_welby

Since Talk Talk bought Homechoice/Tiscali you can get the Freeview channels via an aerial and Sky 1 from their IPTV service similar to BT Vision

Not quite right.
* BT Vision does not offer Sky1.
* BT Vision's live channels are currently DTT not IPTV though this is likely to change in the future.
* TalkTalk did not alter the inherited Tiscali service but closed it to new customers, removed some of the channels and substituted ESPN for Setanta. Sky 1 was in place in as long ago as Homechoice days.
* The changes to the service were made when Tiscali bought Homechoice. It introduced a new Italian-made box which pick could up the DTT Freeview channels if an aerial was connected but could still get them via IPTV otherwise. The non-Freeview channels have to be received by IPTV.
* I guess the advantages of this approach are less broadband width usage and better picture quality.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Nick_London

Once BT has rolled out infinity and made changes to its infrastructure, i'm sure they would be able to offer the same services as Virgin Media.

BT may not be able to get access to the unregulated Sky channels ie Sky could price them to make it not worth BT's while to offer them.
Otherwise, I think BT agrees hence the deals with Fox and UKTV for live channels.

[onephat]

Originally Posted by doinitwrong

I bet that next year, BT Vision will cease to exist!

have you tried BT Vision? Its actually quite good. I use a bit of VOD but watch a lot of Sky Sports. It's a good method for me for getting the TV i want without paying £70 a month to watch some trash thats on most channels.

[lstar337]

Originally Posted by onephat

have you tried BT Vision?

No live HD channels, so why bother?

All they need to do is bring out a T2 compatible box, yet they don't. They are clearly limping the service along until YouView.

[TelevisionUser]

Will Top Up TV even exist this time next year?

If they have the flexibility to adapt then they could end up prospering, e.g. by moving their services to cheaper IPTV broadband delivery just like the service providers using DTT LCNs 110+. That way, they could show Sky Sports 1 & 2, ESPN and Eurosport without the need for any costly linear channel space rental.