Blogs - Cable TV

Wednesday, August 18th 2010

Media pundits and analysts have been pretty harsh on BT for the amount of customers it has managed to attract to its newly-launched sports packages.

Experts have estimated that around 60,000 people are currently subscribed to one of the Sky Sports offers on BT Vision, arguing that this is a disappointing return considering the amount of money the telecoms giant has spent on advertising.

Whether or not BT will be secretly unhappy with the figures, as far as we're concerned the company has still managed to put together some great value offers for avid sports fans.

For just £41.

Friday, August 13th 2010

It may have come to your attention that Premier League football returns to our screens this weekend.

Over the past couple of weeks, we've reported a number of analysts' opinions on whether Sky, Virgin Media or BT Vision is offering the best digital TV packages to cover all your essential sports viewing needs and now it's time to have our say.

Without wishing to sit on the fence, it's fair to argue that each of these bundle providers has put together some fantastic value offers - and if it's a bargain basement price that you're after, then BT Vision has the edge.

The company's Sky Sports Pack comes with both Sky Sports 1 and 2 for a price of £29.

Monday, August 9th 2010

High-definition (HD) TV has been all over the news in recent weeks, with both Sky and Virgin Media announcing a raft of new channels to bolster their existing line-ups.

Comedy Central HD will be coming to Virgin Media this September, while Sky is adding HD versions of Sky Sports News, plus ITV2, ITV3 and ITV4.

While we know that these changes are unlikely to make you suddenly rush out to sign up for HD if you don't have it at the moment, these new digital TV channels are certainly a sign that HD is here to stay and that it's only going to continue growing in the future.

Friday, August 6th 2010

Now that Be Broadband has promised to shake up the home phone market with a series of offers designed to undercut BT, we thought we'd have a look at the best landline packages that are currently available.

For some, a landline is just a way to get access to broadband. But if you're one of the people who takes advantage of the free calls offered by your home phone, then it's important to make sure you're on the most cost-effective deal possible.

Even if you don't get much use from it, you might still find you can save some money on your basic line rental.

Thursday, August 5th 2010

Sky's latest financial results have shown that more people than ever are now taking advantage of the great savings that can be achieved with one of its broadband, TV and home phone packages.

An impressive one in five Sky customers now signs up to a bundle deal comprising each of these three services. With that in mind, we thought we'd take a look at some of the great offers you can get when you take out your digital TV, internet and landline with the same provider.

If you're considering a move into the world of high-definition (HD) TV viewing and you're keen to save as much money as possible, it's hard to find anything to fault with the Sky+HD Starter.

Wednesday, August 4th 2010

Now that Virgin Media has been officially recognised by Ofcom as the fastest high-speed broadband provider in the country, it seems like an appropriate time to cast our expert eye over some of the company's best offers.

In their latest round of broadband download tests, the team over at the regulator found that Virgin Media's up to 10Mb/s package is around twice as fast as rival DSL offerings with the same headline speed.

If you're convinced that you just want fibre optic cable broadband, you can sign up for this deal as a standalone product for a standard price of £20 per month, with a one-off installation fee of £35.

Friday, July 30th 2010

The battle to provide the best TV-on-demand service is set to rage over the coming months and Virgin Media has just laid down an early marker with the launch of the beta version of Virgin Media Player.

If you're one of the lucky customers to have an XL cable TV package and any broadband connection with the bundle provider, you'll be able to get a glimpse of the hundreds of hours of content Virgin Media has made available for the trial.

Those who sign up will be able to watch some of their favourite programmes online - or even via their mobile phone - for up to an hour a day, without being charged anything for the privilege.

Thursday, July 29th 2010

Now that Sky's rights to broadcast the forthcoming Ashes series on its digital TV channels have been extended, legions of cricket fans will be clamouring to sign up for the best sports packages available.

England head down under to take on their bitter rivals Australia this winter, with the first Test getting underway in Brisbane on November 25th 2010. While the Barmy Army are planning to take plenty of fans with them, the only way for most people to watch the contest will be via a digital TV subscription, so we've taken a look at the best bundles available for those who can't bear to miss a minute of the action.

Sky is the obvious choice for the sports mad and it's surprising how little a Sky Sports subscription can cost.

Wednesday, July 28th 2010

Virgin Media's high-definition (HD) cable TV services have been pretty fantastic ever since they first launched but, never content to rest on its laurels, the bundle provider has just improved its offerings with a whole host of new films and shows.

We reckon one of its biggest coups since Virgin Media HD launched is Shutter Island, the twisted thriller from Martin Scorsese which stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo.

From August 13th 2010, Virgin Media will become the first TV content provider in the UK to broadcast the film in HD.

Wednesday, July 21st 2010

High definition (HD) digital TV services are becoming increasingly popular with consumers across the UK, as they look to enjoy the best sports action and drama in the highest possible picture quality.

The rising popularity makes it unsurprising that Virgin Media has chosen to announce that it plans to offer access to Sky Sports HD1 and HD2 to subscribers for the first time from August 2nd.

However, while the bundle provider offers access to basic HD channels for no extra monthly fee, a new subscription has been introduced for those keen to take the Sky channels in the format.

Friday, July 16th 2010

It seems that Ofcom's decision to allow bundle providers including BT and Virgin Media to offer Sky Sports 1 and 2 has really turned up the heat in terms of competition between digital TV providers.

BT arguably moved quickest after the ruling, by introducing a major campaign to outline how it is offering access to Sky Sports 1 from £6.99 a month. However, while Sky may not have been too happy with Ofcom's move, the firm has fought back strongly with a new campaign showcasing just how comprehensive its sports offerings are.

Wednesday, July 14th 2010

While the agreement for Sky to take control of Virgin Media's portfolio of digital TV channels has been in the pipeline for some time, news finally emerged yesterday (July 13th) that the deal has been officially completed.

On paper, the transaction looks like a pretty impressive one for Sky. Through the move, the company has control of a range of top premium TV channels including those under the Living and Bravo brands.

As well as getting control of the range of US content such channels broadcast, Sky now also has direct access to new stars that have just signed deals to appear in series. Among the biggest names set to appear on the channels are former glamour model Katie Price and her cage-fighting husband Alex Reid.

Wednesday, July 7th 2010

Considering England's poor performance in the World Cup, as well as the patchiness of the tournament in general, it only seems fair that we all start looking towards the new domestic football season for excitement.

Thankfully, Sky Sports had the same idea too and published a list of the first 44 Premier League games that it plans to show through its premium channels up until the end of November.

The list makes interesting reading for anyone with a vague affection for the sport, particularly considering the range of digital TV deals available from the likes of Virgin Media, BT and Sky that people can now access Sky Sports 1 and 2 through.

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 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.