UPC chit chat with UPC person on radio NOW!

mike65

www.todayfm.com

CO19

mike65 wrote: »

www.todayfm.com

Anything good said on it ?

CS Hasuki

She sounded HOT!!! hehe, sucker for chicks with american accent.

Ranicand

CO19 wrote: »

Anything good said on it ?

5 new TV channels to be added between June and July to replace lost ITV channels.

Col200sx

Everybody will be brought up to 25mb Broadband (eventually)

Plans to bring in 5 replacement channels over the summer.

However, I love the way she dodged questions, saying they had as good a service as Sky :rolleyes:

Funny how she never mentioned the 6 channels lost in 5 months, while increasing the prices too.

Hearing what she had to say has justified my decision to leave them last month

CS Hasuki wrote: »

She sounded HOT!!! hehe, sucker for chicks with american accent.

You know she's Australian right?

mike65

She did mention them, and that they went before she came on board...

Col200sx

mike65 wrote: »

She did mention them, and that they went before she came on board...

She mentioned the ITV's, that's only 3 of them.

CS Hasuki

Col200sx wrote: »

Everybody will be brought up to 25mb Broadband (eventually)

Plans to bring in 5 replacement channels over the summer.

However, I love the way she dodged questions, saying they had as good a service as Sky :rolleyes:

Funny how she never mentioned the 6 channels lost in 5 months, while increasing the prices too.

Hearing what she had to say has justified my decision to leave them last month



You know she's Australian right?

Yeah I heard a bit of both actually. Seemed to switch or im just deaf.

Of course Sky is better, but they also cost a bomb. I pay about €120 for Sky HD, full pack with multi room.

You cannot compare UPC to them as Sky are more expensive. They also charge UPC a lot of cash to view sky channels.

If people want a service as good as Sky, get sky, or expect UPC prices to go up to levels you will not be willing to pay for.

Infoanon

CS Hasuki wrote: »

You cannot compare UPC to them as Sky are more expensive. They also charge UPC a lot of cash to view sky channels.

If people want a service as good as Sky, get sky, or expect UPC prices to go up to levels you will not be willing to pay for.

You cannot compare Sky to UPC - well if you base the comparison purely on TV then Sky are miles ahead and better value then UPC.

Thats before we even get onto : picture quality / customer service / number of channels etc etc

So 'very soon' is 6 channels in June / July - what a joke

Ranicand

Infoanon wrote: »

You cannot compare Sky to UPC - well if you base the comparison purely on TV then Sky are miles ahead and better value then UPC.

Thats before we even get onto : picture quality / customer service / number of channels etc etc

So 'very soon' is 6 channels in June / July - what a joke

I am fed up with people like you running down the UPC TV service.
Who cares about picture quality? sure at one point TV was in Black and White
as for number of channels there use to be only one.

And June July or whenever is very soon I mean have you any idea how long a poor elephant is pregnant for?


UPC is great.:D

Edit it's five channels not six getting added.
I always liked the number five better anyway and that's another UPC plus.

Infoanon

Suggest everyone should listen back - Matt Cooper was well prepared - some of the answers where plainly misleading and the" I am just new to the job excuse was used a lot".

Around 19 minutes 50 seconds Matt askes about interactive services - the answer is priceless !

ted1

the internet it interactive. He i want to interact i'll use that. I have yet to find some one use interactive buttons after a month of getting them.

Kristopherus

Infoanon wrote: »

Suggest everyone should listen back - Matt Cooper was well prepared - some of the answers where plainly misleading and the" I am just new to the job excuse was used a lot".

Around 19 minutes 50 seconds Matt askes about interactive services - the answer is priceless !

In fairness she took up the position only a week ago. Impossible to know everything. As for The Cooper, I felt he did some of his research on this forum.

CO19

Kristopherus wrote: »

In fairness she took up the position only a week ago. Impossible to know everything. As for The Cooper, I felt he did some of his research on this forum.

That may be the case but then UPC should never have allowed someone with little experience/knowledge of the company's setup on a radio show.

Infoanon

ted1 wrote: »

the internet it interactive. He i want to interact i'll use that. I have yet to find some one use interactive buttons after a month of getting them.

A lot of sports - BBC & Sky in particular are on the red button only.

