Merged:-Comcast makes Bid for Sky

[denphone]

Originally Posted by colin25

And Virgin does exactly the same with their broadband network

Yet I never hear you say anything about that.

Hmmmmm

Virgin spent £13 billion on their broadband network but Sky for a long while piggybacked on to BT's network and have spent a miniscule amount in comparison so why should Virgin share their network with Sky?.

[colin25]

Originally Posted by denphone

Virgin spent £13 billion on their broadband network but Sky for a long while piggybacked on to BT's network and have spent a miniscule amount in comparison so why should Virgin share their network with Sky?.

And SKY pay for their content..yet you think they should let Virgin have it

Seems somewhat unfair...it is ok for Virgin to spend money..and keep it exclusive, but Sky is not allowed to do the same?

---------- Post added at 18:55 ---------- Previous post was at 18:53 ----------

Originally Posted by denphone

Well its not up to me to tell you but there are many areas where Sky overall has a inferior service but the areas in which they are stronger in have more to do with monopolistic tendacies and a uncompetitive attitude in with-holding channels and content from other providers and in that the UK pay-TV industry is still unfairly balanced in Sky’s favour.

read above...you are saying it is ok for Virgin..but not for SKY

[denphone]

Originally Posted by colin25

And SKY pay for their content..yet you think they should let Virgin have it

Seems somewhat unfair...it is ok for Virgin to spend money..and keep it exclusive, but Sky is not allowed to do the same?

Sky generally make bids so high for available rights content that no-one else has a chance to compete for the rights that are available and then when it has it it simply with-holds it through unfair practices or by simply asking for unrealistic carriage fees.

[Telly_]

Originally Posted by denphone

Well its not up to me to tell you but there are many areas where Sky overall has a inferior service but the areas in which they are stronger in have more to do with monopolistic tendacies and a uncompetitive attitude in with-holding channels and content from other providers and in that the UK pay-TV industry is still unfairly balanced in Sky’s favour.

Yeah erm.. I'm a customer of Sky I'm not a business in competition with them. As far as Sky having inferior services all I can say is when I turn my TV on there is lots of live TV content and lots of Ondemand content when I pick upmy phone it works and when I use my PC the BB is just fine.

So like I said AS A SKY CUSTOMER there really is nothing for me to moan about. If you're really worried about monopoly's take up the fight of drug companys with holding patents for life saving medicines or over pricing cancer treatments. Don't worry to much about who has the rights to series 4 of Glee.

Virginmedia have clearly stated in the past they're no longer interested in buying exclusive content and want to concentrate on being a platform not a content provider.

[colin25]

Originally Posted by denphone

Sky generally make bids so high for available rights content that no-one else has a chance to compete for the rights that are available and then when it has it it simply with-holds it through unfair practices or by simply asking for unrealistic carriage fees.

And Virgin just refuses period.

So your argument is..Sky compete with others...get it..then (shock) expect others to pay when they share.

Virgin just say No, they aren't sharing.

I think the latter seems unfair practice. You are slightly askew with your understanding of what constitutes unfair practice

[denphone]

Originally Posted by colin25

And Virgin just refuses period.

So your argument is..Sky compete with others...get it..then (shock) expect others to pay when they share.

Virgin just say No, they aren't sharing.

I think the latter seems unfair practice. You are slightly askew with your understanding of what constitutes unfair practice

Colin we are talking about the Pay TV industry here and its important you don't confuse that with Virgins broadband network because as we know it there are no uncompetitive practices going on there but there are plenty of uncompetitive practices happening in the Pay TV industry and Sky have a track record of that as we have seen consistently in the last 10 years thus Ofcom have had to have several inquirys and even now a inquiry is ongoing into Skys monopolistic unfair practices.

[colin25]

Originally Posted by denphone

Colin we are talking about the Pay TV industry here and its important you don't confuse that with Virgins broadband network because as we know it there are no uncompetitive practices going on there but there are plenty of uncompetitive practices happening in the Pay TV industry and Sky have a track record of that as we have seen consistently in the last 10 years thus Ofcom have had to have several inquirys and even now a inquiry is ongoing into Skys monopolistic unfair practices.

Den, you seem to have a fixation to want to demonstrate that SKY is bad, because it competes, but that Virgin is good, yet it restricts

My point..is that to focus on one area, and call it unfair, whilst totally ignoring the other seems bizarre.

Sky compete for their product. You seem to forget..it is pay tv...if they weren't competitive, no one would buy their product

I don't see SKY as good or bad..i see them as a provider of a service that I take.

I equally don't think Virgin is good or bad, and they have made business decisions that I do not like

They are both businesses, in it to make a profit, and as much a profit as they can get...don't kid yourself otherwise

[LexDiamond]

Originally Posted by denphone

Colin we are talking about the Pay TV industry here and its important you don't confuse that with Virgins broadband network because as we know it there are no uncompetitive practices going on there but there are plenty of uncompetitive practices happening in the Pay TV industry and Sky have a track record of that as we have seen consistently in the last 10 years thus Ofcom have had to have several inquirys and even now a inquiry is ongoing into Skys monopolistic unfair practices.

In the pay tv industry it was VM that had successful channels but decided to sell. I honestly can't see how you can complain about Sky when it is VM that decides to behave this way.

VM's channels were very successful. Sky took little time to stamp their names over what VM sold to Sky. You should take your grievances up with VM as they are the ones deciding not to compete.

[muppetman11]

As far as I'm aware the vast amount of Sky's channels/content is available on both Sky and VM so they're hardly holding much back with the exception of Sky Atlantic which they use as a USP for the platform surely with their vast investment in channels/content they should be allowed some kind of exclusive otherwise weres the incentive to invest.

[denphone]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

As far as I'm aware the vast amount of Sky's channels/content is available on both Sky and VM so they're hardly holding much back with the exception of Sky Atlantic

l think you have somehow forgotten about Sky Sports HD F1, Sky Sports HD 3and 4, Sky News HD, Sky Sports News HD and then there are the exclusive so no-one else can it deals for example the ITV HD channels and then there are the deals they have done with quite a few providers in order to stop other providers from accessing the content and then of course we have the film deal done with 6 major studios which in my mind is anti competitive.

[nstokes]

Originally Posted by denphone

l think you have somehow forgotten about Sky Sports HD F1, Sky Sports HD 3and 4, Sky News HD, Sky Sports News HD and then there are the exclusive so no-one else can it deals for example the ITV HD channels and then there are the deals they have done with quite a few providers in order to stop other providers from accessing the content and then of course we have the film deal done with 6 major studios which in my mind is anti competitive.

You being them channels into it but surely you have to say the same about Film 4 HD on VM? Also last i hear talks were on going for the missing ITV HD channels

[muppetman11]

All those channels he lists can still be viewed all be it in SD so hardly withholding content and haven't the CC just deemed that no restrictions will be placed on Sky Movies now that Netflix and Lovefilm have come to the table.

[denphone]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

All those channels he lists can still be viewed all be it in SD so hardly withholding content and haven't the CC just deemed that no restrictions will be placed on Sky Movies now that Netflix and Lovefilm have come to the table.

Mmmmmmmmm the CC that useless bunch who could not organise a **** up in a brewery and thats the one thing they do have in common with Ofcom l am afraid.

[LexDiamond]

Originally Posted by denphone

Mmmmmmmmm the CC that useless bunch who could not organise a **** up in a brewery and thats the one thing they do have in common with Ofcom l am afraid.

What were ofcom doing when Sky only had the sd version of VMs channels?

[denphone]

Originally Posted by LexDiamond

What were ofcom doing when Sky only had the sd version of VMs channels?

Which ones?.