UTV Internet launches UTVip Lite

Scott Taunton · 09-09-2002 10:00am #1

Just to fill you in on movements in our product offering, UTV Internet will today be announcing an extension to our UTVip product.

A press release will circulate later today highlighting our delight in the take up of UTVip and indicating some amendments to further add choice for Irish internet users.

While UTVip has attracted significant applications for high users of dialup internet access, it has been brought to our attention that light users of internet access feel they would benefit from dialup savings and predictability of their dialup costs.

For that reason, later today we will be launching UTVip Lite. Aimed at users with lower off-peak access requirements, or those finding their feet online, UTVip Lite will offer 30 hours of off-peak internet access for €12.99 per month, inclusive of VAT. They too will benefit from the 25% discount on Eircom's local, national and international call rates and usage beyond the 30 hours will be charged at UTV Internet's off-peak local rate of 0.95 cent per minute, including VAT.

We hope that this will further the take up of internet services in Ireland and encourage exploration of the internet as a resource for information and entertainment.

Full details will be in today's press release.

Kind regards

Scott Taunton
Managing Director
UTV Internet

yankinlk · 09-09-2002 10:08am

Nice one. That's just what the mother's doctor ordered...bye bye eircon. another customer lost.

spongebob · 09-09-2002 10:15am

Scott wasn't invited to the ESAT press release at 11 .....I suspect.

I suggest you trundle down to some of the PC manufacturers / OEM-ers to get this included in their christmas bundles instead.

M

MDR · 09-09-2002 10:16am

Great stuff Scott,

exactily what the market wanted ...

ando · 09-09-2002 11:05am

although i did take up the utvIP service, my dad did not for his phone line.. He wanted to get esat's bundled hours because €30 was too much for the 150 hours. He only spends 10 hours a week max online.

I suspect he'll get UTVip light although

Nice move utv

nahdoic · 09-09-2002 12:13pm

OK. then it's decided UTVip are going to dominate the Irish Internet Market.

They listen to customers and respond with new products within days to suit their needs.

That's just too damn responsive! I'll be able to flog your new 12.99 deal to half the people on my street, let alone all my friends and contacts. And after they feel comfortable using the net for 30 hours a month I'm sure they'll start signing up for 29.99 deal.

I just can't imagine anyone giving a logical reason for not signing up to your service now

Well OK. There is still one reason. This 2 hour cut off is the only annoying thing. It's really annoying to be in the middle of a download, or chatting in a chat room or the middle of a game and to be cut off every 2 hours. When you have the limits of 30 or 150 hours in place, why do you still need to cut people off? Perhaps it could be extended to a 4 hour cut off? Or gotten rid of altogther? Esat had planned to implement a 2 hour cut off as well for no limits, but they didn't seem technically capable of implementing it.

You guys rock.

Scott Taunton · 09-09-2002 1:49pm

Well our press release is on the wires as I type....

Not being ones to ignore comments and consumer demand, our final pricing for UTVip Lite reflects the best value we can offer on a low usage internet product.

The site is now live and is priced at €10.99 including VAT and 30 hours of off-peak usage.

We're delighted to be able offer this to users from today.

Scott Taunton
Managing Director
UTV Internet

Scott Taunton · 09-09-2002 2:02pm

Originally posted by nahdoic
I just can't imagine anyone giving a logical reason for not signing up to your service now

Well OK. There is still one reason. This 2 hour cut off is the only annoying thing. It's really annoying to be in the middle of a download, or chatting in a chat room or the middle of a game and to be cut off every 2 hours. When you have the limits of 30 or 150 hours in place, why do you still need to cut people off? Perhaps it could be extended to a 4 hour cut off? Or gotten rid of altogther? Esat had planned to implement a 2 hour cut off as well for no limits, but they didn't seem technically capable of implementing it.

Done! We're dropping the 2 hour cut off (well increasing it to 12 hours to avoid unwanted call costs).

We're not going to be able to meet everyone's requests everytime, but we're doing our best

T's and C's are being updated now to reflect the change.

Kind regards

Scott Taunton
UTVi

Kevok · 09-09-2002 2:04pm

Thank you VERY much.

MDR · 09-09-2002 2:07pm

We're dropping the 2 hour cut off

Good grief,

I have to say that I am extremely impressed by the level of customer interaction you guys are showing, long may you exceptionally high standards continue.