You will find that a lot of people use the 'red' button for football/F1/Rugby etc etc
UPC went as far as saying that they had tried to negotiate carriage of the interactive programs but it had come on nought.

In fairness to Matt Cooper he kept harping back to the weakness in the TV service and looking at various feeds tonight the majority are taking the same stance and he was prepared in the questions - not to sure about the answers !

mollser

I am also a bit fed up with people giving out about the UPC tv service. As has been said, Sky are clearly ahead in the service they offer, with its interactivity, HD, Sky Atlantic and such, but it is far from having its faults.

Mainly;

• BBC3,4, ITV2,3,4 - none of these are on the EPG, therefore no recording or happening across a show as you scroll along.
• Sky EPG is an absolute mess, far worse than UPC. BBC1 at 141 ffs, preceded by such gems such as Sky2, Living, Dave, Comedy, Challenge or whatever other drivel (not sure on the exact channels, but scrolling through the channels in the MIL's place, most were ****e or freesat anyway).
• Sky have plenty more channels, the only ones of any value in my eyes are the ITV's (manual tune) and Sky Atlantic (of which, outside internet chatrooms, creates no watercooler chat moments (ala Glee, Grey's Anatomy, fock, even Home and Away for that matter) because nobody sees most of its shows, and they are, at present, mostly repeats anyway, or for the fanatics, easily obtainable anyway
• €15 HD - mother of god, the big advantage over UPC here is that Sky have SKY sports in HD - therefore you pay €50 a month for the privelage. If you have no problem paying that to line footballers and Mr Murdoch's pockets, then thats fine, not sure why you're with UPC in the first place!

But the real kicker for me, which i tell the door callers time and time again, is the mutliroom piece - we have the basic 17 analogue channels in the bedrooms for free, which is more than enough tele while your nodding off. And actually, most watched channels there are RTE2 and TV3, as i would imagine is the same in most households. Perhaps we should ditch UPC and get Saorview? Maybe so, but it is nice to have BBC etc up there too, without paying Sky 10 a month or whatever.

Chuck in ESPN and Setanta into the mix, and that clinches it for me - would never pay for these separately, but love the rugby on espn which eases the pain of dropping sky sports a year ago.

The ITV's were a big loss for UPC, no doubt about it. But they still aren't on the Sky EPG, which is also a problem there

What I would like UPC to do is try and add BBC red button streams somewhere high (800's?) in the EPG to please those who bemoan the lack of interactivity (personally love the extra Reading/Glastonbury footage in the summer, and the endless show jumping events in also lol).

They should certainly be doing a better job getting RTE player onto the box, along with VOD. Not bothered here, because the PS3 does all of this very well, coupled with a €37 Belkin N300 router from Argos and 25mg broadband;) (even 10mg was plenty!)

Most of the relevant Freesat channels should be added too, particularly the ones they have a stake in, CBS etc - wtf is the problem here??

Am going to get Freesat when we build our extension for that room alone, just to have the extra range of channels, particularly for the HD as UPC don't offer that where I am yet.

Just my thoughts, disect at will. I am no UPC fanboy, but certainly when I scroll through the Sky offering in other's houses, i am even more certain that Freesat is the way to go out of all the options tbh. Only things keeping me are ESPN, Eurosport, Playhouse Disney for ickleman and analogue in the bedroom, NONE of which Sky can offer at a better price

Infoanon

mollser wrote: »

I am also a bit fed up with people giving out about the UPC tv service..... i am even more certain that Freesat is the way to go out of all the options tbh.

There are a lot of people fed up with the TV service from UPC and extremely unhappy with being charged for services that are no longer provided.

I do agree with you that Freesat is looking the better option - CBS channels are free to air on that to.

As an aside BBC3/4 are on Sky EPG from next week.

Infoanon

Anyone hear the Joe Duffy show today - apparently UPC was one of the topics ??

Correction:
Apparently advertised but not covered today - to do with UPC and holding new householders liable for the bills of previous tenants

mollser

Infoanon wrote: »

There are a lot of people fed up with the TV service from UPC and extremely unhappy with being charged for services that are no longer provided.

I do agree with you that Freesat is looking the better option - CBS channels are free to air on that to.

As an aside BBC3/4 are on Sky EPG from next week.

