Virgin Media "Collections" - revamped bundles now include TiVo as standard.

[Zoots]

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/new...t-bundles.html

Virgin Media has today announced the launch of Collections, a major revamp of consumer bundles that brings the TiVo service into its standard product offering.
Launching in April, Collections are intended as "market-changing packages" that will meet consumer demand for "faster broadband and intelligent connected TV services".

...

The biggest change is that TiVo is now included in Virgin Media's standard product offering, being offered as an option alongside the standard TV, internet and landline services. TiVo was previously made available as a separate upgrade, mainly for premium customers.

Collections brings together the TiVo service with the updated broadband speeds in three tiers of service. Any customers who don't want the recording functionality of TiVo can still opt for a V HD box instead.

Consumers are able to purchase the 'Essential Collection' offering a TiVo box with a 500GB hard drive, the M+ pack of TV channels (with six HD channels), 30Mbps broadband and the Talk Weekends landline package for £25 per month.

The 'Premiere Collection' offers the TiVo 500GB box with XL TV and V HD (23 HD channels), 60Mbps per second broadband and Talk Weekends for £45.

At the top end, the 'VIP Collection' offers the 1TB TiVo set top box with the XL TV package (including all 36 high definition networks), 100Mpbs broadband (soon to be upgraded to 120Mbps) and Talk Unlimited for £95 per month.

All Collections require customers to take a Virgin Home Phone line at £13.90 per month.

...

The bundles will be advertised in Virgin Media's new TV adverts due to air from tomorrow.

[BFG]

I just had a moan at them the other day as I'm paying over the odds for my package (about £84 a month). Come away satisfied after stress-testing their retention techniques.

Bill is now £10 cheaper, getting TiVo and an HD Box to replace an old bog standard one, free landline calls, and 10Mb internet upgraded to 60Mb. All to be completed this coming Monday. Result.

[flumperino]

Can't wait till I get back to VM. Sky is far behind them these days.

[Sanj[UK]]

Can't wait till I get back to VM. Sky is far behind them these days.

SKY will be laying down fibre very very soon. It'll be alot better then virgins current setup

[BigBrand]

Do Virgin Media offer discounted subs like Sky? As I'm on a decent Sky deal at the moment.

[Mule]

SKY will be laying down fibre very very soon. It'll be alot better then virgins current setup

Very very soon? You can only lay down cables so quickly so I doubt it will be as widely available as Virgins anytime 'soon'.

The fact that they're offering Tivo as part of the standard package must mean that they've finished their price increases.

[dpSparhawk]

SKY will be laying down fibre very very soon. It'll be alot better then virgins current setup

Sanj, with respect, that's a very bold statement to say and one really that none of us here could ever hope to confirm. SKY can learn a lot from VM but in turn, anything SKY do to try and make a service better, VM are highly likely to be able to match or better. Of course the same rules go for VM, we can't confirm that but they've been doing this for a long time.

As for SKY laying down fibre.. , you do realise that they would have to lay fibre down to enough homes to rival VM and again, VM, under their past names of Telewest, NTL, Yorkshire Telco, Cable London, Eurobell, Nynex, Videotron, Bell cable media, Comtel etc.. etc.. etc...etc.. have been laying Fibre and coax down for over 20 years now and are still doing it.

I don't think SKY are going to be a great deal of competition fibre wise in the near future.

Of course this is my personal opinion.

[Sanj[UK]]

Sanj, with respect, that's a very bold statement to say and one really that none of us here could ever hope to confirm. SKY can learn a lot from VM but in turn, anything SKY do to try and make a service better, VM are highly likely to be able to match or better. Of course the same rules go for VM, we can't confirm that but they've been doing this for a long time.

As for SKY laying down fibre.. , you do realise that they would have to lay fibre down to enough homes to rival VM and again, VM, under their past names of Telewest, NTL, Yorkshire Telco, Cable London, Eurobell, Nynex, Videotron, Bell cable media, Comtel etc.. etc.. etc...etc.. have been laying Fibre and coax down for over 20 years now and are still doing it.

I don't think SKY are going to be a great deal of competition fibre wise in the near future.

Of course this is my personal opinion.