I take my hat off to you sir.

LoBo · 09-09-2002 2:08pm

well done on changing it to a 12hr cutoff. I'll now be signing up today/tomorrow.

Good job on the chatting with folks on this forum and listening to suggestions etc. I'm sure you'll agree both us and UTVi have benefited from it.

How about getting a boards.ie banner ad? - as you can see a lot of irish surfers use this site. I'm sure it will help boards.ie 's continued existance and also help with your customer take-up. A lot of boards.ie viewers wouldn't go to the IOFFL board at all, ever.

Colm

fabien · 09-09-2002 2:17pm

Somebody pinch me....ouch !!! It IS really happening then?

Scott Taunton · 09-09-2002 2:19pm

Originally posted by LoBo
How about getting a boards.ie banner ad? - as you can see a lot of irish surfers use this site. I'm sure it will help boards.ie 's continued existance and also help with your customer take-up. A lot of boards.ie viewers wouldn't go to the IOFFL board at all, ever.

We've put in a request for some already. Looking forward to it.

Scott Taunton
UTVi

elexes · 09-09-2002 2:25pm

Originally posted by Scott Taunton

Done! We're dropping the 2 hour cut off (well increasing it to 12 hours to avoid unwanted call costs).

We're not going to be able to meet everyone's requests everytime, but we're doing our best

T's and C's are being updated now to reflect the change.

Kind regards

Scott Taunton
UTVi

muahahah fu<kin deadly .. muahahah runs off and signs up ..

Occidental · 09-09-2002 2:44pm

Just to try and bring a bit of sense to all this off peak pricing

UTVip Lite 0.61c per minute
Esat40hr 0.62c per minute
Eircom 1891 0.97c per minute
Eircom Net 1.26c per minute

Eircom Net for 30 hours is 22.68 and 40 hours is 30.24

No doubt someone will correct me if any of the above is wrong

Should have said. If you are on a free service (1.26c) 15 hours seems to be your decision point (costs €11.34).

ando · 09-09-2002 3:06pm

Originally posted by Scott Taunton

Done! We're dropping the 2 hour cut off (well increasing it to 12 hours to avoid unwanted call costs).

We're not going to be able to meet everyone's requests everytime, but we're doing our best

T's and C's are being updated now to reflect the change.

Kind regards

Scott Taunton
UTVi

OH MY GODDDDD :eek:

This bloke is unreal

dead on

One thing scott, THe ping issue is burning me up inside

PS, OMFG ..... am i still asleep or something, cant believe this excellent service

strat · 09-09-2002 3:22pm

the increaced cut-off limit to 12 hours- does this apply to the 150 hour package ??

nahdoic · 09-09-2002 3:23pm

Wow! Thank you. Like I said you guys rock. There is not one logical reason not to sign up with you now.

I plan to get everyone I know signed up to your new service. What would really help, would be a downloadable 1 or 2 page pdf describing UTVip that we can all just print out, and give to our friends.

Also for kids trying to convince their parents to switch over to you, parents would be a good deal less 'warey' of switching over if they could see on paper what UTVip offers.

You guys rock.

Scott Taunton · 09-09-2002 3:29pm

Originally posted by StrataGIST
the increaced cut-off limit to 12 hours- does this apply to the 150 hour package ??

Yes it does.

Scott Taunton
UTVip

The Cigarette Smoking Man · 09-09-2002 3:32pm

Originally posted by ando
One thing scott, THe ping issue is burning me up inside

That's not their fault - it's Nevada Telecom. A good root up the arse is whats needed, then they'll sort it out fairly quickly

mechanima · 09-09-2002 3:41pm

Hello Scott,

I think you are NICE, in fact I think EVERYBODY at UTV is NICE...

;o))

Just one tiny request that may be possible, or may not be possible...

I need a LOT of peak usage, so while I have signed with UTV, I THINK I still need to retain my eircom subscription for peak hours...

Which is an email nightmare.

Just thinking...it MIGHT be possible to throw in a peak rate comparable to Eircom (subscription €18) for an extra €10-€15 which would, in turn, attract some business and/or home business users who might hardly use the off peak rate AT ALL AND would be putting a LOT of calls through...

