sky rant

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#1111086 19-Aug-2014 09:44

TimA: Probably the cost of bandwidth is too high..

But then again my SKY sub is Sport, HDI + ticket, Movies.. Thats like $100 a month just for SKY.. I am sure many can relate to the pricing the product.

and here was I thinking most of my subscription was HD content lol. Btw the way they use mostly quad LNB and have so since 2007.

hypnotoad

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#1111172 19-Aug-2014 11:17

peterds: Sky NZ having been telling porkies for years about their lack of capacity to introduce more HD channels which was completely proven by all the extra HD channels for sports events in the last year or so.
Similarly Freeview NZ have had a pile of excuses as to why they could not host more SD channels and why they cant provide HD on Satellite.
The truth is both Sky and Freeview providors want to keep their operating costs to a minimum .
They seem oblivious to the fact that nowadays the Kiwi consumer is far more savvy and well aware that, compared to Australia and the UK, we are very poorly served here in NZ. In my opinion,as long as Sky maintains its Pay TV monopoly and Freeview is restricted by its inadequate funding from the ( Nationel-led ) government nothing is likely to change!
BUT WAIT..... Internet TV providors are coming along. Sparks " Lightbox " starts August 28 AND we have an election coming up on September 20 !!!
There may be hope on the horizon ater all.

They made space for the extra Sports channels by sacrificing PPV channels.
There are no spare transponders on Optus D1 for Freeview or Sky. They can only alter channels on the transponders they already lease.

hypnotoad

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#1111180 19-Aug-2014 11:21

peterds: This is completely wrong! There are several small European countries with a population similar to ours and far better TV services. Surely we need a government with spending priorities to improve the lives of most Kiwis.
For example, the taxpayers money wasted on the Americas Cup would go a long way to expand Freeview satellite..... there are endless examples of government spending money on things they THINK we want not what we need.

Europe has a lot more Satellites pointing at them compered to the few NZ have availible.

If the government used the 36 million spent on the Americas cup they would only have to find around 250 million more to lunch a Satellite.

Jaxson

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#1111283 19-Aug-2014 13:40

I'd like to see some stats on how much each Sky channel is actually viewed.
Dump some of the lesser viewed ones, insist on smart advertisements rather than rebroadcasting each channel 5 times separately, and I'm sure there's space in there...

wasabi2k

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#1111341 19-Aug-2014 15:07

Jaxson: I'd like to see some stats on how much each Sky channel is actually viewed.
Dump some of the lesser viewed ones, insist on smart advertisements rather than rebroadcasting each channel 5 times separately, and I'm sure there's space in there...

Me too - doubt this is possible to see though - unless the MySky box is recording my viewing habits and uploading them to Big Brother Sky Central through microwaves /tinfoil...

MileHighKiwi

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#1111346 19-Aug-2014 15:21

I missed Sky on Saturday night when the All Blacks v Wallabies test was on. I got a very good stream of the game but it just doesn't compare to HD on the 50".

But I just can't justify the $1200 per year I was spending with them to watch sports.

The reality is my Netflix, NFL Gamepass and PLP subs cost $431 per year, 65% cheaper than Sky. I just don't get to see live rugby in HD.

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peterds

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#1111347 19-Aug-2014 15:26

New Zealand does not launch its own satellites.We just rent transponders on satellites owned by Optus or Intelsat.

Peter D Smale

peterds

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#1111357 19-Aug-2014 15:38

There are unused transponders on Optus D3 (at 156 degrees ) which Sky have as a back up in case D1 fails as it did some years ago.
Optus 10 (at 164 degrees ) is to be launched later this year According to the manufacturer , it will have 24 ku-band transponders capable or providing TV to Australia and New Zealand.
Both would be possible options for expansion of Freeview satellite but both would require upgrading the consumers lnb to a dual lnb as Sky have been using for 5 years or so.

