Is Ubc Overcharging Their Customers?

[toptuan]

Same price as in my hometown in USA, and about the same service. Which, makes it horribly overpriced for Thailand. Don't know many Thais who use it; only local schools and a few farangs, like me.

[Beavis and Butthead]

IMO UBC became much more of a value when they dumped MTV. I lived before in a condo where the most basic UBC was free but it was not worth it. They had 3 English channels: Bloomberg, BBC and MTV. Man that was a lame package. The other places I have lived the ubc has been included in the rent. Getting MTV off of there is like a dream come true for me. This way I don't even have to see 5 seconds of hip hop trash while channel surfing. Nothing is more cringable to me than the garbage that MTV peddles, I mean nothing

[markuk]

I have been on silver package for 2 years as i wanted BBC Prime and it wasnt available on Gold, i am thinking of upgrading to Platinum but am not sure if it is worth it.

just looked at the website and in typical Thai fashion the change your package screen doesnt seem to work, or is it just me!

[PREM-R]

Maybe UBC should create a channel, in Thai, where 24/7 the programes show a short, bald, fat man, dressed in womens clothes and with white powder smeared across his face being hit by several fellow "actors" dressed as police/security guards. Add this to any package and the Thais will sign up in their millions. Them Thais they love "good comedy"

[lingling]

For a not English native speaker(there are some in Thailand) not interested in soccer or golf,it's a waste of money!

There are other satellite services offering raghead channels - a pakistani restaurant I used to eat at a few years ago always had the tv on with some weird stuff.

[lingling]

The reason it is comparatively more expensive than european and us cable/satellite providers is that they don't get any advertising revenues. The Thai government channels have "monopoly" on tv commercials, so all UBC programming has to be paid through the subscription fees. It sux, but I guess they are scared of what they would do if they didn't have the ad revenues to finance the crappy soap operas and game shows...

...oh, and there are other (illegal) cable operators in TH that offer better programming. There was some kind of crackdown last week at a hub of illegal cable operators in north bkk where they shut down a few that hadn't paid (or had paid the least amount) of bribes to government officials.

Edited November 6, 2006 by lingling

[emwobberlydee]

UBC is fair value for money IMO (when I can get near the remote control!), I primarily use it for the BBC news and EPL / Rugby, the Mrs. enjoys the film channels & Thai news, the kids enjoy the Cartoon channels and the Nat Geo. The alternative of only having Thai soaps is just too horrible to contemplate.

MTV & VH1 won't be missed, I have a far better song playing list than they do!

Would I like more film channels and a better quality signal? For sure, who wouldn't, but is there enough demand?

[ozymandious]

Dear UBC My List of Demands,

Upgrade you Set top Box it is at least 3 generations behind the rest of the world and your neighbors.

Give us a decent usable EPG (electronic program guide) that will display more than just an hour into the future. And have it change to the channel i placed a reminder on instead of asking me if i want to change it.

Make the set top box a DVR (this is to compensate for time difference sports events and the movie channels showing crap when I'm at home and good stuff when I'm asleep or at work.

That little Mail feature that the current boxes have, USE IT!!! tell me when there's going to be a service outage, tell me of new features/channels, tell me when my bill is due, use the feature that came with the hardware.

I know you've opened up some advertising, i see it on AXN and Discovery. Want to make some money?? Want to lower our rates?? solicit/put up local advertising how about a Siam Commercial bank Ad , True Internet ad, (insert Thai bank, vehicular manufacturer, or cell phone company of your choice here) ad.

I want more channels for what I'm paying for. I can list a few suggestions; Discovery Travel and living, TLC, UBC Series 2 (you know you can do it) Discovery Health, A&E, Nickalodian, Disney,

And though i doubt it i would go Ape Sh*t for Comedy Central

I like to know how i can influence HBO/Cinimax/Starmovies programming decisions(UBC is putting better programing on their movie channel then the others IMHO)

If i have to watch (actually i don't watch and i'm paying for it) one more Direct to DVD B-movie about the Komoto Vs the cyborg anaconda secret government forces project in the Bermuda triangle while tunneling to the earth's core to save us all from a killer earth quake that can only be stopped by a nucular weapon I'm going to flip!!!

Oh, and who is going to save us, that's right Steven Sugal

Now my comment on the MTV/VH1 thing

I wasn't aware that MTV wasn't already a Thai Pop channel. I rarely, if ever found Eng lang programming on it.

I did however watch VH1 and i will miss it. I live in Phuket where we have no English radio. While i do have an extensive music collection i do like to hear something new now and then and now aside from the net and watching the charts to see what's new i'll have no other way to experience new music. Yes it's sad that you depend on VH! for new music but i'm sort of limited for choice out here.

[Upcountry]

Comedy Central

I'd sure like to be able to see The Daily Show every day.

[bkkmadness]

Comedy Central

I'd sure like to be able to see The Daily Show every day.

I've been watching that on the youtube, great stuff.