Can't disagree with that, because they did raise prices when the ITV's were added. However my main point is really that Sky do offer a better service than UPC (arguable in terms of EPG) but by god do you pay a premium for that service. Good news that for sky subscribers, but again, nothing over and above that already available for free with a dish!!

I do think the transition from Sky to Freesat would be much easier than from UPC to freesat, purely down to the necessity to get a dish, the big black cables running around your house, and the multiroom problem.

Infoanon

mollser wrote: »

I do think the transition from Sky to Freesat would be much easier than from UPC to freesat, purely down to the necessity to get a dish, the big black cables running around your house, and the multiroom problem.

Absolutely - also who wants a sat dish on the front of their house - multiroom is also an issue (though UPC charge extra for digital) and the fact you need an eircom line afaik.

As for HD €180 premium a year is a bit OTT .

I can't get HD (in Dublin) though I can get BB - indicative of priorities I suppose

Make you wonder what kind of impact a saorview service with a budget level BBC1/2/3/4 , ITV1/2/3/4 & Ch4/E4/M4/F4 might make ?

gertechhaha

anyone have any idea what the new channels will be?

id like to see channel 5,sky atlantic i wish,miss the x files so much since channel one went,horror channel wud be nice,

so ideally

channel 5
sky atlantic
horror channel
challenge
reality

i read somewhere that upc have a share in the cbs channels which are

cbs reality
cbs reality + 1
cbs action
cbs drama
horror
horror + 1

they will probably end up giving us these channels which they could have given us all along because they own a share in them,they kept them aside for a rainy day i bet,i hope they give us the horror channel anyway,id be happy with that

id even settle for true movies at this stage and movies for men tho they are stupidish channels

patrickmooney

Who knows? All I've learned today is UPC isn't a Television Cable Company. They are a broadband provider, like BT was and Vodafone is who happen to have value added services in the form of TV and Telephone to help sell their broadband lines. I feel UPC have lost their interest in TV and entertainment services. I don't think we'll be getting anything new anytime soon. 5 new channels by the mid to end of the summer. Fantastic stuff, but between then and now how many more channels will we loose?

gertechhaha wrote: »

anyone have any idea what the new channels will be?

id like to see channel 5,sky atlantic i wish,miss the x files so much since channel one went,horror channel wud be nice,

so ideally

channel 5
sky atlantic
horror channel
challenge
reality

i read somewhere that upc have a share in the cbs channels which are

cbs reality
cbs reality + 1
cbs action
cbs drama
horror
horror + 1

they will probably end up giving us these channels which they could have given us all along because they own a share in them,they kept them aside for a rainy day i bet,i hope they give us the horror channel anyway,id be happy with that

id even settle for true movies at this stage and movies for men tho they are stupidish channels

celticbest

ted1 wrote: »

the internet it interactive. He i want to interact i'll use that. I have yet to find some one use interactive buttons after a month of getting them.

When I was with SKY I used the Red button services daily for Multi-screen choices on the like of the BBC were I could get the latest sports headlines anytime I wanted without having to log onto my PC.

I also used it to view live sports on SKY Sports such as the first half of a La Liga match which was only available via the red button, or match choice.

mollser wrote: »

I am also a bit fed up with people giving out about the UPC tv service.

Why can't UPC add the Free to Air channels to it TV line up in the Morning to beef up there line up?

Here's a few SD channels that could be added......

1 Five
2 Men & Motors
3 Channel 4+1
4 Sumo TV
5 Sumo TV+1
6 CBS Drama
7 CBS Action
8 CBS Reality
9 CBS Reality + 1
10 OBE
11 Hollywood TV
12 Film24
13 Open Access 2
14 Open Access 3
15 Information TV
16 Info TV 2
17 Passion TV
18 Raj TV
19 My Channel
20 Five US
21 Five US+1
22 Five Life
23 Five Life+1
24 Legal TV
25 fame TV
26 MKTV
27 BEN
28 propeller
29 Life One
30 Creative TV/AIT
31 Anime Central
32 Channel M
33 Travel Channel
34 Travel Channel+1
35 Performance
36 Performance Mainstreet
37 Fashion TV
38 Real Estate TV
39 Real Estate TV+1
40 Wine TV
41 Wedding TV
42 Wedding TV+1
43 Xleague.tv
44 Horse & Country
45 Baby Channel
46 OverseasProperty
47 LivinginSpain
48 Zone Horror
49 Zone Thriller
50 True Movies
51 True Movies 2
52 Movies4Men
53 Movies4Men2
54 Golf TV
55 Wrestling Channel
56 Chart Show TV
57 The Vault
58 B4
59 Classic FM TV
60 Channel U
61 Fizz TV
62 Bliss
63 Scuzz
64 Flaunt
65 ROCKWORLDTV
66 Bubble Hits
67 MusFlash TV
68 Big Box TV
69 CCTV-9
70 Al Jazeera English
71 Russia Today
72 POP
73 Tiny POP
74 Tiny POP+1
75 PopGirl
76 Pop+1

