Virgin Media Blogs

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.

Tuesday, August 10th 2010

Fibre optic cable broadband is becoming increasingly prevalent across the country, thanks to the hard work of BT and Virgin Media.

More and more parts of the UK are getting access to these high-speed broadband connections every day, with BT claiming that as much as 66 per cent of the population could be hooked up by 2015.

Unlike normal broadband networks, which rely on copper telephone cables to send data, fibre optic broadband makes use of thin strands of glass that can transfer information at super-fast speeds.

If you're one of the lucky people who can get access to fibre optic broadband, it makes sense for you to take advantage of it - particularly given that it doesn't have to be an expensive luxury.

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.

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.

Monday, August 2nd 2010

Mobile broadband has seen huge growth since it first launched, with consumers drawn by the ease of being able to connect to the internet without the need for a landline.

Experts think there's little chance of this popularity coming to an end any time soon - last week, Ovum claimed global mobile broadband will be over 300 per cent more prevalent than fixed-line connections by the end of 2015.

With that in mind, we thought we'd cast our eyes over a selection of the best deals currently on the market from the likes of 3 Mobile, O2, Orange, Vodafone, T-Mobile and Virgin Media.

As far as we're concerned, the tariff which currently provides the most value for money is 3 Mobile's 15GB of usage per month package.

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.

Friday, July 23rd 2010

Virgin Media is in talks to launch a new service allowing customers to watch their favourite shows on the move, but will the digital TV provider pose a threat to rival Sky?

According to Broadcast, Virgin Media's 'pause and resume' service would allow customers to continue watching a programme on a computer or mobile after previously viewing the show on their set-top box - and pick up the action exactly where they left off.

But it remains to be seen whether this will be enough to challenge fellow digital TV, home phone and broadband provider Sky, which has already taken steps to offer on the move content with Sky Mobile and Sky Player.