sky to have a freeview plus package
 

£100 a dish, there probally thinking at the mooment how they can get more
from the one's with a dish ie you have to buy a new dish to view it.

BSkyB is set to take on the BBC's Freeview digital terrestrial service by
offering a "Freeview-plus" style package of channels via digital satellite.
Free-to-air platform Freeview has been a phenomenal success since its launch
in October last year, selling 1.6 million set-top boxes so far at a price of
£100 or less.

BSkyB recently upgraded its subscriber target to eight million by 2005,
after a surge in demand left it only weeks away from hitting the seven
million mark.

However, the BSkyB chief executive, Tony Ball, said the next stage in the
broadcaster's digital vision - extending its subscriber base from eight to
12 million - would require a new approach.

"We can get to eight million or so but will the next four million all be
high revenue? Probably not. We will come up with a Freeview-plus type of
package with one or two [extra] channels," Mr Ball told the MediaGuardian
Edinburgh International TV festival.

"We will have to slice it and dice it a different way," he said.

The package is likely to include free channels already available on digital
satellite, plus a small number of add-on basic TV channels.

Although BSkyB would receive a lower average revenue per user, which
currently stands at £366 a year, subscribers are likely to have to pay for
their dish and set-top box as well as its installation.

However, a BSkyB source said the plan "was still at the proposal stage".

BSkyB currently offers 96 different packages to subscribers, with the
cheapest - the basic entertainment offering - at £12.50. This is likely to
be undercut by the new "Freeview plus" package.

Despite the growth of BSkyB's customer base, which grew by 133,000
subscribers in the three months to June to hit a total of 6.8 million, a
fifth of all households with digital TV now receive free-to-air channels
rather than pay TV, because of the success of Freeview.

Freeview, which is also backed by Sky and transmission company Crown Castle
Communications, has proved particularly popular among the over-55s.

Its success is seen as a crucial plank in the government's bid to switch off
the analogue TV signal by 2010.

http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcas...029122,00.html

S

--
wooooooooooo saaahhhhhhhhh

Sima wrote:
£100 a dish, there probally thinking at the mooment how they can get more
from the one's with a dish ie you have to buy a new dish to view it.

BSkyB is set to take on the BBC's Freeview digital terrestrial service by
offering a "Freeview-plus" style package of channels via digital satellite.
Free-to-air platform Freeview has been a phenomenal success since its launch
in October last year, selling 1.6 million set-top boxes so far at a price of
£100 or less.

BSkyB recently upgraded its subscriber target to eight million by 2005,
after a surge in demand left it only weeks away from hitting the seven
million mark.

However, the BSkyB chief executive, Tony Ball, said the next stage in the
broadcaster's digital vision - extending its subscriber base from eight to
12 million - would require a new approach.

"We can get to eight million or so but will the next four million all be
high revenue? Probably not. We will come up with a Freeview-plus type of
package with one or two [extra] channels," Mr Ball told the MediaGuardian
Edinburgh International TV festival.

"We will have to slice it and dice it a different way," he said.

The package is likely to include free channels already available on digital
satellite, plus a small number of add-on basic TV channels.

Although BSkyB would receive a lower average revenue per user, which
currently stands at £366 a year, subscribers are likely to have to pay for
their dish and set-top box as well as its installation.

However, a BSkyB source said the plan "was still at the proposal stage".

BSkyB currently offers 96 different packages to subscribers, with the
cheapest - the basic entertainment offering - at £12.50. This is likely to
be undercut by the new "Freeview plus" package.

Despite the growth of BSkyB's customer base, which grew by 133,000
subscribers in the three months to June to hit a total of 6.8 million, a
fifth of all households with digital TV now receive free-to-air channels
rather than pay TV, because of the success of Freeview.

Freeview, which is also backed by Sky and transmission company Crown Castle
Communications, has proved particularly popular among the over-55s.

Its success is seen as a crucial plank in the government's bid to switch off
the analogue TV signal by 2010.

http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcas...029122,00.html

S

--
wooooooooooo saaahhhhhhhhh



Yeah, but I wonder what the Ts & Cs will be? I'll bet that existing
subscribers won't be able to downgrade to the cheaper package. I also
reckon that the extra channels are going to be pretty poor. I'll be
surprised if $kyOne makes it onto the list, let alone E4. We'll see, but
I think that this is just a spolier - Freeview has caught $ky on the hop
and it wants to muscle in on things. That said, for those people that
can't get Freeview, it could be a God[Murdoch]send, I suppose.


