[shri]

So what are your comments about the new services offered by PCCW?

Personally think its a great move by PCCW to converge the broadband offerings with "DVD quality" cable TV on demand.

The following article is in the unlinkable SCMP .. emphasis is mine.

PCCW, the dominant telephone operator, has launched its entry into the pay-television market by offering channels as an add-on service to its broadband internet customers.
The NOW Broadband TV service is to start in late September, with "a la carte" price plans that bill customers based on the number of channels selected. The company is waiting on the Executive Council for final approval of their broadcasting licence before the service is launched.

It hopes to sign up 20,000 customers each month. PCCW has an existing base of 480,000 broadband customers."We are targeting the whole Hong Kong community," said Mike Butcher, chief operating officer of PCCW.

Starting today, Netvigator broadband customers can obtain for free a digital decoder, also called a set-top box, which connects to a television set from their broadband modem. The box, which comes with a remote control, sends the signal to the television in DVD quality. There will be 23 channels available initially, all except two in English. Channels include MTv, the Hallmark Channel, the MGM movie channel, five Discovery channels, Cartoon Network, CNBC, and two Mandarin channels. Some of the English channels will come with Chinese subtitles.

The company is in negotiations to sign on more sports and Chinese channels. It expects to offer more than 30 channels by the end of the year and has the capacity to support up to 400 channels.

Each channel would cost users between $9 and $21 per month with a commitment to a one-year contract. For example, the five Discovery channels would cost $42 per month for 12 months, while the MGM movie channel will cost $21 per month. Some channels would be free, but details were not given yesterday.

More information on price plans are expected to be released today.

So .. who's switching to NOW?

[HKFella]

Technically yes as far as the telecom lines are concerned but everything that controls that plumbing and provides content through it belongs to the respective ISP companies. Seriously doubt if PCCW will license So-Net to deliver its content this early in the cycle.

I'm quite ready to go for the free trial (have their BB at home). Current objective is to see if CableTV can be kicked out by cherry-picking the only couple of channels we need (unfortunately, Cartoon Network being one) and spend the money saved (if??) on better things.

However, what'll probably happen in the end will be that we'll keep both systems and end up spending 5 times more....maybe better give this free trial offer a miss.

[shri]

$42 for five discovery channels. $21 for MGM or Hallmark and may be another $10-15 for CNBC. I'm all set.

Kevin did go down and check with PCCW. You need a 6Mbps capable connection.

All I need is one of these babies in 220V to record the video.

[HKFella]

Saw an impressive review of one of those from Sony in - I scratch my head - IHT, AWSJ or ZDNet online - I forget which.

Question re Now BB TV. Is it going to be wired from one's existing Netvigator DSL modem to TV, or some other way? Cable all the way from the study to the living room?? Wireless possibilities? Anyone knows?

[kombuchakid]

yo HKfella
you may have your wires crossed. BB can be wireless if you so wish, but BBTV comes thru the same wire goes to a decoder which has to be plugged into the back of your TV, unless you have kitted out your PC to accept TV signals.
My adventures with the bozos at ppcw began on Friday when I accossted several of the NOW.COM gang which perrennially clog the footpaths around HK. Not one had any pamplets in English, and of course no one offered to send me one.
Later I went to the Netvigator website [an adventure I rarely subject myself] and amid the various popups found this
http://www.nowbroadbandtv.com/
now if you go to the free trail on filling the form you will find that there is no option for emails ending with ' netvigator.com' and so apparently BBTV is availble to all netvig clients but not so the free trial.
Any suggestions?

[HKFella]

Originally posted by kombuchakid
now if you go to the free trail on filling the form you will find that there is no option for emails ending with ' netvigator.com' and so apparently BBTV is availble to all netvig clients but not so the free trial.
Any suggestions?

KK, nothing wrong with the form as such. Don't confuse e-mail address with login. You select the first of the 2 options if you're a Netvigator Broadband customer (their logins, not e-mail addresses, end in @ultraline or variations thereof). Everyone else, including Netvigator dial-in customers, select the next option. [Even though their login ends in ultraline, Netvigator BB customers' e-mail still ends in @netvigator.com ].

Re wireless, it's not wi fi I'm after, but the wireless solution indoors (base and client stations like the Orinoco they advertise) - would it work with TV at the other end instead of a PC?

[wanderer]

...... strange experience with PCCW ... getting to be a ritual now.... asked them over the phone if i could have BBTV ..... they took down heaps of details... CC number etc..... and then the chicky dee on phone says i will pass this onto another department and they will call you let you know as to when your area will get the service....... No one has called back yet...... legs crossed.....

any other similar experiences out there ????

[kombuchakid]

Ah So-succesfully did the needful and got the following msg

Thank you for registering to try out now Broadband TV.

Our customer service staff will contact you within 48 hours to arrange your trial service.[yeah right]
++
yo wanderer- Never ever EVER call pccw, always email as it is much less aggravating

[kevin]

I went down to the PCCW shop in Sha Tin and was told that all existing Netvigator customers would receive the set-top box and installation free and also receive free access to all of the channels up until the end of September. Great I thought, even if the channels are crap at least it would cost me nothing to find out. Signed all the documents and went home only to get a phone call about 40mins later saying that the service is unavailable in my building/estate and so they have cancelled my application.

Their excuse was that you need 6M connection (even though their adverts say 3M) to be able to receive the broadband TV. I think you need to check with them first if you building is supported. I remember I had the original Netvigator VOD service but it seems they may need to install new lines for the broadband service.

For the wireless option, you should be able to set something up yourself. Don’s ask PCCW it will just confuse them. Also, they may have some strange strict rules with regards to multiple machines on the same line/feed. A friend of mine was told he needed 2 connections because he was sharing the line with two PCs through a router. So, better to just get the connection first and sort out the wireless later.

[kombuchakid]

just got off the phone with PCCW, but amazingly this was NOT some lemonhead responding to my registration. Noo this was a personable young lady COLD CALLING to enquire if I would be interested in BBTV.

YES I says Bring it on. BUT there is a slight problem I have to upgrade to 3M. OK so upgrade me and let the channels roll. BUT I will have to sign a 18 month contract at $248 which includes 4 FREE months. I pointed out that that was what I was paying right now without a time limit. YES but I would not get the free months and free unamed gifts. I said that I didn't want any just send over the decoder. NO upgrade to 3M needs the lockin period to justify the costs[my words not hers]
I pointed out that I had been a loyal PCCW client for three years but it did not seem to hold much water. Apparently you have to pay $100 for every month left on your contract, if you skip off to So Net . So finally I said send me the cataloge details :NO she says that is against company policy. WHAT!!! but in a bid to stop me flinging my phone away she promised to write down the relevant details and fax it to me
......the perils of PCCW continue Monday

btw would you buy ANYTHING from this guy?