Gaye

Scott Taunton · 09-09-2002 3:49pm

Originally posted by mechanima
Just one tiny request that may be possible, or may not be possible...

I need a LOT of peak usage, so while I have signed with UTV, I THINK I still need to retain my eircom subscription for peak hours...

Which is an email nightmare.

Just thinking...it MIGHT be possible to throw in a peak rate comparable to Eircom (subscription €18) for an extra €10-€15 which would, in turn, attract some business and/or home business users who might hardly use the off peak rate AT ALL AND would be putting a LOT of calls through...

This may be possible, although if I try to get this past the billing, design and development teams today, I'll be pushing my luck!

If the demand existed, we'd do it, but it may take a week or so to develop.

I think we've done more product development in a week than in the last six months!

We're working on the ping issue right now too.

Kind regards

Scott Taunton
UTVi

Lex_Diamonds · 09-09-2002 3:52pm

Well done UTV, but one thing that I would like to see on the service is perhaps a personal masseuse and maybe a Lexus for every sign up??

Not much to ask and you have been very forth coming in the past...

mechanima · 09-09-2002 4:03pm

***This may be possible, although if I try to get this past the billing, design and development teams today, I'll be pushing my luck! If the demand existed, we'd do it, but it may take a week or so to develop.
***

As I only got my account number today and have to be patient for a week ANYWAY I suppose I can hang on...

Particulary if it is done in such a way that I can just pick up phone to ask for the extra service.

Thank you

Gaye

elexes · 09-09-2002 4:15pm

if you do another seperate peak rate one also id b intrested . as im currently hiking up a huge phone bill dling drivers every day in work ...

also one lil thing . my number is withheld by default will this prove to b a problom that can only b sorted by getting rid of teh withheald id ?

spongebob · 09-09-2002 4:25pm

...before every call. That tells Eircom to release caller ID on that call only.

Doe UTV (Nevada) insist on it being always available. Do they always send it on as available or cn it be withheld ?

At least one CPS carrier ignores 142 and 141 codes and has no alternative of their own.

M

andreio · 09-09-2002 5:11pm

The jokers in ESAT just called me saying that they improved their last week offer on NetSmart and that they can sign me up right now.

Here's their sales pitch:
1. Better than last week's offer
2. Mobile rates better than UTV's rates
3. UTV will disconnect me after 2 hours (I asked them to read the threads on this site before they make statements like this)
4. 3 months contract with UTV - as

The conclusion is:
I'm going to get UTVip - better package, great customer service and no NoLimits letters

yellum · 09-09-2002 6:02pm

Good lord, theres customer interaction, and its so so worthy of getting quoted in some newspaper.

Talk about giving them what they want.

Delphi91 · 09-09-2002 6:25pm

Originally posted by Scott Taunton

Done! We're dropping the 2 hour cut off (well increasing it to 12 hours to avoid unwanted call costs).

We're not going to be able to meet everyone's requests everytime, but we're doing our best

...

I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!

Ok, can we nominate UTV for the ISP of the Year, nay Millenium Award?

ESAT and Eircom should be forced to sit down and read the boards to see how a company SHOULD respond to it's customers - btw, I signed up last week!:D

Mike

nahdoic · 09-09-2002 6:57pm

We're signing up for a flat rate net package and Esat is trying to argue a few cent in mobile call costs?

God they're desperate. Do the sales people perhaps forget to also mention how much it will cost to use the net after you exceed their lower limits for the same price ... I wonder why ... (psstt it's more expensive than UTVip)

Esat. If you want our business, it's time to re-adjust your prices for a third time. I really don't see that happening.

UTVip rocks.

Moriarty · 09-09-2002 7:05pm

I've been watching the past few UTVi related threads in awe, and i couldn't keep quiet any longer. The support and general communication between everyone on the ireland offline forum and the "important people" in UTVi that has happened here should be held up as an example to every other company of how to communicate with their customers in a helpful, frank, honest and pleasing manner. I'm almost lost for words..

Well done UTVi. Thank you for having the balls to tackle the problems here.

I do hope your paying attention Eircom & Esat-BT. This is a prime example of why you are now going to get a nice stinging smack to the face. Monopolys and cartels never last long. Please dont act too shocked when you start having problems; customers have a longer memory than either of you are willing to contemplate.

UTV Internet launches UTVip Lite

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