Virgin Media Tivo threat
What is Sky planning to do to tackle the VM Tivo threat? They blustered something about an equivalent service coming soon at the time of the Tivo announcement but I've not heard anything since.
I'm not getting the HD box if something smarter is just around the corner. Or is there just going to be some sort of software upgrade. Any news or ideas folks?
I'm not getting the HD box if something smarter is just around the corner. Or is there just going to be some sort of software upgrade. Any news or ideas folks?
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It'll certainly be interesting to see how it's implemented and managed when compared to the US where TIVO themselves have been under the hammer from "generic" and proprietary PVR's.
Sky need not worry about VM TiVo.
A VM spokesman claimed in their latest TiVo statement, it will be better than YouView.
Strange to mention a rival future up and coming service provider in a future VM product launch statement.
No, it's not VM TiVo Sky need worry about...
It's YouYiew.
I meant YouView.
(too late to edit).
YouView does not pose a threat to Sky's pay TV dominance but TiVo's superior technology combined with Virgin Media's cable network will ensure Virgin maintains its market lead.
What 'market lead' would that be?.
The one mentioned in his first paragraph, I think.
http://www.barb.co.uk/facts/multiChannelDevelopment?_s=4
They need something to spin with ... and TiVo is the ultimate in spin.
Not much of a 'market lead' then
Specifically they include 'Video On Demand', which Sky don't offer - and even when they do, it's only going to be a poor imitation. VOD is cables strong point, they should push it more.
Personally I would expect a 'market leader' to at least be a viable business, and not struggling to survive with mountains of debt.
A big selling point for their super fast fibre BB.
It's better than bulk selling your customers details when the evidence against them is questionable and very unreliable.
Quite true. Anyway I'm quite happy with my Sky+ HD and would not see any further benefits from an enhanced PVR. I don't believe many non technical viewers would be persuaded to change to VM for this.
Virgin are doing quite well its just a shame not to see what would have happened if cable had been managed properly years ago i said it when i was a sky customer cable should have been wiping the floor with sky.
Their tv service is in more homes than Sky in their serviceable areas, they are 2nd only to the national incumbent for fixed line telephony and enjoy an unrivalled uptake of triple & quad play services. As such they enjoy a higher customer spend and lower "voluntary" churn (excluding those moving off-net) than both Sky & BT.
I included VOD since it is significant. They are 2nd only to Youtube and that's available to over 18m UK broadband homes Vs 4m cable tv homes. They offer the most popular (and most advanced) TV on Demand service outside the US and they do push it heavily which is why they enjoy such a strong uptake. Even with the the launch of Sky Anytime+, Virgin will still enjoy a strong market lead in its serviceable areas.
They are not struggling to survive. Their ability to deliver strong long-term free cash flow, along with the recent completion of their refinancing, enabled them to announce a £375 million share-repurchase plan without compromising further investments in the business. They face no major debt maturities until 2016 and Goldman Sachs recently reiterated it's 'Conviction Buy' raising estimates and price targets naming Virgin Media as the leading beneficiary of increasing consumer demand in the UK triple play market. As if to echo this optimism, Moody’s Investors Services also raised its outlook on Virgin to "positive" (from "stable") citing the cableco’s ability to operate in a "resilient" fashion despite the UK’s tough trading conditions. Moody’s said Virgin had performed well in spite of an economic slowdown and intense competition. Noting the company also has a strong cash position and improved debt profile.
Just saying.
Errr, if anyone can take 50% of business from any where I would say this a big threat.
They might only cover 50% of UK but they seem to be selling their products to more homes than Sky in their service area. This must be a threat to Sky or any other company that offers same sort of service.
TIVO is the best PVR out there and I wouldn't hesitate one second to drop Sky+HD, in favour TIVO, if I lived in cabled area and it is not just the PVR but also the broadband as well.
What fibre optic cable broadband offers is far superior to the average ADSL ISP.
Unfortunately most of us can't get cable broadband.
I would expect them to have superior numbers of broadband customers in the small areas they cover - but it's far inferior for the entire country
It;s like saying VM are doing better on a single street!
I would also suggest you look in to all the complaints about VN providing customer details to all and sundry who have been persecuting VM customers for alledged illegal downloading for a long time now.
Not being a VM customer, I know nothing about VM providing customer details, nor have I heard anything on the news.
Whats all this about?
It was all over these forums over the last year or so, with VM providing details of customers who were supposedly downloading copyrighted programming.
Today was the first I've ever heard of Sky doing anything similar, but it is of course an ISP issue, and it's possible they are obliged to? - but VM were the first I ever heard about.
1, You mean like watching Stargate Universe or other TV content over the internet?
2, Whos banging the drum for service providers to provide this info?
Sounds like a 1984 police state and an invasion of privacy.