mike65

Men and Motors is long gone, ditto Performance channels, Film24 etc. How olds that list?
The CBS channels are pure filler, you'd really need to be a fan of Dynasty and/or Star Trek. Horror Channel while pretty meh most of the time would at least add something new to the UPC line up.

FloatingVoter

UPC could make everybody happy by giving us 5 free porn channels. 50% will be happy to watch them..the other 50% will be happy to give out about them.:)

bk

The loss of the ITV channels is bad for UPC. There are simply no channels UPC can add that will make up for their loss.

The ITV channels typically have a decent viewing share of around 2 - 3% (in the uk, so a little less here).

All the other possible channels UPC might add, CBS, etc. have viewing shares of about 0.1% In other words they are extreme niche channels, with little interest to most people. Having these channels won't stop people going Freesat to get the ITV channels.

Sure UPC should add them anyway, but it really isn't equivalent to replacing the ITV channels. I think UPC would do better in slightly reducing the price of their TV packages to make up for the loss of the ITV channels.

As for UPC versus Sky I think some people are being a little unfair to UPC.

Yes Sky are definitely the premium TV provider in Ireland, but you pay premium prices for that. UPC on the other hand are the premium broadband provider in Ireland and are hands down the leader when it comes to value for money.

If you care most about TV, watch lots of sports and want the best picture quality possible and have money to burn, then Sky is your best option.

However if you care more about quality broadband or care more about value for money (probably the majority of people) then UPC is the better option.

However I do agree that UPC needs to make more effort with TV and that currently the gap is widening between Sky and UPC. I think UPC need to primarily focus on HD. They need to stop selling non HD boxes and go all HD like Sky has. They also need to get all the Sky HD channels (including movies and sports) and it would also be brilliant if they picked up RTE2 HD, C4 HD, UTV HD, Film4 HD. That would be quiet attractive lineup to people.

They also need to work to add red button services, in particular the alternative matches you get via red button on BBC and Sky Sports. Even if they have to just add them as a separate channel, without real interactivity.

This would really allow them to close the quality gap with Sky.

The problem with what I'm suggesting above, is that all these channels (in particular HD) would take up a lot of extra bandwidth space and I'm not sure UPC currently have space for them all. I think this is probably why we haven't seen all the Sky Sports and Movie channels in HD yet, lack of space.

I think UPC probably need to shutdown their analogue TV service first to make space for all these new channels, but that has it's own downsides.

In the long term (well they should really already be doing it) UPC need to play to their strength and differentiate themselves from Sky. That means taking advantage of their broadband network to deliver Video On Demand, IPTV, catch up services, RTE Player, BBC Player, etc.

I really wish they'd forget about the Horizon box and instead work with TiVo like Virgin Media are doing in the UK.

Cantona's Collars

mollser wrote: »

But the real kicker for me, which i tell the door callers time and time again, is the mutliroom piece - we have the basic 17 analogue channels in the bedrooms for free, which is more than enough tele while your nodding off. And actually, most watched channels there are RTE2 and TV3, as i would imagine is the same in most households. Perhaps we should ditch UPC and get Saorview? Maybe so, but it is nice to have BBC etc up there too, without paying Sky 10 a month or whatever.

The ITV's were a big loss for UPC, no doubt about it. But they still aren't on the Sky EPG, which is also a problem.

Am going to get Freesat when we build our extension for that room alone, just to have the extra range of channels, particularly for the HD as UPC don't offer that where I am yet.

UPC are planning to switch off the analogue system and are already doing it in parts of the country,so the 'free' multiroom will be a thing of the past.Believe it or not the ability to get the ITV's even if it's in other channels on Sky has pushed a good few away from UPC to Sky.