Clem

On Tue, 26 Aug 2003 16:42:05 GMT, Nigel Barker wrote:

On Tue, 26 Aug 2003 17:25:37 +0100, Clem Dye wrote:
It's difficult to see what Sky would provide as a minimal service. Their current
minimum subscription is GBP12.50 per month & is very thin fare indeed. The only
non FTA or FTV channels provided are Sky One, Discovery Home & Leisure,
Bloomberg plus the basic Music Choice 10 channel package. There isn't even ITV2
let alone E4. It's laughingly called The Value Pack!

To compete with Freeview they would need to offer at least all the Freeview
channels plus some extra as an incentive to paying. At present there are
channels that are FTA on Freeview that you must pay GBP18.50 per month for the
Sky Family pack to receive them on satellite. These include ITV2, UK Bright
Ideas, UK History, ftn & Sky Travel. There are also a couple of MV like channels
in TMF & The Hits.

They might be able to put together a competitive package for GBP5.00 per month
but I suspect that they would be scared of cannibalising their current installed
base.

An interisting comparis has just arisen on this side of the water.
TPS has just launched a cheapo package for 11 euros a month, for a
handful of channels.
The idea seems to be to pick up subscribers from the bottom end of the
market.
The cheapest package on the rival Canal Satellite is 17 euros a month,
for 55 channels.
Canal said it didn't believe in this approach but was watching
developments with interest.

On Tue, 26 Aug 2003 08:09:33 GMT, "Sima" wrote:


Despite the growth of BSkyB's customer base, which grew by 133,000
subscribers in the three months to June to hit a total of 6.8 million, a
fifth of all households with digital TV now receive free-to-air channels
rather than pay TV, because of the success of Freeview.

So, looks like Freeview has got Sky worried. Well done Freeview.

I wonder if the decision was also connected to the BBCs decision to
go completely FTA on satellite and the worry that other stations (ITV,
C4, five and some from the 'family pack') might be tempted to follow
somewhere down the line?


GAv

"Gav" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 26 Aug 2003 08:09:33 GMT, "Sima" wrote:


Despite the growth of BSkyB's customer base, which grew by 133,000
subscribers in the three months to June to hit a total of 6.8 million, a
fifth of all households with digital TV now receive free-to-air channels
rather than pay TV, because of the success of Freeview.

So, looks like Freeview has got Sky worried. Well done Freeview.

I wonder if the decision was also connected to the BBCs decision to
go completely FTA on satellite and the worry that other stations (ITV,
C4, five and some from the 'family pack') might be tempted to follow
somewhere down the line?


GAv



I would have thought Telewests cheap package (With phoneline) and
NTL's slightly more costly option would have worried SKY far more
than a non-subscription platform that they have a 33% stake in.
After all both cable companies offerings are cheaper than the "Value" pack
SKY subscription when you consider that most people still require a landline.

This "Freeview" style package was first proposed last year but kinda died
a death and eventually all we got was the £120 minibox system which was
of value when the FTV smartcards were "free" to UK license payers.

Mike C

On Tue, 26 Aug 2003 20:27:01 +0100, "Mike_C"
wrote:


"Gav" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 26 Aug 2003 08:09:33 GMT, "Sima" wrote:


Despite the growth of BSkyB's customer base, which grew by 133,000
subscribers in the three months to June to hit a total of 6.8 million, a
fifth of all households with digital TV now receive free-to-air channels
rather than pay TV, because of the success of Freeview.

So, looks like Freeview has got Sky worried. Well done Freeview.

I wonder if the decision was also connected to the BBCs decision to
go completely FTA on satellite and the worry that other stations (ITV,
C4, five and some from the 'family pack') might be tempted to follow
somewhere down the line?


GAv



I would have thought Telewests cheap package (With phoneline) and
NTL's slightly more costly option would have worried SKY far more
than a non-subscription platform that they have a 33% stake in.
After all both cable companies offerings are cheaper than the "Value" pack
SKY subscription when you consider that most people still require a landline.

Not everyone has access to cable. Plus, these packages may be
'cheaper than Sky' (when including cost of phone) but they aren't FREE
like Freeview is. I think quite a few people have an aversion to Pay
TV services.


