July 17, 2010

Big Red says....

Update from Big Red:
19th July - from this date you can add the Sky HD Prem Channels to your account.
2nd August - Go live date for these channels.

Price - £7 per HD Box (Optional i.e. if you have two HD boxes you do not have to take it out on both)
XL TV/VIP customers - Bad news it seems VM have changed there mind or there is no clear policy in place within VM on price - it seems XL/VIP customers will have to pay the £7.
I'm trying to get a clear answer on this but I guess Monday will be the official statement.
Sorry for any misleading I was 100% sure along with my insider these will be free to XL/VIP customers.

29 comments:

malcolmbrian said...

Just off phone to customer services. I am on xl package with sports and movies. They confirmed I will get all HD channels without having to do anything or pay extra.

Oblong said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Oblong said...

It does contradict Square Eyes, who said seven pounds no matter what.

Big Red said...

Update

19th July - from this date you can add the Sky HD Prem Channels to your account.

2nd August - Go live date for these channels.

Price - £7 per HD Box (Optional i.e. if you have two HD boxes you do not have to take it out on both)

XL TV/VIP customers - Bad news it seems VM have changed there mind or there is no clear policy in place within VM on price - it seems XL/VIP customers will have to pay the £7.

I'm trying to get a clear answer on this but I guess Monday will be the official statement.

Sorry for any misleading I was 100% sure along with my insider these will be free to XL/VIP customers.

malcolmbrian said...

Customer services said no charge this morning

Big Red said...

Call them again I bet you get a different answer.

Sorry they know nothing until its official.

malcolmbrian said...

Seems to be a lot of it about LOL

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Square eyes said...

Guys,

The £7 has to be charged, this is part of the agreement with Sky. We cannot give the HD premium content FOC.

Sorry but all cuctomers regardless VIP or XL triple deals have to pay

malcolmbrian said...

Jesus wept and moved the goalposts yet again

Anonymous said...

Got to say im a little disappointed in VM if charges are true.Its clear that sky were desperate for VMTV so VM were in the driving seat and should have got the best deal for there customers and i think £5,£7 or £10 charge for vip xl customers isnt and not including sports 3+4 is a shambles,Now they are left with no bargaining tools and sky have total control.Its all very good having a long term carrage agreement but it doesnt stop them upping the prices and also giving us new HD channels that start after the agreement was signed.I felt selling to sky was a mistake and i feel things will get worse,Monday`s annoucement could be the start of price increases and the slow demise of VM from the TV side of things.I so hope i am very wrong

David said...

if they do charge everyone theres only going to be one winner here and it not vm it sky sadly as people will go thee to get the full sports package and full red button ect

Square eyes said...

To everyone.....

The codes will be available for you to add on your packages from this Monday, however some of you are still under the impression that you will not have to pay for the HD premium channels..

Plese be under no illusion you will be paying £7 for the HD premium channels...regardless of if you want just sports or movies...if you have both the cost will be the same £7 and if you have an additional set top box and want them as well again it will be £7...

Just one last thing, to get them you must subscribe to the SD versions of the channels, so please dont waist your own time calling to see if you can get them without subscibing....

tallpaul said...

Well spoke to 4 different advisors from vm and non know what's going on some said yea there is a charge some said no charge for VIP customers will just wait for an announcement but if they do charge there goes there advertising to say they do free hd.

milf477 said...

Does it realy matter if you have too pay £7 im XL package.it not the end of the world is it,lol.Dont want too pay it then dont.lol.il be paying the £7 cause sky sports have great sports and be even better in hd.CANT WAIT! When will it be again?

malcolmbrian said...

LOL agree. It's supposed to be 2nd august. Will pay the £7 too if that's what it is, in fact may pay £8 just to be nice

malcolmbrian said...

3rd whoops

Unknown said...

virgin saying not available until the end of august when i just called

Big Red said...

OK

My personnel choice but I have just added the SkySports and Movies HD channels to my V+HD box for £7 per month (I'm on a VIP Package)

VM are now taking pre orders today with the official details to be released tomorrow/ detail are given over the phone when you call now but £7 is 100% for all customer wanting these HD channels.

