Blog Archive - June 2010

Wednesday, June 30th 2010

Most people would readily admit that when it comes to subscription digital TV services in the UK, Sky and Virgin Media pretty much have the market sewn up.

This could be a reason why both have been wary of Project Canvas, the venture involving partners such as TalkTalk, BT, the BBC, ITV and Five that will see the development of the YouView web-connected set-top box offering on-demand content.

According to the Daily Telegraph, TalkTalk is planning to offer the devices – priced at £200 – as part of some of its broadband bundles from next year.

Monday, June 28th 2010

When it comes to digital TV services, few companies have set their stall out as impressively as Virgin Media. Its on-demand service has helped the bundle provider to carve out a quality niche in the market, despite the continuing popularity of Sky's offerings.

However, Virgin Media will be hoping that its latest major agreement will see it push its TV subscriber figures past the 3.7 million mark which they stood at in the first quarter of this year.

Love her or hate her, former glamour model Katie Price continues to be one of the more fascinating aspects of the British public's obsession with celebrity.

Friday, June 25th 2010

Most consumers would probably agree that choice is a great thing - and the world of broadband bundles is full of them.

People can just take up internet services, or combine such offerings with both digital TV and home phone packages. The moral of the story is simple – most subscribers tend to be able to find the deals which are best suited to their needs.

Such trends mean that many consumers are likely to be happy that their choice of bundle providers is set to be get even bigger, with Be confirming plans to offer home phone and internet deals from September.

Thursday, June 24th 2010

Many people would not argue against the fact that when it comes to broadband speeds in the UK, Virgin Media is already setting the pace.

Few rivals have been able to keep up with the fibre optic broadband provider's offerings, including 50Mbps services, in recent times. Because of this, they are likely to be less than impressed with the company's plans to push UK broadband further than ever before.

It has already been reported that 100Mbps broadband could be launched by the firm before the end of this year, while trials on 200Mbps are also continuing. However, the organisation's latest announcement of plans to potentially introduce 400Mbps is almost breathtaking.

Tuesday, June 22nd 2010

While there is often a lot of debate in the internet industry about the definition of certain technology, few could argue that BT is spot on to call some of its packages Total Broadband.

The decision of the bundle provider to offer unlimited Wi-Fi minutes to its broadband subscribers is a big move for the industry and one which arguably shows how keen we all are to enjoy the benefits of internet access while out and about.

People are always keen to have a good quality connection at home, but the growing prominence of smartphones, iPads and laptops means that more and more of us are going mobile. BT's aim is simple – to offer the most comprehensive internet deal it can.

Monday, June 21st 2010

Despite the range of advice now available online for consumers looking to buy all kinds of items, Brits still place a lot of value on the advice they receive from family and friends.

It seems that – no matter what experts may tell us – the real world experiences of our nearest and dearest still has a major influence on our purchasing decisions. Because of this, the latest research from Satmetrix has hinted that Sky and Virgin Media could benefit from our love of swapping stories of consumerism.

The study, based on a range of responses in Europe including 8,700 from UK consumers, considered how consumers rate companies on customer experience, service features and overall value.

Friday, June 18th 2010

When it comes to switching broadband and home phone provider, many people now acknowledge that it is often best for them to see out the minimum term on a contract before even considering looking elsewhere.

However, positive discussions held between Ofcom and top broadband providers such as BT and Virgin Media over the past 18 months look set to change all of that. While those companies have previously claimed that their early termination charges on phone deals are fair, negotiations have seen the providers commit to cutting the costs by as much as 85 per cent.

As the figure might suggest, this has had a major impact.

Thursday, June 17th 2010

Do you face a constant battle with your kids to get online? Are your mum and dad always hogging the computer by downloading 1970s hits from iTunes? If either of these questions relate to you, it may not necessarily be a bad thing.

