Sky's two fingered salute to Ofcom

British Sky Broad. - Response to Ofcom statement
British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC
20 March 2007

BSkyB response to Ofcom statement

In response to Ofcom's announcement of a market investigation into the
pay-TV
industry, a Sky spokesman said:

'The marketplace for entertainment and communications services is
fiercely
competitive and changing fast. From the BBC to Google, BT to Apple and
Vodafone
to Virgin Media amongst many others, customers have never had a
broader set of
businesses competing for their time and custom.

'We note the references in Ofcom's statement to Sky's proposed pay-TV
service on
the DTT platform and the dispute with Virgin Media regarding the
availability of
Sky's basic channels.

'BT, Top Up TV and Setanta all have a commercial interest in
preventing Sky from
increasing customer choice by developing a new pay-TV service on the
DTT
platform.

'Recent events have also drawn attention to the fact that cable is a
closed
network with substantial protections. In any market investigation,
we'd expect
Ofcom to look at the physical and legal barriers and business
practices that
shield Virgin Media from true competition and prevent consumers from
enjoying
lower prices in broadband and telephony and greater innovation and
choice in
television.'

On 21 Mar, 11:06, "Ed" wrote:
British Sky Broad. - Response to Ofcom statement
British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC
20 March 2007

BSkyB response to Ofcom statement

In response to Ofcom's announcement of a market investigation into the
pay-TV
industry, a Sky spokesman said:

'The marketplace for entertainment and communications services is
fiercely
competitive and changing fast. From the BBC to Google, BT to Apple and
Vodafone
to Virgin Media amongst many others, customers have never had a
broader set of
businesses competing for their time and custom.

'We note the references in Ofcom's statement to Sky's proposed pay-TV
service on
the DTT platform and the dispute with Virgin Media regarding the
availability of
Sky's basic channels.

'BT, Top Up TV and Setanta all have a commercial interest in
preventing Sky from
increasing customer choice by developing a new pay-TV service on the
DTT
platform.

'Recent events have also drawn attention to the fact that cable is a
closed
network with substantial protections. In any market investigation,
we'd expect
Ofcom to look at the physical and legal barriers and business
practices that
shield Virgin Media from true competition and prevent consumers from
enjoying
lower prices in broadband and telephony and greater innovation and
choice in
television.'

I find it very difficult to sympathise with Sky's position on this one
when they have even withdrawn Freeview channels from cable. *******.

On Mar 21, 4:00 pm, "Tommo" wrote:
On 21 Mar, 11:06, "Ed" wrote:





British Sky Broad. - Response to Ofcom statement
British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC
20 March 2007

BSkyB response to Ofcom statement

In response to Ofcom's announcement of a market investigation into the
pay-TV
industry, a Sky spokesman said:

'The marketplace for entertainment and communications services is
fiercely
competitive and changing fast. From the BBC to Google, BT to Apple and
Vodafone
to Virgin Media amongst many others, customers have never had a
broader set of
businesses competing for their time and custom.

'We note the references in Ofcom's statement to Sky's proposed pay-TV
service on
the DTT platform and the dispute with Virgin Media regarding the
availability of
Sky's basic channels.

'BT, Top Up TV and Setanta all have a commercial interest in
preventing Sky from
increasing customer choice by developing a new pay-TV service on the
DTT
platform.

'Recent events have also drawn attention to the fact that cable is a
closed
network with substantial protections. In any market investigation,
we'd expect
Ofcom to look at the physical and legal barriers and business
practices that
shield Virgin Media from true competition and prevent consumers from
enjoying
lower prices in broadband and telephony and greater innovation and
choice in
television.'

I find it very difficult to sympathise with Sky's position on this one
when they have even withdrawn Freeview channels from cable. *******.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

They're gonna withdraw the freeview channels from freeview in a couple
of months too!

Ed wrote:
On Mar 21, 4:00 pm, "Tommo" wrote:
On 21 Mar, 11:06, "Ed" wrote:





British Sky Broad. - Response to Ofcom statement
British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC
20 March 2007
BSkyB response to Ofcom statement
In response to Ofcom's announcement of a market investigation into the
pay-TV
industry, a Sky spokesman said:
'The marketplace for entertainment and communications services is
fiercely
competitive and changing fast. From the BBC to Google, BT to Apple and
Vodafone
to Virgin Media amongst many others, customers have never had a
broader set of
businesses competing for their time and custom.
'We note the references in Ofcom's statement to Sky's proposed pay-TV
service on
the DTT platform and the dispute with Virgin Media regarding the
availability of
Sky's basic channels.
'BT, Top Up TV and Setanta all have a commercial interest in
preventing Sky from
increasing customer choice by developing a new pay-TV service on the
DTT
platform.
'Recent events have also drawn attention to the fact that cable is a
closed
network with substantial protections. In any market investigation,
we'd expect
Ofcom to look at the physical and legal barriers and business
practices that
shield Virgin Media from true competition and prevent consumers from
enjoying
lower prices in broadband and telephony and greater innovation and
choice in
television.'
I find it very difficult to sympathise with Sky's position on this one
when they have even withdrawn Freeview channels from cable. *******.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

They're gonna withdraw the freeview channels from freeview in a couple
of months too!

If they do, they do. I don't see Ofcom allowing $ky to use an MPEG4
datastream on what is an MPEG2-based platform for the risk (however
slight) of the two data streams encountering transmission or reception
problems. $ky has blotted its copybook so to speak and its antics aren't
being well received right now. In theory, Ofcom are supposed to be
impartial but I think that $ky won't get their way here. If they do,
it's (for me) a loss of three channels I hardly ever watch anyway.
However, for Freeview, it devalues the platform at a time when the DTV
switchover is about to start. For any government this is a minefield, so
I don't reckon that $ky will be allowed to weaken the offering. We'll
see, I suppose.

