MTV To Stop Airing On UBC Tonight

[udon]

Is the Minister for Culture a member of the Taliban?

[DaveBKK]

I've received the surveys in my UBC bill. I also have a good friend in their marketing department at UBC. Fact is, VH1 was the bottom ranked and least favored music station that they offered, and MTV was just a bit above that. Channel V is by far the most popular. Customers that have been sending feedback to UBC were asking for more thai-centric music channels, so they added True Music and Ma Jung before. People have also been asking for more "educational" channels, so the other two Explore channels were added. The game channel was simply added as a way to promote gaming, and thus by extension broadband (cross-marketing).

This has been in the works long before the coyote issue.

[Beavis and Butthead]

I've heard a lot of people mourning the loss of VH1 and this I can understand, however it was never worth it to me to endure the pain of even channel surfing and seeing even a few seconds of MTV garbage for the priviledge of some occasional VH1. Good riddance to the rap channel

[richard10365]

I am surprised that they add a channel , G-Square (22), that promotes violence and will most likely be viewed by Thai children. I know video games are very popular in Thailand but a channel teaching children about new games and how to kill your enemy doesn't seem like the right thing to do. With this logic, they might as well add an adult porn channel to teach sex education as well.

[Lite Beer]

I cannot understand all this UBC bashing. Great piece of technology to have in your home. Not only a TV provider but also a weather predictor. Always goes off just before the smallest shower of rain. Usually in the middle of the football or a good movie. Brilliant.

[Old Man River]

I've received the surveys in my UBC bill. I also have a good friend in their marketing department at UBC. Fact is, VH1 was the bottom ranked and least favored music station that they offered, and MTV was just a bit above that. Channel V is by far the most popular. Customers that have been sending feedback to UBC were asking for more thai-centric music channels, so they added True Music and Ma Jung before. People have also been asking for more "educational" channels, so the other two Explore channels were added. The game channel was simply added as a way to promote gaming, and thus by extension broadband (cross-marketing).

This has been in the works long before the coyote issue.

Thanks Dave. This also explains why their monthly printed schedules have less and less English language descriptions. I am glad to see that it has nothing to do with over reactions leading to further media bans. That would be a dangerous trend.

[richard10365]

Send your complaints here

If any of you guys get a reply please post it here.

Explorer

I just complained about UBC and their new change in programming and got an email that said:

This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.

Delivery to the following recipients failed.

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

Message/delivery-status

Reporting-MTA: dns;www.ubctv.com

Received-From-MTA: dns;webapp5

Arrival-Date: Wed, 1 Nov 2006 13:35:58 +0700

Final-Recipient: rfc822;[email protected]

Action: failed

Status: 4.0.0

Diagnostic-Code: smtp;452 Too many recipients received this hour

Final-Recipient: rfc822;[email protected]

Action: failed

Status: 5.0.0

Diagnostic-Code: smtp;550 reset

y recipients received this hour

My guess is not everyone is happy with this new change.

[Maejo Man]

Send your complaints here

If any of you guys get a reply please post it here.

Explorer

I just complained about UBC and their new change in programming and got an email that said:

This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.........................

My guess is not everyone is happy with this new change.

I also just e-mailed them to voice my displeasure, not that I ever watched MTV, but purely for reducing content that I am paying for, watched or not.

No auto reply, so maybe it entered the system

[Shan]

I found the services of UBC already longtime below level. I paid just over 2000 baht for the platinum subscription and found it very disappointing. Also the fact that you can only have one extra connection in the house is poor, besides the fact that that costs about 10.000 baht to install and about 600 baht extra per month. A third one is only possible by taking a full new abonment.

I changed to my own dish and have now approximately 350 channels and three places in the house to receive them. Total price (one time only) 37.000 baht less the 4.000 baht back from UBC makes 33.000 baht. One year UBC was almost 25.000 bath . . . A better deal no doubt!

Now I can watch what I want to watch, not what UBC decides is suitable for me to watch! The quality is the same and sometimes (Thai channels) much better! Bad weather reduces the signal, but that happened with UBC also!