A new competition from bundle provider BT is seeking out families across the UK who rely strongly on broadband as an integral part of their home life. The aim of the Superfamily competition is simple – prove your online credentials and you could win free fibre optic cable broadband access for 18 months.

At present BT is seeking 'Superfamilies' in Halifax, Caerphilly and Cardiff, although the number is expected to rise in the coming months.

Wednesday, June 16th 2010

As the past few days may have been relatively quiet ones for most broadband bundle providers, it seems Sky has picked the right week to dominate headlines with a range of announcements.

Not content with being approached over a potential takeover bid from News Corporation, the internet, home phone and digital TV provider has made a series of other revelations to capture the attention of consumers across the UK.

Two of the most notable have been sports-related, with the broadcaster confirming plans to broadcast an England cricket match in 3D at the start of next month.

Monday, June 14th 2010

They may have come together in the name of digital TV just weeks ago, but it seems that the recent improvements seen in Sky and Virgin Media's relationship have just been temporary.

Sky has arguably carved itself a strong niche when it comes to 3D TV, with the firm launching its first channel in pubs and clubs at the start of April. In addition, as plans are afoot to bring the service to households before the end of the year, it would appear they are well in control of the market segment.

Well, not if Virgin Media has anything to do with it. Cindy Rose, executive director of digital entertainment, has revealed to the Daily Telegraph that the company will enter the area later this year.

Friday, June 11th 2010

After weeks of hype and speculation, the 2010 World Cup in South Africa is finally set to get underway.

While a lot has been made of how it is first time an African nation has hosted the competition, the tournament is also a massive one in digital TV terms. It is the first to be held since high definition (HD) services have been available to a mass market.

According to Ofcom, this means that football fans will be able to enjoy pictures up to five times more detailed than standard definition, meaning every piece of the action will be more visible than ever before.

Wednesday, June 9th 2010

As anyone who has paid attention to the broadband industry in the past few years would be able to tell you, Virgin Media appears to set the standard when it comes to connection speeds.

The company's current XXL package offers speeds of up to 50Mb, but the firm is not stopping there in its quest to offer the ultimate when it comes to fibre optic broadband services.

In the past few months, the firm has revealed plans to get 100Mb broadband up and running in the UK by the end of this year, while it is already trialling the delivery of 200Mb speeds in Coventry.

If successful, the services would undoubtedly put Virgin Media way out in front of its mainstream rivals when it comes to super-fast networks.

Monday, June 7th 2010

There is nothing more heart-warming than when two fierce rivals down tools and forge a peace treaty – and it seems that Virgin Media and Sky have managed to do just that.

While both firms are likely to remain competitors in the broadband, digital TV and home phone markets for many years to come, they have managed to agree a deal which sees Sky take control of Virgin Media's portfolio of television channels.

Purchasing the products for a total consideration of up to £160 million, Sky will be able to expand its portfolio of basic channels and also bring an end to the carriage fees it currently pays for distributing the content.

However, it is not just Sky which benefits.

Friday, June 4th 2010

When BT announced its financial results for the year to March 31st, the figures were overshadowed somewhat by details of the company's future plans.

The revelation that the bundle provider planned to invest a further £1 billion in extending the rollout of fibre optic broadband to two-thirds of UK premises by 2015 caught a lot of people's attention – and it seems the firm has not held back on its promise.

In the past week or so, BT has revealed it is close to getting fibre optic broadband services up and running in parts of Bristol and Edinburgh, as well as Caerphilly and Barry.

Thursday, June 3rd 2010

When it comes to digital TV, more and more of us are realising that we are no longer locked into tight schedules in order to catch our favourite shows. In fact, research by YouGov recently highlighted this.

The study found that 46 per cent of people aged between 18 and 25 are now making use of both TV platforms and web-based content services to keep up with the latest comedy, documentaries and drama.

Interest in such services has undoubtedly caught the attention of Sky, which has revealed plans to join the on-demand TV revolution before the end of this year.

According to Pocket-lint.co.