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UPC channel line up and tv service future

  • 17-06-2010 10:54PM
    #1
    Ranicand
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,960 ✭✭✭


    There have been lot's of rumors many of them from UPC themselves regarding channels being added and services being added.

    Good Food Yesterday and Watch being added in January with the ITV channels that was what the call center was telling people.

    Instead we got Sky Three Sky Real Lives and FX but we lost Zone Reality for it.
    Sky Real Lives will be closing at the end of the summer so what happens then do we get a different Sky Channel or do we just lose a channel?


    We are missing 3 of the Sky Movie Channels Screen 1 and 2 and Showcase any plans on these?


    UPC have done some positive things the bit rate seems to have improved a lot over the last year plus a new EPG is to be rolled out soon and not least ESPN was added to the higher basic packs.


    UPC launched their HD service 10 months ago and we still only have 10 HD channels watching toads hump in HD gets old what is happening here?

    A catch up service along with on demand Movies has been announced a few times but things seem to have gone quite on that front?

    I am a triple play customer and I do agree the Broadband and phone are great but the TV is only ok to good.

    Looking at the UPC Netherlands site I notice they have games and all on their boxes.

    The point of this thread is to try and get to the bottom of these questions one way or another.


Comments

  • #2
    nocal
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 798 ✭✭✭nocal


    I have UPC phone, broadband and TV - HD package with everything except Sky Movies and Disney. For the money that I am paying I am reasonably happy with the package. My main aim over the next year is to get as much good HD programming as possible. So if I have to install a satellite dish and DTT aerial then so be it. To my mind this will only open the door for me to become a satellite TV subscriber if UPC can not provide enough HD content at a good price.

    Do UPC have customer focus groups? If not they really should and should listen to some well informed customers as to what they want. Hell they could get very useful feedback from the threads here and get some clear indications as to what customers want.


  • #3
    Simon201
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 869 ✭✭✭Simon201


    Ranicand wrote: »
    UPC launched their HD service 10 months ago and we still only have 10 HD channels watching toads hump in HD gets old what is happening here?

    yeah ditto.
    What is the problem with us getting ITV HD (and Ch 4 HD)? Yes, I understand Sky don't really want to give any HD channels to UPC, but ITV isn't owned by Sky is it? It's on Freeview, and ITV don't show anything on HD that isn't on their SD channel do they, so what is the issue?......I'd love to know!

    As far as broadband goes, yes, on the face of it they are cheaper than what I pay for UTV and they keep phoning me trying to get me to take BB, but I just feel that with little or no problems with UTV over 6 or 7 years I might regret changing. I asked them if I could pay for a months trial with BB to see how the speeds were etc but that was a no go!


  • #4
    nocal
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 798 ✭✭✭nocal


    The problem with ITV HD is that on UPC you are getting the UTV region. And ITV HD is not officially available in the UTV region yet. (And yes I know it is available if you get a freesat decoder and put in a London postcode - but UPC's contract would be for the Northern Irish service with associated regional opt-outs and ad's).

    Bottom line - Give us more HD channels please.


  • #5
    Infoanon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,118 ✭✭✭Infoanon


    nocal wrote: »
    The problem with ITV HD is that on UPC you are getting the UTV region. And ITV HD is not officially available in the UTV region yet. (And yes I know it is available if you get a freesat decoder and put in a London postcode - but UPC's contract would be for the Northern Irish service with associated regional opt-outs and ad's).

    Bottom line - Give us more HD channels please.

    AFAIK UTV is carried because 1)Historical reasons & 2) The good friday agreement.

    ITV 2,3&4 are carried via a contract directly with ITV thus in theory ITV HD could be carried.

    The 'official' word from UPC is that no new HD channels will be added until November - the non-sky HD channels becoming available is increasing eg Syfy HD,CNN HD,MTV HD,Living HD,Hallmark HD,FTV HD,ESPN America HD,Ch.4 HD and due soon Film 4 HD.

    BUT what a lot of people seem to be forgetting is that many subscribers cannot get the HD service so why would UPC add more channels when only a minority of subscribers can get the service in the first place.


  • #6
    dunworth1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 5,430 ✭✭✭dunworth1


    nocal wrote: »
    Do UPC have customer focus groups? If not they really should and should listen to some well informed customers as to what they want. Hell they could get very useful feedback from the threads here and get some clear indications as to what customers want.

    upc are on twiter http://twitter.com/WeAreUPC

    but i would be handy if they were on boards.

    if everyone on boards was to ask upc on twitter to setup a boards account they would eventually.

    i have asked and they told me they might look into it


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  • #7
    nocal
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 798 ✭✭✭nocal


    dunworth1 wrote: »
    upc are on twiter http://twitter.com/WeAreUPC

    but i would be handy if they were on boards.

    if everyone on boards was to ask upc on twitter to setup a boards account they would eventually.

    i have asked and they told me they might look into it


    Good idea. If they actually listened to some of the good ideas and added a pinch of customer care then they could really provide an excellent service.


  • #8
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 24,053 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    nocal wrote: »
    Good idea. If they actually listened to some of the good ideas and added a pinch of customer care then they could really provide an excellent service.

    I've been told that UPC senior management read this forum and other forums on boards.ie almost daily and that they definitely take all the feedback given on board (hi guys).

    Also over the years some UPC staff have responded and helped people on these forums in an unofficial capacity.

    Yes, it would be very nice if we got some official support from UPC here on boards.ie. I think it would help greatly with peoples views on the quality of their customer support, which has been seen as poor in the past (more from the Chorus/NTL days).

    Other major telcoms players like o2, Vodafone, etc. all have forums, it clearly does work and I think the timing is right for UPC given their recent re-branding. An internet social media effort with them giving official support here on boards, perhaps their own forum, twitter and facebook seems like a very good idea.

    Irish Rail is an example of a non telecoms company doing an excellent job in this area.


  • #9
    d8player
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 316 ✭✭d8player


    I'll second what bk says. I have received direct help from UPC folks directly thru this forum. Very helpful bunch.


  • #10
    Ranicand
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,960 ✭✭✭Ranicand


    d8player wrote: »
    I'll second what bk says. I have received direct help from UPC folks directly thru this forum. Very helpful bunch.

    Same here.


  • #11
    belmulletman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 668 ✭✭✭belmulletman


    Same here (and via Twitter) EVEN if no one can actually tell me when a Food based channel will actually arrive!! (please UPC, you promised it last year and you've given us ITV X, Y and Z, but meh... really!?)


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  • #12
    mickeyboymel
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 817 ✭✭✭mickeyboymel


    Me too, had a cable reroute map error fixed here via boards with huge help from a member of UPC staff who posts on here.


  • #13
    celticbest
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,088 ✭✭✭celticbest


    dunworth1 wrote: »
    upc are on twiter http://twitter.com/WeAreUPC

    if everyone on boards was to ask upc on twitter to setup a boards account they would eventually.

    i have asked and they told me they might look into it

    +1


  • #14
    Fresh Pots
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,234 ✭✭✭Fresh Pots


    +1 for the TalktoUPC idea.

    I'm surprised this isn't up and running already, I mean they already have a rep on here(Jason). They should go the whole hog and create a forum.

    As bk pointed out, they already have enough sales reps on here in an unofficial capacity.(thats what there up to when the should be answering the phones):D:D
    I know one of them sorted me out with the best deal when I was upgrading and sorted a box swap when I was having problems. All sorted by pm and was very efficient.


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