Peter D Smale

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#1111365 19-Aug-2014 15:48

jarledb:
PaulZA:
SteveON: Freeview DTS has HD. Do you run sky uk via broadband?

yep (:

How does one go about getting Sky UK?

You can try this it has some uk sky channels and only £9.99 + youshop shipping.

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=151&topicid=143330&page_no=2
http://www.nowtv.com/

JimmyH

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#1111610 19-Aug-2014 21:10

peterds: The truth is both Sky and Freeview providors want to keep their operating costs to a minimum. They seem oblivious to the fact that nowadays the Kiwi consumer is far more savvy and well aware that, compared to Australia and the UK, we are very poorly served here in NZ. In my opinion,as long as Sky maintains its Pay TV monopoly and Freeview is restricted by its inadequate funding from the ( Nationel-led ) government nothing is likely to change!
BUT WAIT..... Internet TV providors are coming along. Sparks " Lightbox " starts August 28 AND we have an election coming up on September 20 !!!
There may be hope on the horizon ater all.

1. Of course they want to keep costs to a minimum. They are running a business not a charity. There's no point in paying out money for something where there isn't a business case in terms of retaining viewers and earning additional revenue in return. Why would they?

2. The reality is that TV delivery is in large part a fixed cost business. A satellite transponder costs the same to lease if there is 1 viewer, 100,000 vewers or 1 million viewers. NZ is only a small country. There are only so many viewers (either paying directly through subscriptions, or indirectly through watching ads) to fund the delivery platform. We may never get the same broadcast TV channel density as higher population countries. That's basic economics, not some sort of shadowy conspiracy to deprive us of soap operas.

3. My understanding is that Freeview isn't government funded. Nor should it be. It's a commercial entertainment product. It should stand on it's own feet, not leech taxpayer's dollars.

4. Sky isn't a monopoly. There are many options for TV - including TVNZ, Mediaworks, Sommet Sports, Colosseum, Lightbox, Quickflix (OK maybe not that one

) Netflix, Hulu - that provide TV programming. And, with broadband delivery, that range is expanding rapidly.

Fundamentally, I'm broadly OK with the widening range entertainment options available to me, that I can either pay for or watch for free. I'm happy to spend my earnings buying what I want. I have no real interest in having my income confiscated by the government to purchase what you want instead - particularly Freeview. You pay for your entertainment, and I'll pay for mine!

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#1111782 20-Aug-2014 08:54

JimmyH:
4. Sky isn't a monopoly. There are many options for TV - including TVNZ, Mediaworks, Sommet Sports, Colosseum, Lightbox, Quickflix (OK maybe not that one ) Netflix, Hulu - that provide TV programming. And, with broadband delivery, that range is expanding rapidly.

Try watching a ANBL basketball game from NBL.tv and you'll get
"Why is NBL.TV not available in New Zealand?

Due to contractual constraints we are unable to provide a live stream into New Zealand. However matches will be available on Sky Sports NZ."

So no monopoly huh?? Anyone else in the world can watch it on line except us kiwis. Also the LPGA Golf used to be on Sommet until Ko turned pro and Sky with it's big pockets grabbed it so once again you have to have sky.. Bet if Ozzy rules become popular it would soon move to sky..

Regards,

Old3eyes

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Benoire

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#1111794 20-Aug-2014 09:02

old3eyes:
JimmyH:
4. Sky isn't a monopoly. There are many options for TV - including TVNZ, Mediaworks, Sommet Sports, Colosseum, Lightbox, Quickflix (OK maybe not that one ) Netflix, Hulu - that provide TV programming. And, with broadband delivery, that range is expanding rapidly.

Try watching a ANBL basketball game from NBL.tv and you'll get
"Why is NBL.TV not available in New Zealand?

Due to contractual constraints we are unable to provide a live stream into New Zealand. However matches will be available on Sky Sports NZ."

So no monopoly huh?? Anyone else in the world can watch it on line except us kiwis. Also the LPGA Golf used to be on Sommet until Ko turned pro and Sky with it's big pockets grabbed it so once again you have to have sky.. Bet if Ozzy rules become popular it would soon move to sky..