[Old Man River]

I found the services of UBC already longtime below level. I paid just over 2000 baht for the platinum subscription and found it very disappointing. Also the fact that you can only have one extra connection in the house is poor, besides the fact that that costs about 10.000 baht to install and about 600 baht extra per month. A third one is only possible by taking a full new abonment.

I changed to my own dish and have now approximately 350 channels and three places in the house to receive them. Total price (one time only) 37.000 baht less the 4.000 baht back from UBC makes 33.000 baht. One year UBC was almost 25.000 bath . . . A better deal no doubt!

Now I can watch what I want to watch, not what UBC decides is suitable for me to watch! The quality is the same and sometimes (Thai channels) much better! Bad weather reduces the signal, but that happened with UBC also!

Shan, I have two accounts with UBC. For sure, the dish would be cheaper for me, but I wonder really how many English language channels I could count on. I did some checking on this once, and it seemed that, in general, you had to pay to have the good channels (from US and UK) unscrambled from the various providers. Also, I couldn't find where I could see American football, baseball as is available on UBC.

Since you have had both, how would you compare the US/UK shows on UBC to what is available with a dish?

Thanks,

[Lil_Jon]

Not only a TV provider but also a weather predictor. Always goes off just before the smallest shower of rain.

Loved it , just loved it , and how abt the "SUN OUTAGE" prediction it gives once in a while , another thing that fascinates me abt UBC is it's attempt to block out the foreign Beer Ads , esp the Tiger Beer one during EPL , and Heineken one during Champs League , the hits and misses in it and the complete absence in the midnight games are sometimes more thrilling than the games proper.

[Maejo Man]

Send your complaints here

If any of you guys get a reply please post it here.

Explorer

I just complained about UBC and their new change in programming and got an email that said:

This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.

Delivery to the following recipients failed.

This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.

Delivery to the following recipients failed.

[email protected]

Reporting-MTA: dns;ubc-201-211.ubc.co.th

Received-From-MTA: dns;ubc-234-161.ubc.co.th

Arrival-Date: Wed, 1 Nov 2006 15:39:23 +0700

Final-Recipient: rfc822;[email protected]

Action: failed

Status: 5.2.2

X-Display-Name: webmaster

To: <[email protected]>

Message-ID: <04cd01c6fd84$6b7cf6e0$1233a8c0@webapp5>

Subject: Service Complaint

My guess is not everyone is happy with this new change.

I guess it's a clogged system, and they are hoping that you might have cooled off by the time they unclog it I just got the same reply!

This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.

Delivery to the following recipients failed.

[email protected]

Reporting-MTA: dns;ubc-201-211.ubc.co.th

Received-From-MTA: dns;ubc-234-161.ubc.co.th

Arrival-Date: Wed, 1 Nov 2006 15:39:23 +0700

Final-Recipient: rfc822;[email protected]

Action: failed

Status: 5.2.2

X-Display-Name: webmaster

[Shan]

Shan, I have two accounts with UBC. For sure, the dish would be cheaper for me, but I wonder really how many English language channels I could count on. I did some checking on this once, and it seemed that, in general, you had to pay to have the good channels (from US and UK) unscrambled from the various providers. Also, I couldn't find where I could see American football, baseball as is available on UBC.

Since you have had both, how would you compare the US/UK shows on UBC to what is available with a dish?

Thanks,

I have now several satellites I can turn the dish to. I mostly use Thaicom 3 with all the Thai channels plus several others (Fashion TV, BVN - dutch, Myanmar TV etc. about 80 in total) The other one I use is Agila which gives me CNN, BBC World, Movie Star, and dozens others (55 total) most in the English language (some in other languages like German, Italian, French etc.) There are also several sport channels that can be received. You need a sort of uncoding for it, which was done by the company that installed it and was included in the extra price for receiving Agila also. The other satellites I have not explored yet.

The quality is equal to UBC, often better.

[Maejo Man]

Well the e-mails must be striking home even though an auto generated reply comes back saying "returned mail" I just got this in the mail. The usual "rubber stamp" reply and addressing none of my questions.....Oh well

Dear Dissatified customer,

Thank you very much for your e-mail below. Regarding to your comment, we are sincerely sorry to inform you that we are no longer broadcasting both MTV Thailand and VH1 due to the expiration of our contract between UBC and both channels. However; if there is any information updates, we will advertised through our media.

