Apologies if this has already been posted elsewhere and I missed it - can anyone who might be interested in watching ESPN's Premier League games through Tiscali go to espn.co.uk and register their interest if they haven't already? They've got a field on the form where you can list your current TV provider, so I'm thinking the more people with Tiscali that express an interest, the more likely it is they'll strike a deal with Tiscali to carry their channel.

Thanks in advance.

I registered interest with ESPN some time ago but so far I haven't heard of any plans for ESPN to be shown on Tiscali. I emailed Tiscali CS and they said they had no plans to add ESPN to the current channel line up. It's very disappointing that Tiscali is dragging its feet over adding ESPN.

I agree - although last time I checked, it looked very unlikely that Premier League on ESPN will be available on any platform other than Sky by the start of the season at least. It's slightly surprising, I can't see them doing better than Setanta by selling the same product at a higher price to a smaller audience . . .

seems like sky have done a few exclusitivity deals so far any other provider has said nothing about it.

I have a feeling sky may well have locked the channel onto it's platform. and although we'd get ESPN we may not get it till the end of the 1st season.

sky want the rights, they cant get the rights due to offcom ruling so instead they take the channel hostage. on the platform.

sorry sky you can't do that. if you do then you must include it on sky player at least.

Surely any exclusivity deal with Sky defeats the objective of the anti-competition ruling?

Just read that Virgin Media will be showing the ESPN Premier League games this season, so I suppose that shows there's no exclusivity deal. Hopefully this will lead to a deal with Tiscali.

Virgin are giving it free to their XL customers like they did with Setanta, which a lot of people thought they wouldn't.

Just received an email from Tiscali

"Thank you for contacting Tiscali TV Technical Support.

I gather from your email that you wish to know if Live Premier League football due to be broadcast by ESPN will be available on Tiscali TV.

I would like to inform you that as of now the ESPN channel is not available with Tiscali TV. I have forwarded this issue to our engineers, and they will definitely look forward and introduce ESPN channel. However, we are unable to commit any time scale as to when it will be introduced.

I apologize for the inconvenience caused and I request you to bear with us until our engineers investigate this issue.

Please feel free to contact us in case of any further assistance required, we will be happy to help you.


Regards,

Tiscali TV Technical Support"

So we won't be getting ESPN in a hurry!

I rather fear that I might have to dump Tiscali TV - now my landlord has finally organised a shared dish system, I have an alternative. It's a shame, because the broadband and phone are brilliant, but as tnere doesn't seem to be any sign of new channels or any investment from Talk Talk, I think it might be goodbye!

ESPN is also available on BT Vision, I received the card today. My friend has Tiscali and I am sure you couldn't get Setanta, maybe the box does not have a Nagravision decoder built in although I suppose they could stream it like the other pay channels.

Setanta was on Tiscali

sorry I thought it wasn't.

None of that is relevant to Tiscali network, they have their own subscription technology.

I think it's really poor that Tiscali is the only platform not showing ESPN

I have to agree with the above comment.

Although I like Tiscali, and am, personally, extremely unlikely to subscribe to the limited mix of sport offered by ESPN I am sure that this will not be the case for many present and potential Tiscali subscribers.

Tiscali have a history of deflecting appeals for improved services with comments such as "we are looking into this, but cannot put any timescale on these plans" Examples include teletext and other "red button services" HD and ASDL2. The change of ownership seems not to have altered this response one iota.

Tiscali cannot even deliver a full range of Freeveiw channels, a great frustration to those of us who regularly have to switch tuners.

In order that Tiscali should compete with the major players as a credible good-value alternative, it is vital that it communicates effectively with present and potential clients.

The company must be aware of a considerable loss of customers to Virgin and Sky whose products offer comprehensive services, albeit at a much higher price.

However, to lose customers to TopupTV, a crude, low quality product - I know from personal experience - must be particularly galling for all Tiscali employees.

I hope Tiscali will take the bit between it's teeth and commit the necessary investment to develop the service in paralell with the competition - otherwise I fear that we shall all have no choice other that to find a new service provider following the demise of the company

TalkTalk now own Tiscali. I presume TT will decide whether to develop and roll out the TV service to more areas - or wind it up altogether. I can't see it staying "as is" for very long.

parthena

I'm also gutted that ESPN doesn't seem to be on the horizon for Tiscali - I guess it's as much down to ESPN as Tiscali though. There must be costs associated with setting up a linear channel via ADSL, and since ESPN will be taking the lion's share of the revenue it's likely that they'll have to put up the majority of the money for this. Perhaps they're not willing to spend that money just to get access to 50,000 potential subscribers, only a fraction of whom will ever actually subscribe.

Shame the Tiscali box hasn't got a card slot - we could get it like BT Vision and Top Up TV, via DTT.

I agree. If Ofcom forces Sky to charge a fair price for its sports and movies channels and TalkTalk/Tiscali can get a box that is Freeview HD compatible then it could have a compelling proposition on its hands. I suspect it is biding its time before deciding whether to expand or withdraw the service hence has not signed up ESPN.

Great News guys tiscali has picked up espn and espn america prices are 1p until end of september and 9.99 thereafter

Just in case anyone thinks Afrocan is 'aving a laff... it's true, announced via their newsletter today

parthena

And it would appear you can subscribe just by going to channel 555 and entering your PIN!

1p! Signed up baby!

Hats off to Talk Talk !

Now, about those other issues ......?

guys what channel is espn america on

Hmmm

"And it would appear you can subscribe just by going to channel 555 and entering your PIN! "

But I found that a rescan first was required.

I can't find ESPN America yet either, perhaps that channel is to follow on later...

Signed up for ESPN Friday evening, at 1p for a month and a half it would be rude not to!

They also seem to have lots of European Football, Portugese, German, Russian, Scottish, English, Italian, Dutch.

Also coverage of MLS, Australian Football League, and the rights for Spanish La Liga have not been assigned yet. If ESPN get that (over $ky) I may just continue subscribing.