I think you're confusing a monopoly with the rights of the content holder. They have chosen to only allow one provider in NZ to have those rights and Sky must have paid the most, or been the only one bothered. As part of their negotiations they will have requested that they have sole exclusivity to the sport... Blame the rights holder for not splitting it out in to 2 packages rather than sky who are protecting their commercial interests.

Jaxson

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#1111802 20-Aug-2014 09:11

old3eyes:
JimmyH:
4. Sky isn't a monopoly. There are many options for TV - including TVNZ, Mediaworks, Sommet Sports, Colosseum, Lightbox, Quickflix (OK maybe not that one ) Netflix, Hulu - that provide TV programming. And, with broadband delivery, that range is expanding rapidly.

Try watching a ANBL basketball game from NBL.tv and you'll get
"Why is NBL.TV not available in New Zealand?

Due to contractual constraints we are unable to provide a live stream into New Zealand. However matches will be available on Sky Sports NZ."

So no monopoly huh?? Anyone else in the world can watch it on line except us kiwis.

This highlights the issue of the deal the rights holder has done with Sky and vice versa. With a geolocked content arrangement from the content provider, it is always going to lead the way to this type of situation.

If Sky did have some genuine competition, you'd most likely still get the same message, only they'd be telling you to go and sign up with another provider instead.

So I'm of two minds on all of this.
Yes SKY is the only business of this kind really in NZ, and it has the money behind it now to easily hold out any little guy coming into the market. So yes, it's a monopoly over broadcast direct to home content.
I see web delivered content the only competition likely to be able to impact Sky without commerce commission type involvement in the market sector.
Sky get around and push though by having a stereo SD channel Prime that provides free to air delayed coverage, which seems enough to satisfy that they have provided some coverage to NZ also.

On the other hand however, Sky are offering to purchase the sole distribution rights for NZ and at least make the content available here at all.
Just because SKY purchased the rights, doesn't necessarily mean that the likes of TV3 would have paid out for them if SKY didn't.

As much as I don't want to appear to support SKY (because I believe their stupid bundle type offerings hurt average NZ'rs trying to get to HD sport coverage for one) but our main beef here is really with the content providers, who continue to allow a location to sew up the entire redistribution in a particular location. If they sold the broadcast rights to SKY and the web streaming rights to someone else, or let the customers stream direct from them, then most of us would have a hopefully financially viable alternative. The content providers are looking for the greatest financial return and the present arrangement seems to work for them.

eracode

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#1111837 20-Aug-2014 09:59

JimmyH:

4. Sky isn't a monopoly. There are many options for TV - including TVNZ, Mediaworks, Sommet Sports, Colosseum, Lightbox, Quickflix (OK maybe not that one ) Netflix, Hulu - that provide TV programming. And, with broadband delivery, that range is expanding rapidly.

Maybe not a monopoly to people like those here on GZ and a few others but it is effectively a monopoly to, say, 90% of viewers who do not have the skills to set up streaming solutions and so on. Pretty much all of my mates would not have a clue how to get Netflix, get a VPN etc.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

Jaxson

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#1111897 20-Aug-2014 11:28

eracode: Pretty much all of my mates would not have a clue how to get Netflix, get a VPN etc.

More chance of recognising VPL

The monopoly bit comes from there are no official supported alternative options carrying the content most NZ's want to watch. ie Live sports, and maybe some of th newer TV shows etc, especially in HD / 5.1 surround.
Yes there are other potential options, but if you have to use a VPN to obtain them then fundamentally it's not supported officially here, and there's the murky subject of are you breaking an pre-existing deal/the law by sourcing it from 'out of zone' yourself. The non VPN type methods mentioned obviously don't have the content we want anyway, so it's not really fair to say the likes of freeview is an alternative to Sky. It's business though, and no freeview group channel is prepared to fork out for the rights.

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