Gav

"Gav" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 26 Aug 2003 20:27:01 +0100, "Mike_C"
wrote:


"Gav" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 26 Aug 2003 08:09:33 GMT, "Sima" wrote:


Despite the growth of BSkyB's customer base, which grew by 133,000
subscribers in the three months to June to hit a total of 6.8 million, a
fifth of all households with digital TV now receive free-to-air channels
rather than pay TV, because of the success of Freeview.

So, looks like Freeview has got Sky worried. Well done Freeview.

I wonder if the decision was also connected to the BBCs decision to
go completely FTA on satellite and the worry that other stations (ITV,
C4, five and some from the 'family pack') might be tempted to follow
somewhere down the line?


GAv



I would have thought Telewests cheap package (With phoneline) and
NTL's slightly more costly option would have worried SKY far more
than a non-subscription platform that they have a 33% stake in.
After all both cable companies offerings are cheaper than the "Value" pack
SKY subscription when you consider that most people still require a landline.

Not everyone has access to cable. Plus, these packages may be
'cheaper than Sky' (when including cost of phone) but they aren't FREE
like Freeview is. I think quite a few people have an aversion to Pay
TV services.


Gav


True cable has limited coverage but I would guess that cable take up in
it's franchise areas is higher then SKY's take-up on it's national coverage.
The fact that both TW and NTL are no longer in serious financial
troubles and will start to perform better it would be no surprise to see
their digital TV services to show an increase in subscribers which means
either SKY losing customers or not having an offer good enough for
someone who may be having phone or net access via cable.

True, this SKY package if it ever gets off the ground will be a subscription
package and as such will not appeal to the millions of people who consider
the license fee is the only money they will spend on TV viewing and nothing
SKY can do will change this.
However there is a market for a much cheaper package via dsat and now
SKY are making profits and paying off debts they have the freedom to be
more creative with their service.

Mike C

....and of course $ky don't let the cable companies have sky sports
extra, where they will be having all the champions league games via
the red button on a wednesday night.

Given that a very large chunk of $ky's customers have it for the
footie then cable still looks a very poor relation, even if cheaper.


lid (Gav) wrote in message ...
On Tue, 26 Aug 2003 20:27:01 +0100, "Mike_C"
wrote:


"Gav" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 26 Aug 2003 08:09:33 GMT, "Sima" wrote:


Despite the growth of BSkyB's customer base, which grew by 133,000
subscribers in the three months to June to hit a total of 6.8 million, a
fifth of all households with digital TV now receive free-to-air channels
rather than pay TV, because of the success of Freeview.

So, looks like Freeview has got Sky worried. Well done Freeview.

I wonder if the decision was also connected to the BBCs decision to
go completely FTA on satellite and the worry that other stations (ITV,
C4, five and some from the 'family pack') might be tempted to follow
somewhere down the line?


GAv



I would have thought Telewests cheap package (With phoneline) and
NTL's slightly more costly option would have worried SKY far more
than a non-subscription platform that they have a 33% stake in.
After all both cable companies offerings are cheaper than the "Value" pack
SKY subscription when you consider that most people still require a landline.

Not everyone has access to cable. Plus, these packages may be
'cheaper than Sky' (when including cost of phone) but they aren't FREE
like Freeview is. I think quite a few people have an aversion to Pay
TV services.


Gav

On 27 Aug 2003 03:27:30 -0700, (Ed) wrote:

Given that a very large chunk of $ky's customers have it for the
footie then cable still looks a very poor relation, even if cheaper.

Isn't using cable for broadcast media rather archaic technology? We have been
listening to the 'wireless' for 70+ years now. Cable can never compete with the
number of channels available on satellite (whether one wants hundreds of
channels full of crap is another discussion).

--
Nigel Barker
Live from the sunny Cote d'Azur

On Wed, 27 Aug 2003 12:41:07 GMT, Jomtien wrote:

Salvador Freemanson wrote:

TPS has just launched a cheapo package for 11 euros a month, for a
handful of channels.

But that is also the only way of getting all the national channels in
digital satellite, isn't it?

Yes.

I got a few more details today.
In fact they are launching two cheapo packages, both at 11 euros a
month. One conissts in the TPS Star premium channel (TPS's "canal plus
clone") plus the national (TF1, France 2, France 3, France 5, Arte,
M6) channels and free channels.

The other comprises 7 channels including LCI, TF6, Teletoon, Teva,
plus the national channels.

Either way, much better than the Sky Digital so-called Value Pack.