lets all laugh at the cable companys

ELITESAT

with RTE and ITV just months away what hope does ntl or chorus other than their phone system and hat doesent work

Marconi

Whether you like these cable companies or not, it is in our interests, the consumers, that they survive. Otherwise SKY would be in a monopoly situation in this country and because they're not regulated you would soon see their prices rising - after all, they're only in the business for profit. Who would be laughing then, eh?
It's all about CHOICE.........

SkepticOne

Originally posted by Marconi
Whether you like these cable companies or not, it is in our interests, the consumers, that they survive. Otherwise SKY would be in a monopoly situation in this country and because they're not regulated you would soon see their prices rising - after all, they're only in the business for profit. Who would be laughing then, eh?
It's all about CHOICE.........

Without the core UK channels, SKY has been more of a luxury addition to cable. Now it will be a real alternative. Several factors will remain in favour with cable, though. 1) ability to run several TVs off the one subscription, 2) no dish, 3) two-way services, 4) inertia.

More at risk will be the MMDS services. Here, you already have an unsightly dish and a set-top box that only allows one channel at a time to be viewed.

ShaneOC

I agree that Sky is now becoming a real alternative to cable with the addition of all of the standard terrestrial services. I am not sure if all your reasons for staying with cable...

1) ability to run several TVs off the one subscription,

Although I believe NTL allow you to do this that is not the case in Chorus cable-land. They supply a STB which allows only one channel at a time. You cannot even watch an Irish terrestrial channel and record another (well unless you do a bit of cable splitting and splicing). This STB does not have any form of timer either so you cannot set it to change channels if you want to record from different channels while you are out, like you can with the Sky digibox.

2) no dish

Most of the dishes are very neatly installed.

3) two-way services

Don't be holding your breath for the cable companies.

4) inertia

True. Some people will not be bothered changing.

SkepticOne

[DUPLICATE DELETED]

SkepticOne

Originally posted by ShaneOC
1) ability to run several TVs off the one subscription,

Although I believe NTL allow you to do this that is not the case in Chorus cable-land. They supply a STB which allows only one channel at a time. You cannot even watch an Irish terrestrial channel and record another (well unless you do a bit of cable splitting and splicing).

Is this on their analogue cable service? If so, tt is ironic that what once made them more money in a monopoly situation will now work against them in competition. The one reason I might have to stick with NTL is the ability to run several TVs off the one subscription.

koneko

A lot of people in apartments have to stick to cable, because in a lot of complexes you aren't allowed have dishes installed (mostly it's the people that maintain the complex/site that set these rules).

ShaneOC

Is this on their analogue cable service?

Yes it is. And has been for many years.

ELITESAT

WELL WHEN NTL AND CHORUS GO DIGITAL IT'LL ALL BE ONE TV PER SUB THEN IT WILL ALL BE THE SAME

bkehoe

Ooooh, writing in CAPS is sooo cool!

ELITESAT

is that any better or is that

Pat Gleeson

The whole point as far as any consumer is concerned is this:
the more companies competing (on a level playing field) for the same service the better for us.

One company - Chorus, NTL, whatever in any one area is bad, as they take advantage of the situation ... "sorry, but who else are you going to get ?..."

If Sky blow out the competition, same story.


Chorus/ Irish Multichannel/ Westward Cables screwed customers for years with a crap service, using every excuse in the book.

Now Sky has the channels people want, Chorus have improved (so I'm told).. yeah , right.

When the cable monopolies end in March 2002, the situation will undoubtedly improve.

As far as us, the consumer is concerned, competition is everything.

PacMan

I agree that competition is needed in the multi-channel land of television. Interesting that the Indo newspaper always reports on NTL and Sky, and now is using the "Sad Story" of the cableco's looking for money from RTE for broadcasting their stations. Interesting that the "Indo" never reported any of the bad stories that customers had with Chorus. Is this the same Independent News and Media that had a major shareholding in Chorus??
Yes competition is needed in the marketplace. If people like me have put up with Chorus and its crap, bad, inferior service for years, and Sky arrives and offers a far superior product, well that IS competition. That how the marketplace works. Sky at the moment is by FAR the BETTER product. In a few years time if another platform is better I am sure that people like me will change!!