Blogs - Sky

Monday, August 30th 2010

BT Vision, Sky and Virgin Media have all made recent announcements regarding their TV-on-demand services - an area which is set to become a major battleground over the coming months.

Towards the end of last month, the beta launch of Virgin Media Player was announced - if you're one of the provider's XL TV and broadband subscribers, you can already sample some of the hundreds of hours of programming that are available.

Meanwhile, Sky unveiled an exclusive tie-up with US broadcasting giant HBO, which gives it the right to add classic series such as The Sopranos and Six Feet Under to its on-demand platforms.

Friday, August 27th 2010

If you're looking to switch your home broadband provider, or if you've simply never taken out one of these deals on the grounds of cost, then now is the time for you to take action.

The latest study from Analysys Mason showed that prices are dropping across Europe and the US, with the average bundle of fixed-line broadband, home phone and digital TV services now costing just €40.70 (£33.36) a month.

Not only are prices coming down, but we can assure you that the amount you can get for your money is on the rise - if you're prepared to pay around £30 per month, you'll get plenty of bang for your buck.

One of the best current offers is the Virgin Media Triple for £23.

Monday, August 23rd 2010

Ofcom's latest figures have shown that 71 per cent of households in the UK have broadband. While that's a fairly healthy figure, it still means more than a quarter of people are unable to browse the web at high speeds.

We know there are still plenty of parts of the country where it's impossible to get a connection. However, some of the 29 per cent without broadband will be able to access it, but are being put off by factors such as perceived high costs.

Anyone in this situation should be assured that there has never been a better time to sign up for a cheap broadband deal.

Friday, August 20th 2010

Brits are increasingly waking up to the great savings that can be achieved by taking out bundles of home phone, broadband and digital TV.

We've been promoting the benefits of bundles from the likes of Virgin Media, Sky and BT for ages, and Ofcom's figures suggest our campaign is paying off, with half of all homes in the UK now getting two or more communications services from the same provider.

It's certainly not hard to see why these packages have become so popular, given the range of great value offers out there from some of the above companies.

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.

Wednesday, August 11th 2010

As regular readers will know, we've been pretty excited of late about the ever-expanding high-definition (HD) TV line-up at Sky.

In just the past month, the digital TV provider has agreed a host of exclusive deals with the likes of UKTV and HBO, so Sky subscribers can expect to see programmes like Entourage, The Sopranos and Man vs Food in glorious HD in the near future.

If you're with Sky then all these new subscription TV channels are great news, but you won't be getting the full benefits of the HD experience unless you're signed up to Sky Sports.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Thursday, July 8th 2010

With the amount of comparison sites and advice available to consumers, it is understandable that the broadband industry is often defined by its rather cutthroat nature.

Whether it is Sky and BT battling over the price of digital TV deals or all providers introducing offers to undercut their direct rivals, the sector is often seen as one where there is little love lost between the different companies.

However, there are signs - just occasionally - that there is more of a relationship between many providers than we are led to believe. Evidence of this has been seen in recent months with Sky and Virgin Media uniting in their opposition to Project Canvas, as well as the former buying the latter's digital TV portfolio.

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.