Should you have any further queries, please contact our customer service at tel: 0-2271-7171 or email; [email protected]

Yours sincerely,

UBC customer service center

CRM: Customer Relationship Management

Customer Service Support

Service Correspondence: CSS/Customer Service

______________________________________

T: +66(0) 2271-7171

F: +66(0) 2271-7500

E: [email protected]

N: www.ubctv.com

UNITED BROADCASTING CORPORATION

Tipco Tower, 118/1 Rama VI Road, Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai, Bangkok, 10400

[steveromagnino]

I also just e-mailed them to voice my displeasure, not that I ever watched MTV, but purely for reducing content that I am paying for, watched or not.

No auto reply, so maybe it entered the system

Hold on... this i just need to make clear before I tell my friends about it....

1. You don't watch MTV

2. You have spent time complaining about their decision to remove it

3. You really don't watch MTV

4. You are complaining because they are reducing your content options, that you don't watch?

OK.......pleeeeeeeeeeeease confirm I have this correct. This is the best 'dissatisfied farang consumer' story I have ever come across.

[julie_f]

I never used to watch MTv much but Vh1 was great. i couldnt believe it this morning. I think it will be missed by many

[Lite Beer]

They dropped the 2 music channels because the ones they replaced them with are crap but cheap. My Thai wife and daughters never watch the UBC Thai music channels but much prefer T Channel and Hit Station. Both free to air on PSI. And it never cuts out when it rains.

[Reinter]

Send your complaints here

If any of you guys get a reply please post it here.

Explorer

I just complained about UBC and their new change in programming and got an email that said:

This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.

Delivery to the following recipients failed.

This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.

Delivery to the following recipients failed.

[email protected]

Reporting-MTA: dns;ubc-201-211.ubc.co.th

Received-From-MTA: dns;ubc-234-161.ubc.co.th

Arrival-Date: Wed, 1 Nov 2006 15:39:23 +0700

Final-Recipient: rfc822;[email protected]

Action: failed

Status: 5.2.2

X-Display-Name: webmaster

To: <[email protected]>

Message-ID: <04cd01c6fd84$6b7cf6e0$1233a8c0@webapp5>

Subject: Service Complaint

My guess is not everyone is happy with this new change.

I guess it's a clogged system, and they are hoping that you might have cooled off by the time they unclog it I just got the same reply!

This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.

Delivery to the following recipients failed.

[email protected]

Reporting-MTA: dns;ubc-201-211.ubc.co.th

Received-From-MTA: dns;ubc-234-161.ubc.co.th

Arrival-Date: Wed, 1 Nov 2006 15:39:23 +0700

Final-Recipient: rfc822;[email protected]

Action: failed

Status: 5.2.2

X-Display-Name: webmaster

same to me

failure delivery notifications

maybe i use bad word about true and ubc?

[Sarpedon]

Lucky i read this topic as i was about to contact UBC about getting set up for a gold package but i think i will sit tight for a while and see what happens...its looking like the alternatives to UBC are worth taking a look at.

[Maejo Man]

OK.......pleeeeeeeeeeeease confirm I have this correct. This is the best 'dissatisfied farang consumer' story I have ever come across.

No you don't have it correct!! I said "I" didn't watch it, but my family and guests are quite pissed off that it's been cut off.

UBC "dropped" TCN because it was too expensive to maintain the contract, and replaced it with a useless cartoon channel that was inexpensive. I have since noticed that "classic movies" is back in the 2000 baht a month package. They've got you by the gonads, what other legal choice is there?

[sriracha john]

They've got you by the gonads, what other legal choice is there?

Here ya go.... uhmmm... whatever the heck smile TV is:

MTV and VH1 join Smile TV

Switch to smaller cable network in bid to win local viewers

Popular music channels MTV and VH1, which recently left the UBC network, have joined an alternative cable package operated by the Smile TV network to compete for local viewers.

Ong-art Prapakamol, deputy CEO for commercial operations at UBC-True, cited changes in consumer viewing behaviour - specifically the surging demand for Thai pop music and documentaries - as the main reason to stop broadcasting MTV Thailand and VH1.