You have the right idea going for freesat for your extension-it wouldn't be much work adding boxes to other rooms,a lot of people have copped onto this and have pay tv in the main room and fta around the house.Combined with saorview and it's perfect for most people.

CO19

bk wrote: »

I think UPC would do better in slightly reducing the price of their TV packages to make up for the loss of the ITV channels.

This is what I got them to do for me yesterday,I'm on the Value Pack (have their broadband and phone too) and I said I was going to move to Sky since they lost the ITV's and put up the price and didn't even open up some channels on the max pack to value or select pack customers to fill the gap, so because of that I was going to Sky as I wasn't going to keep paying €22 a month for a handful of channels.

So the guy from the 'Loyalty' dept said I was right in what I was saying and would reduce the price to €14 permanently (no going back to the original price after 12months) for my TV and is giving me the Digital+ box for no extra charge (apparently it's normally €40 to just upgrade to this box) and would also not apply the €3.75 a month charge for the service of the Digital+ again this is permanent too,so all in all €14 for the value and digital+ which I thought was pretty good.

So I suggest anyone who's on a similar pack ring them and say the same and they will reduce your price's too .

bk

zerks wrote: »

UPC are planning to switch off the analogue system and are already doing it in parts of the country,so the 'free' multiroom will be a thing of the past.

While it will happen some day, people have been saying this for years.

At the moment too many customers are still on analogue and they would worry about losing customers if they turn it off.

UPC will approach turning analogue off very cautiously and will likely add some sweeteners for multiroom when doing it.

BTW They haven't turned it off anywhere. Cork under Chorus always required a descrambler (black) box, so they went straight to digital there and turned off analogue, as people in Cork weren't use to unencrypted analogue anyway.

mackersdublin

http://support.upc.ie/app/answers/detail/a_id/320/session/L3NpZC9Ea1RfaGd0aw%3D%3D/p/6

According to their website, no Analogue switch off

Cantona's Collars

mollser wrote: »

Can't disagree with that, because they did raise prices when the ITV's were added. However my main point is really that Sky do offer a better service than UPC (arguable in terms of EPG) but by god do you pay a premium for that service. Good news that for sky subscribers, but again, nothing over and above that already available for free with a dish!!

I do think the transition from Sky to Freesat would be much easier than from UPC to freesat, purely down to the necessity to get a dish, the big black cables running around your house, and the multiroom problem.

UPC is cable tv;) They use cables too.

surf board

I see upc already have a mobile app for remote record in the Netherlands. Called Opnemen, (Dutch for record). It was only released there in December but already has been downloaded more than 40,000 times. Why not here though?

Mick_OB

I read an article some months ago that ITV where changing strategy and would be promoting their HD offering. This is probably one of the reasons why UPC lost the ITV channels. ITV have realised that they can make extra money with their HD channels and as a result, ITV have made their HD channels available on the SKY HD pack. A condition of this is that their standard channels are exclusive to Sky, which would explain why UPC lost them. As for the lose of channels on UPC, they could have easily replaced these by now.

el dude

Why all the angst over losing a few ITV channels? What was on them that i was missing?

Tarquin1970

el dude wrote: »

Why all the angst over losing a few ITV channels? What was on them that i was missing?

Seems like a lot of people are missing the repeats of Midsummer Murders and Celebrity Juice, and have used it as a stick to beat UPC with.

Ranicand

Tarquin1970 wrote: »

Seems like a lot of people are missing the repeats of Midsummer Murders and Celebrity Juice, and have used it as a stick to beat UPC with.

Digital TV is about choice I like to channel hop until I find something I want to watch.

The ITV channels are not an excuse for people to beat UPC.

If UPC add on a load of UKTV channels or the CBS channels instead I will be a happy bunny.

Losing the ITV channels was not UPCs fault.
They have not been replaced yet that is UPCs fault.

Edit I am too busy for the hassle of changing TV provider right now.
I just got faster broadband for an extra €1 per month and I will wait to see what these five channels are.

One thing I loved about UPC was the extra BBC channels on the EPG well Sky has these from Thursday.

BBC 1 HD was a nice little add on.