I live in Phuket where we have no English radio. While i do have an extensive music collection i do like to hear something new now and then and now aside from the net and watching the charts to see what's new i'll have no other way to experience new music. Yes it's sad that you depend on VH! for new music but i'm sort of limited for choice out here.

I listen to Radio 1 and 2/Talk radio straight from the net, worth a try. Johnny Ross does a great Sat morning show.

I got rid of UBC last year, best thing I ever done. No more channel flipping and ending up with some crap sitcom - 'two men and a boy', whats that all about? Charlie Sheen get back on the coke!

And for those who think I miss out on TV, I'm already up to Series 3, episode 5 of Lost.

[Tornado]

Dear UBC My List of Demands,

Upgrade you Set top Box it is at least 3 generations behind the rest of the world and your neighbors.

Give us a decent usable EPG (electronic program guide) that will display more than just an hour into the future. And have it change to the channel i placed a reminder on instead of asking me if i want to change it.

Make the set top box a DVR (this is to compensate for time difference sports events and the movie channels showing crap when I'm at home and good stuff when I'm asleep or at work.

That little Mail feature that the current boxes have, USE IT!!! tell me when there's going to be a service outage, tell me of new features/channels, tell me when my bill is due, use the feature that came with the hardware.

I know you've opened up some advertising, i see it on AXN and Discovery. Want to make some money?? Want to lower our rates?? solicit/put up local advertising how about a Siam Commercial bank Ad , True Internet ad, (insert Thai bank, vehicular manufacturer, or cell phone company of your choice here) ad.

I want more channels for what I'm paying for. I can list a few suggestions; Discovery Travel and living, TLC, UBC Series 2 (you know you can do it) Discovery Health, A&E, Nickalodian, Disney,

And though i doubt it i would go Ape Sh*t for Comedy Central

I like to know how i can influence HBO/Cinimax/Starmovies programming decisions(UBC is putting better programing on their movie channel then the others IMHO)

If i have to watch (actually i don't watch and i'm paying for it) one more Direct to DVD B-movie about the Komoto Vs the cyborg anaconda secret government forces project in the Bermuda triangle while tunneling to the earth's core to save us all from a killer earth quake that can only be stopped by a nucular weapon I'm going to flip!!!

Oh, and who is going to save us, that's right Steven Sugal

Now my comment on the MTV/VH1 thing

I wasn't aware that MTV wasn't already a Thai Pop channel. I rarely, if ever found Eng lang programming on it.

I did however watch VH1 and i will miss it. I live in Phuket where we have no English radio. While i do have an extensive music collection i do like to hear something new now and then and now aside from the net and watching the charts to see what's new i'll have no other way to experience new music. Yes it's sad that you depend on VH! for new music but i'm sort of limited for choice out here.

It is all about to change soon as a few of us here are in talks for a new station. Lots of red tape at the moment, but hopefully after 18 months of negotiations we might get what we wanted.. still early to tell, but............

There is also a good channel, I think 90.5 or 98.. sorry I actually forget it now - anyway, from early morning till 1pm that plays "old favourites" and top 40 ish. It isnt a bad station, music is ok.

regarding UBC, BBC Prime was good, BBC entertainment is crap, but as others have said, what is the alternative? If I go to cable I will have to endure Fox News - that aint happening.

[Lite Beer]

Maybe UBC should create a channel, in Thai, where 24/7 the programes show a short, bald, fat man, dressed in womens clothes and with white powder smeared across his face being hit by several fellow "actors" dressed as police/security guards. Add this to any package and the Thais will sign up in their millions. Them Thais they love "good comedy"

Quality TV . Good scripts, good timing: First rule of comedy.

[Lite Beer]

regarding UBC, BBC Prime was good, BBC entertainment is crap, but as others have said, what is the alternative? If I go to cable I will have to endure Fox News - that aint happening.

NOW THAT IS A GOOD COMEDY SHOW

[Tornado]

It seems the Phuket raido station with the farang music is no longer... it was 90.5 on the dial. oh well!

[jbsears]

UBC is extremely overpriced compared to American cable providers. Timewarner has digital cable for $25 a month which has 100s of channels. Comcast for the same price as the Platinum package you can also get 100s of channels.

Also, I don't believe the reasoning for taking MTV and VH1 off the air. UBC said they were adding more knowledge-based channels, but the channels they added were two generic Thai music channels. It seems as if they didn't want to pay the royalties to the company that owns MTV and VH1 anymore when they can play Thai music for really cheap. As you can see, Channel V is still on and it is a cheap Asian licensed music channel.

I am afraid they will drop HBO next because they can play VCD copies of movies on Movie Hits 53 for a lot cheaper than paying the HBO royalties.

Anyways, I'm keeping my Platinum package just because there is no other choice. Lucky for UBC they have a monopoly in cable television at a Western standard.

[Upcountry]

Lucky for UBC they have a monopoly in cable television at a Western standard.

I'm still not 100% clear about why they do. I suppose my local provincial cable company doesn't see the BHT in offering a premium package with HBO, CNN, etc., but maybe there is a fatcat corruption reason or something else that I hope will change soon.