It will be the same setup as BT infinity (FTTC) and launches in April

https://fibre.sky.com/shop/broadband...bre-broadband/

EDIT: Some users already have it : http://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Sky-Broa...er/td-p/312525

[dpSparhawk]

Limited coverage, fibre network areas only

- taken from SKY's info.

How big is the fibre network?

FTTC - Within 300m of the users home so from there it'll be copper no doubt.
BT's inifinity says up to 40Mbps yet VM can offer 120Mbps and I believe they're trialling much faster speeds. Also, the upstream is 2Mbps.. WHAT? sorry bud but that is a pile of shite. They could at least try for the 10:1 ratio VM use.

Admittedly, this is all corporate cock waving. My own connection will be 60Mbps in July, I don't really need the downstream but I must admit the upstream is rather attractive. For the uploading of photos and sharing large TIF files to other people, I like my upstream

I'm sure the SKY service will be very good but I'd still be exceptionally cautious about saying it's going to be better than that provided by a company with a lot more experience and I wouldn't be surprised, with lots of tricks up their sleeves for when FTTC is launched on SKY.


I think personally, SKY are still years behind.

[Sanj[UK]]

- taken from SKY's info.

How big is the fibre network?

FTTC - Within 300m of the users home so from there it'll be copper no doubt.
BT's inifinity says up to 40Mbps yet VM can offer 120Mbps and I believe they're trialling much faster speeds. Also, the upstream is 2Mbps.. WHAT? sorry bud but that is a pile of shite. They could at least try for the 10:1 ratio VM use.

Admittedly, this is all corporate cock waving. My own connection will be 60Mbps in July, I don't really need the downstream but I must admit the upstream is rather attractive. For the uploading of photos and sharing large TIF files to other people, I like my upstream

I'm sure the SKY service will be very good but I'd still be exceptionally cautious about saying it's going to be better than that provided by a company with a lot more experience and I wouldn't be surprised, with lots of tricks up their sleeves for when FTTC is launched on SKY.


I think personally, SKY are still years behind.

it already supports upto 330Mbps down. Its just a matter of time before it happens. The upstream is 2Mbps if you go for a capped package, 10Mbps on the uncapped package.

I wouldn't say virgin/NTL/Telewest have more experience, BT have being provider fibre for YEARS to corporate businesses BUT not to the general public.

Its going to get very interesting once more rollouts occur.

[EvilBoB]

The 10:1 ratio on cable is actually worse than 50:1 on DSL due to the way they distribute it - that said in the UK it is unlikely you will ever lose speed because of contention.

Also you should check out the new BT Infinity which they are going to get 100mbps out of. Once they start rolling out FTTH it will be even faster but they have many more lines to upgrade.

The last stretch from the cabinet will either be copper or aluminum. Also upstream on Infinity can be up to 15mbps (I believe this is going to 20mbps soon and higher on the 100mbps offering).

The number of people I have spoken to in the last 6 months that moved to Sky and have now moved back to BT is incredible. The service they offer seems really hit and miss but I've had more people say it's bad rather than good (or better - some people love it). Can't see Sky rolling out fibre faster than BT or VM.

[dpSparhawk]

I agree it's all going to be interesting. The three big hitters...

SKY will roll out something funky
BT will better it.
VM will go one better.

SKY Will think of something new to better VM
BT will get in on the bandwagon
VM will come back at it with something else



Rinse and Repeat

It's ALL good for the consumer. Competition is healthy.

[Rick Sanchez]

Sky use BT lines... Don't they?

[DejaVu]

Yup. Sky Fibre is going to piggy back off BT Infinity's already laid Fibre lines.

Sky wont be laying down lines as VM did. Virgin are the only holders of Cable Broadband apart from Small World in some parts of the country.
"Telephone exchange Fibre" (or FTTC - Fibre To The Cabinet) is owned and subsidised by BT and it's share holders (the likes of Sky).

Only reason Cable & Wireless got the go ahead for it years ago, was because it was needed and the only way to get Fibre Optics to consumers back then.
The telephones lines back then were diabolical and it's taking this long for BT to do anything substantial about it (nearly 20 years!) after OFCOM demanded it.