Tarquin1970

I agree Ranicand, I like the choice, and I trust that they may eventually provide replacement channels but I think that they have taken a different path recently. All of their focus is now trained on the BB Market.

bk

Tarquin1970 wrote: »

I agree Ranicand, I like the choice, and I trust that they may eventually provide replacement channels but I think that they have taken a different path recently. All of their focus is now trained on the BB Market.

That is hardly surprising, the BB and phone services is where all their growth is currently coming from. Also it and very affordable triple play bundles are the advantages they have over Sky, so it makes a lot of sense for them to focus on those advantages.

However I agree they need to work harder to close the gap with Sky on TV services.

Tarquin1970

bk wrote: »

That is hardly surprising, the BB and phone services is where all their growth is currently coming from. Also it and very affordable triple play bundles are the advantages they have over Sky, so it makes a lot of sense for them to focus on those advantages.

However I agree they need to work harder to close the gap with Sky on TV services.

And I'd be all over a triple play bundle with HD only they don't have phone service or HD in my area....and can't give me a date when they will, despite it being in estates all around us. I also think that sky know this as they had a couple of reps doing door to door yesterday evening offering tailor made deals.

gertechhaha

Ranicand wrote: »

Digital TV is about choice I like to channel hop until I find something I want to watch.

The ITV channels are not an excuse for people to beat UPC.

If UPC add on a load of UKTV channels or the CBS channels instead I will be a happy bunny.

Losing the ITV channels was not UPCs fault.
They have not been replaced yet that is UPCs fault.

Edit I am too busy for the hassle of changing TV provider right now.
I just got faster broadband for an extra €1 per month and I will wait to see what these five channels are.

One thing I loved about UPC was the extra BBC channels on the EPG well Sky has these from Thursday.

BBC 1 HD was a nice little add on.

i feel the same way as you raincand,in fact id prefer the cbs channels to the itv channels,im hoping for the horror channel to be added

Cantona's Collars

Tarquin1970 wrote: »

I agree Ranicand, I like the choice, and I trust that they may eventually provide replacement channels but I think that they have taken a different path recently. All of their focus is now trained on the BB Market.

The interview on Today FM pretty much confirmed this,the tv service is fast becoming just an add-on to the Broadband service.My ideal setup would be tv from Sky and broadband from UPC.

clln

zerks wrote: »

the tv service is fast becoming just an add-on to the Broadband service.

Always wearing their buisness hat i think Sky will never consider BB for Ireland since it would have to be delivered by Eircoms copper wire as opposed to UPC's fibre.that is a no brainer to them until someday Ireland is fully phone served by fibre from Eircom.won't be holding my breath for that!:D

Eircom had its chance but blew it!

lucernarian

Eircom never had a chance heretofore. The carpet baggers started dismantling long-term investment potential in less than 2 years after eircom was created.

There will be a point in the medium-term where people will start to see fixed broadband like the way people regarded telephone service in this country in the 70s. The demand is inevitable and the good work being done in Northern Ireland only highlights our own national failure. Also, the continued high prices for Copper will inevitably start seeping into the beancounters in eircom. I feel sorry for technical managers in that company over the 2000s, they were completely hamstrung by the sucessive ownerships.

Eircom will sooner or later have to embrace significant fibre rollouts to the last mile even if it takes ironic govt intervention to finally fix the mess they created. Eircom will be viewed by the general public as being too big to fail if they face receivership. There are still too many places in Ireland where Eircom have a near monopoly on communications services even for the backhaul for the only telephony alternative, the mobile operators.

Elbows22

surf board wrote: »

I see upc already have a mobile app for remote record in the Netherlands. Called Opnemen, (Dutch for record). It was only released there in December but already has been downloaded more than 40,000 times. Why not here though?

Its going to be release here before the end of the year

popebenny16

Tarquin1970 wrote: »

Seems like a lot of people are missing the repeats of Midsummer Murders and Celebrity Juice, and have used it as a stick to beat UPC with.

not true, it is simply a case of looking at what you get for what you pay for, and compare it with the likes of freesat and sky.

Again, without wanting to sound repetitive, for those of us who get the MMDS Digital Package - no broadband, no recording ability, no phone - it is a very poor set up indeed and when i see that for the same money (and dropping ESPN in the process) you almost get the Sky World package its a bit nuts.