He said that as a response to the new trend, UBC had added three new channels devoted to documentaries: Explore 1, Explore 2 and Explore 3. The arrival of the two new music channels Ma Jung and True Music was said to force the cable operator to reduce the number of music channels for fear of programmes clashing.

Vilasinee Chivanond, managing director of Media Communication Network Co, the Thai owner of MTV Thailand and Smile TV Network, called the break-up a result of inconclusive business negotiations. She said, however, the deal benefited both parties, because MTV wanted to move from an exclusive audience of almost 500,000 households to a mass audience base.

MTV and VH1 said the move represented their new business model after the five-year exclusive contract with UBC ended on Tuesday. The termination was announced on Tuesday evening, and before midnight both channels faded to black.

UBC enjoys a monopoly on cable television services in the Kingdom, being the only major operator with more than 400,000 subscribers.

shhhhhhhhh..... we won't say anything about the dozens of other cable TV operators....with probably millions of viewers

Smitthi Bhiraleus, general manager of Music Television Networks Co (MTV Thailand), said the Smile TV network would offer an eight-channel package direct to both individual viewers and small community cable operators.

Besides MTV and VH1, the package will include Nickelodeon (children's entertainment), Moviemania (movies), Popper (pop culture), Rakthai TV (luk thung music), Panorama 07 (documentaries) and World Fashion Thailand (fashion).

He said individual customers could subscribe to the entertainment programmes directly at home through the installation of a direct-to-home (DTH) dish and set-top box. Individual customers need to buy a smart card for the set-top box to view the programmes. They can view the programmes from now for free for at least a month.

ahhhh ok, smile TV is another dish network... simply put it up with the others and your home too can look like a military radio relay station.

Smitthi said that with the new business format, the company could increase viewership for MTV, VH1 and other entertainment programmes in its package from about 500,000 households subscribing to UBC to more than a million households in the first 12 months. Each household would cover about 3.5 individual members on average.

Smitthi said the company would focus on satellite channels at first, in order to make all of the programmes in its package recognised by local viewers, before expanding to other broadcasting channels like IPTV and broadband.

Vilasinee Chivanond, managing director of Smile TV Networks, said the royalty charged to cable operators would be different, based on their subscriber numbers. The smart card will also be available for individual viewers for about Bt200 and Bt300, valid for one month.

"We expect larger revenues will come from sponsorship in the near future once we enjoy a large viewer base," she said.

Earlier, MTV and VH1 were exclusive to the UBC network. The new "non-exclusive" model has been used successfully by MTV in China and South Korea to expand viewership.

"The new business model is aimed at serving mass viewers who would like to watch good-quality programmes but cannot afford the high-priced premium-package programmes on UBC," said Smitthi.

"This move will help us transform ourselves into a content provider and move our entertainment content through many channels that more viewers can access," he said.

He said there were now about 300 local cable operators serving more than 2 million households. There were also over 1 million households that have installed their own DTH satellite system.

ahhh ok... thanks.. I guess we don't have to whisper now...

DTH is an encrypted transmission that travels directly through a satellite to the consumer, who receives it through a small dish antenna. The encrypted transmission is decoded by a set-top box.

"Our programme content will be free-to-air for the first month, and then we'll charge the cable operators a monthly royalty fee," said Smitthi.

The Nation

[sriracha john]

In a related development, but first I'd like to correct my post earlier on in this thread and categorically state that our cable TV operator NEVER shows anything that isn't proper and legal and is positively above board in all areas.... I'd swear on a stack of Bibles to that...

Cable-TV firms shut for illegal broadcasts

Three major local cable-television operators in Bangkok were shut down on Tuesday on charges that they illegally broadcast copyrighted films of the members of the Motion Picture Association (MPA).

A recent study by the Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia and Standard Chartered Bank estimated the cost of pay-TV piracy in the Asia-Pacific at US$1.13 billion (Bt41.42 billion) this year, with 5.2 million viewers connected illegally. Both numbers represented significant increases over last year. Pay-TV piracy will cost content owners and legitimate broadcasters in Thailand an estimated $160 million this year.

