Virgin Media vs Sky

[Dog-amoto]

Can't find any other threads on this, but there have been some developments recently on Virgin Media getting more HD content.

 

Have been following this blog for a while and it seems that Sky have finally agreed to provide us VM subscribers with Sky Sports and Movies in HD. However, they are likely to charge £7 a month for this and we will not get Sky Sports 3, 4 and News in HD, just SS1 and SS2. Looks like it will launch in early August.

 

Considering VM only had BBC HD and a few On Demand shows in HD as little as one year ago, the amount of choice has skyrocketed and it's about time.

 

We now have 13 HD channels, and with quite a few more on the way, things are looking better for us poor VM customers.

 

I have thought about going to Sky, as the TV package is so much better, but the broadband really puts me off as I live miles away from the nearest exchange.

 

So what package do you (or your folks) get, and how much do you pay?

 

I'm on the Virgin VIP package where you get 20Mb (edited for Cube ) broadband, phone and all the TV channels including Sports and Movies, with an additional box upstairs. I also get ESPN as part of the package which Sky charge £9 for. I used to pay about £95 a month, but I threatened to leave and now get the same for £70. The same package with Sky would probably cost about the same, plus I'd get more HD stuff, but I would have to suffer with crap broadband.

Edited July 14, 2010 by Dog-amoto

[Cube]

I'm on a Sky HD package with Sports, One Multiroom and Unlimited Broadband. I'm not entirely sure how much it costs, though.

 

I'm only able to get 3Mb (Mb is quite different to MB) due to where I live, but it's miles more stable than the Virgin Media I had when in Sheffield.

 

Virgin also now don't own any channels (as Sky bought them all), but it looks like Sky will make more channels available on Virgin Media (such as Sky One), but at a cost.

[Dog-amoto]

Bugger it, I accidently duplicated this thread, can a mod delete the other one please? Sorry!!

 

Thanks

[flameboy]

I'm on virgin media for £40 I think and get M+ TV, L Boardband, line rental...keep thinking of upping my tv package as somewhat limited in what I get.

[Jimbob]

I'm on the Virgin VIP package where you get 20Mb (edited for Cube ) broadband, phone and all the TV channels including Sports and Movies, with an additional box upstairs. I also get ESPN as part of the package which Sky charge £9 for. I used to pay about £95 a month, but I threatened to leave and now get the same for £70. The same package with Sky would probably cost about the same, plus I'd get more HD stuff, but I would have to suffer with crap broadband.

 

Sky are more stroppy when it comes to dealing with them. Our Sky Box broke, so when my Dad called them for a new one, they attempted to charge full-price for it. Which, of course we were not impressed with having been with Sky for many years and forked out £30+ a month for the package(s) we have. We threatened to leave if they didn't give us a free box or one at a reduced cost, so they cut us off without haste to be fair. Basically, they don't want to communicate with their customers.

 

Ok, we are with Sky again. But only because we let my Uncle talk to them and he got us a good deal for the TV. Got 1 multi-room, Sky Sports, HD Pack and all the entertainment and music channels for around £35 p/m. And we got a free replacement box as well.

 

Sky are good, we are thinking of going to their broadband as well.

[Will]

I'm on Virgin as internet is far more important to me than TV or phone, having 3 heavy internet users in the house it's essential for that to be top notch - which Virgin is.

 

I pay just over £50 a month for the XL TV/Phone/Internet package, don't have any extras on top of that.

[david.dakota]

Virgin also now don't own any channels (as Sky bought them all), but it looks like Sky will make more channels available on Virgin Media (such as Sky One), but at a cost.

 

Virgin Media Television, at the moment, still own a significate share in UKTV who operate Alibi, Eden etc - but expect this to change in due course.

 

Virgin are clearly in the process of adjusting their TV business, they've been wanting to move out of the channel distribution for some time and are attemtping to differentiate themselves from Sky by focussing on VOD. I expect their linear channel lineup to dramatically drop over the next few years - but this will no doubt happen across all platforms as VOD eats into all our screen time.

 

Personally, given the option, I'd go for Virgin. Their VOD services are far ahead of anything Sky are offering, their broadband products leagues ahead of sky's (who currently have no fibre plans, despite BT offering fibre wholesale) and show more promise. Virgins upload speeds are due to be overhauled soon.

 

Neither Virgin or Sky have worthwhile customer service (but they're not alone in the media and communications industry). I think ultimately if you want a impossible number linear TV channels you'll never watch go for Sky, or if you want VOD services, superior broadband but expensive calls and premium content (Films, sport), go for Virgin.

[Jimbob]

If you want a impossible number linear TV channels you'll never watch go for Sky

 

Perfect for those who do nothing all day long

 

 

Like this person here.

[Dog-amoto]

It's official. For £7 a month, VM customers can now get SS1 and 2 as well as all the movie channels apart from Classics in HD.

 

They will be available on the 2nd August.

 

Have put my order in. All that HD football during the World Cup has spoiled me a bit, so I'm glad that I don't have to only rely on ESPN HD (which you get for free on VM)

 

http://allyours.virginmedia.com/html/existing-customer/sky-premium.html

[Dog-amoto]

Damnit! What's wrong with this forum? Everything I post gets duplicated!!! First time I tried it said I had to wait 30 seconds between posts, which is weird as I haven't posted anything today!

 

Can a mod delete this post? Ta

Edited July 20, 2010 by Dog-amoto

[Cube]

But the site says:

 

Sky Sports Collection:

£26.00 a month with TV Size:M

£20.50 a month with TV Size M+, L & XL

 

Sky Movies Collection:

£37.00 a month with TV Size:M

£27.50 a month with TV Size M+, L & XL

 

Plus the £7.00 on top for HD.

 

The full package in HD is:

£44.00 a month with TV Size:M

£34.50 a month with TV Size M+, L & XL

 

Edit: If you get the "Wait between 30 seconds" then it's likely that the post has been successfull, and a forum error has submitted it twice, so there's no need to wait and try again.

Edited July 20, 2010 by Cube

[Dog-amoto]

Sorry, I should have said "for an extra £7"

 

At the moment, it's £27.50 for all the Sports and Movie channels

 

So it'll be £34.50 for the same, but all in HD, (apart from SS3 and 4, no HD wrestling )

 

I think I'll and up paying about £75 in total for phone, 20Mb broadband, and all the TV channels (including Sports, Movies and ESPN), which isn't bad. With Sky, it'd probably be the same if you added ESPN, but I prefer Virgin's broadband as it's much more stable for me.