SKY and Virgin Media have seen their competition come head to head over broadcasting of Sky's basic TV channels such as Sky One, Sky News, Sky Sports News and Sky Travel on Virgins cable network.
The two companies failed to agree new terms for Virgin Media to show these channels to their customers as the current deal ended at midnight on March 1st.
It is not full clear how much more Sky were asking for, with Virgin saying they were been asked for a 100% increase while Sky said they were only asking for a 20% increase.
With both Sky & Virgin Media battling in the communications market for customers it was thought that some of Virgins cable customers may switch to Sky so they can view the missing channels, that host premium TV programs such as The Simpsons and Lost.
Both companies are able to offer customers broadband internet, TV & telecommunications which is why Sky may have been playing hard ball with Virgin over the contract and may be using this as one way to lure more customers to use their services.
Virgins CEO, Steve Burch said:
Virgin Media wants to do the right thing by its customers and resolve this dispute, as well as its underlying causes. We think our customers will quickly recognise that the improvements we've recently made to our TV service, together with other exciting enhancements we've got in the pipeline, make Virgin Media's TV service the most comprehensive and exciting in the UK. Over the next month, however, if they don't agree, we will not use technical legalities to stand in the way of them switching to another service.
"Among both our customers and the public as a whole, we believe there is a significant groundswell of support for our decision to stand up to Sky: we are determined to ensure it is the customer that benefits from our determination to do so.
Author: Mark Ward Copyright: BroadbandWatchdog.co.uk - NetMediaUK.com
The two companies failed to agree new terms for Virgin Media to show these channels to their customers as the current deal ended at midnight on March 1st.
Virgin Media wants to do the right thing by its customers and resolve this dispute, as well as its underlying causes. We think our customers will quickly recognise that the improvements we've recently made to our TV service, together with other exciting enhancements we've got in the pipeline, make Virgin Media's TV service the most comprehensive and exciting in the UK. Over the next month, however, if they don't agree, we will not use technical legalities to stand in the way of them switching to another service.