"The illegal broadcast of copyrighted content by media companies creates significant losses for content owners and has an enormous impact on Thailand's legitimate operators and international reputation," said Mike Ellis, the MPA's senior vice president and regional director for the Asia-Pacific.

I would be shocked and dismayed if our local cable TV operator would ever do something so terrible... and I'm positive I would report them if they ever did...

The operation took place on Tuesday in the areas of Bang Sue, Yan Nawa and Samray. ohh ok, Bangkok type places... figures.. none of us smaller communities would ever do something so brazenly illegal... The MPA was accompanied by a police task force. They arrested one man, seized broadcasting equipment and shut down unauthorised channels belonging to Thai Soon Cable TV, Golden Channel Cable TV and Sunshine Entertainment Cable TV. The three pirate cable companies' entire operations were shut down yesterday.

"The association and our member companies greatly appreciate the efforts of the police in this investigation and are firmly committed to supporting them in every way in their fight to protect intellectual property rights in Thailand," said Ellis.

A comprehensive study aimed at producing a more accurate picture of the impact that piracy has on the film industry, including, for the first time, losses due to Internet piracy, recently calculated that MPA studios lost $6.1 billion to worldwide piracy last year. About $2.4 billion was lost to bootlegging, $1.4 billion to illegal copying and $2.3 billion to Internet piracy. Of the US$6.1 billion in lost revenues to the studios, approximately $1.2 billion came from piracy in the Asia-Pacific region, while piracy in the US accounted for $1.3 billion.

Last year, the MPA's operations in the Asia-Pacific investigated more than 34,000 cases of piracy and assisted law-enforcement officials in conducting more than 10,500 raids. These activities resulted in the seizure of more than 34 million illegal optical discs, 55 factory optical-disc production lines and 3,362 optical-disc burners, as well as the initiation of more than 8,000 legal actions.

The Nation

-----------------------

These guys can count on me to remain vigilant to any illegal movies being shown by our local cable TV operator.

[tuky]

Pay-TV piracy will cost content owners and legitimate broadcasters in Thailand an estimated $160 million this year.

Any ideas how?

From a personal point of view we do not rent movies or buy DVDs, even if we did my wife and I would not know where to find legal copies.

Neither of us watch enough Tv to warrant paying the price for UBC, either we are an island amongst our fellow humans or there are a lot of people similar to us.

Actually, I tell a lie, we do buy vcd and dvds for the kids, you know bananas in pj's, Barney and all that, but even from the legit department stores I am sure they are not legal copies.

I figure they may as well bite the bullet and give everyone a free reign

[sriracha john]

bananas in pj's

My kids are all grown up so I must have missed this new series as I'm unfamiliar with the name, but its title sounds more like adult porn than a kids' show.

[Bottlerocket]

Pay-TV piracy will cost content owners and legitimate broadcasters in Thailand an estimated $160 million this year.

Any ideas how?

From a personal point of view we do not rent movies or buy DVDs, even if we did my wife and I would not know where to find legal copies.

You can buy them at Mangpong outlets and in most grocery stores.

[KireB]

Does anyone know the number of Farang subscribers? There seems to be a total of 400.000 subscribers here in Thailand.

[astral]

My Astro subscription of MYR89 (890baht) a month in Malaysia brings me a service much the same as UBC, for half the price.

Even little kampong houses seem to have dishes, but then there is no pirated cable here, or porn channels.

I wonder if UBC could achieve the same coverage and price if the pirates were stopped?

[gjones]

I will be glad when they stop airing UBC!

[richard10365]

Does anyone know the number of Farang subscribers? There seems to be a total of 400.000 subscribers here in Thailand.

There are also many subscribers outside of Thailand along the border towns.

I went to get a visa in Vientiane, Laos and met a woman who was a UBC rep who traveled to Laos to collect payments from people in Laos who subscribe to UBC. Many are hotels who cater to the farang tourist population.

[alexth]

Look at the bright side....

Now there are 2 more channels available so men can dress up as ladies and smack each other in the face with pies.

Now THAT's Entertainment!!!

Or more space for those pathetic thai soap operas. When will they start removing those heads out of their &lt;deleted&gt;?