$ky is definitely coming across as a 'nasty piece of work' right now.
They're not a company that I'd care to deal with, even if they had the
sole rights to everything new that I wanted to watch.


Clem

On 21 Mar 2007 09:00:57 -0700, "Tommo" wrote:

I find it very difficult to sympathise with Sky's position on this one
when they have even withdrawn Freeview channels from cable. *******.

They haven't withdrawn anything from cable. Virgin failed to renew the
contract because Branson is trying to make a name for himself.
--

On 21 Mar, 18:45, Mike Henry wrote:
In . com, "Ed"

wrote:
On Mar 21, 4:00 pm, "Tommo" wrote:
I find it very difficult to sympathise with Sky's position on this one
when they have even withdrawn Freeview channels from cable. *******.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

They're gonna withdraw the freeview channels from freeview in a couple
of months too!

False. Sky announced that they would ASK Ofcom to remove some of
their channels, but the press reported it as if it was going to happen.
The Freeview consortium (National Grid Wireless formerly Crown Castle,
the BBC, and Sky) were only awarded their Freeview licence on the
understanding that they would broadcast the channels that they do on
Freeview.

It would either involve Sky losing their Freeview licence and
someone else moving in to broadcast on that Mux, or Sky renegotiating
the terms of their licence with Ofcom.

False

Sky TOLD ofcom that is what they are going to do and as far as they
are concerned it is a rubber stamping exercise

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix....773&highlight=

Dave wrote:
On 21 Mar 2007 09:00:57 -0700, "Tommo" wrote:



'Recent events have also drawn attention to the fact that cable is a
closed
network with substantial protections. In any market investigation,
we'd expect
Ofcom to look at the physical and legal barriers and business
practices that
shield Virgin Media from true competition and prevent consumers from
enjoying
lower prices in broadband and telephony and greater innovation and
choice in
television.'

I find it very difficult to sympathise with Sky's position on this
one when they have even withdrawn Freeview channels from cable.
*******.

Ofcom might have some difficulty finding Sky guilty of uncompetitive
behaviour without making at least some investigation into VM's
monopoly of the cable network. It could still turn out to Sky's
advantage.

The difference being that..

1. VM (in all its previous incarnations) paid for the whole of the Cable
system while Sky simply uses a third-party (ASTRA) satellite to broadcast
on.

2. Sky are not only the broadcasters but also buy the programmes as well.
(Okay, there's a better way to explain that one but I can't. Something to do
with seperating the two parts of the business!)

--
Carl Waring
DigiGuide: http://getdigiguide.com/?p=1&r=1495
DGLite: http://getdigiguide.com/?p=4&r=1495 - FREE!!!
http://www.snap-seo.co.uk/web-hostin...g-packages.php
Packages ranging from FREE to UNLIMITED!

On Mar 21, 8:28 pm, Mike Henry
wrote:
In .com, "Ed"





wrote:
On 21 Mar, 18:45, Mike Henry wrote:
In . com, "Ed"

wrote:
On Mar 21, 4:00 pm, "Tommo" wrote:
I find it very difficult to sympathise with Sky's position on this one
when they have even withdrawn Freeview channels from cable. *******.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

They're gonna withdraw the freeview channels from freeview in a couple
of months too!

False. Sky announced that they would ASK Ofcom to remove some of
their channels, but the press reported it as if it was going to happen.
The Freeview consortium (National Grid Wireless formerly Crown Castle,
the BBC, and Sky) were only awarded their Freeview licence on the
understanding that they would broadcast the channels that they do on
Freeview.

It would either involve Sky losing their Freeview licence and
someone else moving in to broadcast on that Mux, or Sky renegotiating
the terms of their licence with Ofcom.

False

Er no, I am correct actually.

Sky TOLD ofcom that is what they are going to do

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix....ol-newsArticle...

Did you read your own reference? Which part of

"The launch of the new service is subject to approval by Ofcom of the
necessary variations to licences held by Sky and National Grid Wireless,
which provides DTT transmission and multiplexing services to Sky."

...are you having difficulty with?


That is exactly the part that says to me that Sky consider this a fait
accompli.

"Carl Waring" wrote in message
...
Dave wrote:
On 21 Mar 2007 09:00:57 -0700, "Tommo" wrote:



'Recent events have also drawn attention to the fact that cable is a
closed
network with substantial protections. In any market investigation,
we'd expect
Ofcom to look at the physical and legal barriers and business
practices that
shield Virgin Media from true competition and prevent consumers from
enjoying
lower prices in broadband and telephony and greater innovation and
choice in
television.'

I find it very difficult to sympathise with Sky's position on this
one when they have even withdrawn Freeview channels from cable.
*******.

Ofcom might have some difficulty finding Sky guilty of uncompetitive
behaviour without making at least some investigation into VM's
monopoly of the cable network. It could still turn out to Sky's
advantage.

The difference being that..

1. VM (in all its previous incarnations) paid for the whole of the Cable
system while Sky simply uses a third-party (ASTRA) satellite to broadcast
on.

BT have been made by OFCOM to open up there Network to other service
providers, why shoudln't Virgin have to do the same?

On Thu, 22 Mar 2007 09:30:38 GMT, "Carl Waring"
wrote:

The difference being that..

1. VM (in all its previous incarnations) paid for the whole of the Cable
system while Sky simply uses a third-party (ASTRA) satellite to broadcast
on.

So Virgin have built a private closed-loop network monopoly whereas
Sky uses open satellites which anyone can broadcast from.

2. Sky are not only the broadcasters but also buy the programmes as well.

Exactly like Virgin do with their own channels, then.

--