UPC red button.

MyKeyG

The UPC ad with yer man off 'The Panel' claims that UPC have all our favourite channels, definitions and stuff and was half thinking about switching. Then my friend was complaining she was going to miss the Leinster match last weekend because Sky had it on the red button. The ad gives the impression that they have all the same functions and I nearly went for it. Do UPC intend incorporating the red button into their service anytime soon because it's one of the best features of Sky (Heineken cup, Champions league, Sky news extra etc).

djimi

I dont think so. I would involve Sky/BBC etc developing their red button service for the UPC platform and its probably not going to happen any time soon (or ever).

Infoanon

djimi wrote: »

I dont think so. I would involve Sky/BBC etc developing their red button service for the UPC platform and its probably not going to happen any time soon (or ever).

A similar reply was posted a few days ago and it got me thinking - why can't UPC develop the software to fit the Sky / BBC requirement in the same way they developed the software to fit euronews.

dunworth1

Infoanon wrote: »

A similar reply was posted a few days ago and it got me thinking - why can't UPC develop the software to fit the Sky / BBC requirement in the same way they developed the software to fit euronews.

thats a very good question.

if only upc were hear to answer us.

MyKeyG

dunworth1 wrote: »

if only upc were hear to answer us.

Yes but then they'd have to admit that they false advertised.

Fresh Pots

Well not that I'm standing up for upc but I'm fairly sure they never mention the red button in that ad. So it would be your own fault if you signed up assuming they had it without actually asking/checking.

smog

UPC is basically glorified cable ... its just simply not digital.
No HD for decent channels (only free to air), and no interactive red button etc.

If only i could attach a satellite to the roof i would leave them in a heartbeat.

celticbest

squared wrote: »

Well not that I'm standing up for upc but I'm fairly sure they never mention the red button in that ad. So it would be your own fault if you signed up assuming they had it without actually asking/checking.

What if.....................

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuNVeBm6IQA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuNVeBm6IQAhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuNVeBm6IQA

Kensington

Infoanon wrote: »

A similar reply was posted a few days ago and it got me thinking - why can't UPC develop the software to fit the Sky / BBC requirement in the same way they developed the software to fit euronews.

EuroNews is done by UPC themselves. Simple RSS scraper and OpenTV publisher and you could build a portal like that in a matter of days.

Sky - I'm pretty certain sky won't allow the red button services to be available on any platform other than sky digital. They may see it as a selling point and could put matches behind the red button for precisely that reason - you can only view it from them.

BBC - BBC are not interested in supplying resources to operate foreign operator platforms. That sky digital viewers can get BBC red button is down to the fact the content is already broadcast alongside the NI feeds.

OpenTV for UPC (Cable) and Sky (Satellite) are technically different so not simply a matter of rebroadcasting the interactive streams down the cable. The cable version of BBCi for Virgin Media uses an entirely different system altogether (Liberate) so can't even come to an arrangement with Virgin there either.

Fresh Pots

celticbest wrote: »

What if.....................

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuNVeBm6IQA

I see what you mean but they don't actually mention the red button feature so they can get away with saying that they "have all your favourite features"

Maybe a bit cheeky but no matter what your buying you should always do a bit of research into it first.

MyKeyG

squared wrote: »

I see what you mean but they don't actually mention the red button feature so they can get away with saying that they "have all your favourite features"

Maybe a bit cheeky but no matter what your buying you should always do a bit of research into it first.

'Favourite channels and features'. It's not cheeky it's false advertising. There's a reason they don't mention it. And I don't agree that it's 'your fault' for not checking. It might be ok for you and me but a lot of people aren't tech savvy and wouldn't know that something like the red button is a specific feature.

My Mam wouldn't have a clue if she was told she could have the same service but for less. She enters into a twelve month contract then my dad comes in and trys to watch the Champions league on the red button.

djimi

MyKeyG wrote: »

'Favourite channels and features'. It's not cheeky it's false advertising. There's a reason they don't mention it. And I don't agree that it's 'your fault' for not checking. It might be ok for you and me but a lot of people aren't tech savvy and wouldn't know that something like the red button is a specific feature.

My Mam wouldn't have a clue if she was told she could have the same service but for less. She enters into a twelve month contract then my dad comes in and trys to watch the Champions league on the red button.

Its poxy advertising on the part of UPC (they also dont have "all my favorite channels" as they dont have OpenAccess for me to watch NASCAR on a Sunday night, nor do they have many of the HD channels I want) but to be fair anyone who enters into a 12 month contract without properly checking out what they are signing up for really cannot complain if they dont get what they expect. Thats not tech savvy, thats just common sense. If red button service is important to you then you should check with them before signing up, ditto decent HD service and anything else that you would expect/want them to have.

MyKeyG

djimi wrote: »

Its poxy advertising on the part of UPC (they also dont have "all my favorite channels" as they dont have OpenAccess for me to watch NASCAR on a Sunday night, nor do they have many of the HD channels I want) but to be fair anyone who enters into a 12 month contract without properly checking out what they are signing up for really cannot complain if they dont get what they expect. Thats not tech savvy, thats just common sense. If red button service is important to you then you should check with them before signing up, ditto decent HD service and anything else that you would expect/want them to have.

You should read my post properly if you're going to comment on it. I didn't say if one feature was important to a customer or not. I feel I made a very good situational case. Example: Some lier from UPC tells my mum that she's getting the same service for less. She doesn't know to ask about the red button (she doesn't know it's an exclusive feature), my dad doesn't know either but then he's watching the Champions league. Richard Keys says 'if you want to watch the Chelsea match hit the red button'. My dad says 'Mary where's the red button on this new control?' (Mary isn't my mams name ). Ok maybe not tech savvy but people being naive does not negate false advertising.

I would certainly have asked about the red button before signing.

djimi

Im not talking about a sales rep on the phone telling your parents they will have the same service as their existing Sky package; thats a completely different matter altogether. Im talking about someone looking at an ad on TV and then entering into a 12 month contract based on it without at least checking what they getting as part of the contract. If your mother is going to change over from Sky to UPC I would expect her to at least mention that she is changing from Sky and to ask what channels/features are different on UPC. Thats just common sense. End of the day, when you put pen to paper on any contract it is up to you to know what you are signing for. If you dont ask the question and/or just make assumptions as to what you are getting (including just assuming that your new TV package will be the same as your old one without asking someone about it) then you are liable to get burned.

From my experience of UPC they will tell you what they dont have compared to Sky, plus all their calls are recorded so if you feel you have been lied to you can have the recording played back to hear the original conversation.

MyKeyG

Well, agree to disagree. I just feel that it's not fair practise for a company who claim to put their customers first.

jc84

UPC are just crap i think, had them before i got sky, i had asked them to upgrade me to the HD box, as most people on my street had it, but UPC told me i was "unfortunately on the wrong side of the street", i mean what kind of crap is that, so happy since switching to sky

atilladehun

sorry to bring up an old thread but i was looking for this answer too. I don't know the technologies at all but I do know that when I was in Australia foxtel came in through the cable from the street. There were red button services there too. Are UPC using something completely different? I got all the tennis on my free to air but not on UPC.