1) The £7 covers Prem HD Sky Sports and Sky Movie Channels
2) If you only subscribe to either Movies or Sports then it will still be £7.
3) Its £7 per box (Optional boxes i.e. you do not have to take on all boxes you choose which one)
3) Channels go live date is 2nd Aug.

Sky BASIC HD channels will be added to XL TV this will include Sky Sports News HD at no extra cost - Dates yet to be confirmed for Sky BASIC HD channels as we already have the Sports News Date.

Note the £7 charge is a forced charge from Sky not a VM money maker

Square eyes said...

Perhaps it is me but since the 9th July I told all of you exactley what was going to be happening with regards to the HD Premium channels.

And as you can now see what I said was correct, not to say I told you so, but hey "I TOLD YOU SO"...

Now the start date of the channels is the 2nd August, so you will not be billed for them until that date. I have been reading on various forums, that people are thinking of calling up and saying they wil disconnect their service if they cannot get them for free. Here is the company line:- Nobody will get the premium HD channels FREE.

As I posted on an earlier date VM cannot give them for free, due to the agreement with Sky. They have to be charged for - so again if anyone is thinging of trying the "I will disconnect call" please don't waste your time, because it will not happen.

Cannot remember who posted "nobody is forcing you to have the channels" this is so true, if you don't want to them, simply don't get them.

paininthegulliver said...

i repeat

£7 pound for 2 sports channels is a nonsense.

Square eyes said...

@baw

complain to Sky, VM have to charge or they could provide them. It is as simple as that!

Nialli said...

Chaps - anyone got a URL for signing up for the Sky Premium HD channels?

Nialli said...

@baw: it is not for two channels, it is for two sports HD channels plus eleven HD movie channels, plus the Sky basics in HD. That is worth £7 a month of my cash - certainly better value than a fiver for Picturebox movies or a couple of Filmflex films.

malcolmbrian said...

Nialli virgin took my order over the phone without any problem

Phil said...

Hi guys. although i am a new member to this blog i have been following you guys for ages and have been a virgin customer for 9 years! i have always had a great deal from virgin and currently get the TV xl package, phone L and broadband 10mg all for 67.50 per mnth. however, there was no way i was going to pay another £7pm to get sky premium channels. it worked out better for me to take sky's full TV package, line rental with evenings and weekends, and (up to) 20mg broadband with their HD pack for 69.50 (£72 from sept) per month. So i quickly phoned virgin last week who confirmed that all customers would be paying £7 and i cancelled my package. Today, 1 week on, i get a call from virgin who explain that they have to charge for the hd premium channels HOWEVER, they are prepared to cut my line rental to half price for 12 months (saving me £6 PM) therefore when i subscribe to the premium HD channels i will only be paying £1 per month extra, bringing my monthly bill to £68.50 PM! to me that is a great deal. Virgin do want to keep customers and they will always offer you a great deal if you play a little bit of hard ball with them. just try it. P.S. keep up the good work Nialli.

Square eyes said...

@phil...

Question - you have 10mb (L-broadband), if I was you I would rather pay the £2 extra to VM just to have the broadband.

So you must be happy to downgrade this and have 3-4mb service, is this correct or are you one of these people who actualy thinks that he will get 20mb?

Phil said...

@ square eyes

No i have no preconceptions that i actually would have got 20mg from sky. broadband is not and has never been my priority.I am happy with my current broadband from virgin. My priority is HD content and i am glad to be staying with virgin now because

a) i have the package i want at a great price

b) it doesnt matter how many times my box fails (and my new samsung does that a lot) the callout and repair is always free because the box is virgins

c) on the whole i would rather have ESPN Hd than sky sports 3 & 4.

Unknown said...

I also rang customer services last night and was told I will get the sports HD channels at no extra cost as I am already on the XL package with complete sports.

I specifically mentioned the £7 and weas told this was not for XL customers. I was also told if I chose to upgrade to movies too I would get the HD versions for free as well.