Tuesday, June 04, 2013

Virgin Media Adds Live Streams Of Nickelodeon UK And Nick Jr. UK To Mobile Version Of Virgin TV Anywhere Streaming Service

Virgin Media has today (Tuesday 4th June 2013) announced in the following press release, from 4-Traders, that the UK cable operator has added Nickelodeon UK, Nick Jr. UK and MTV UK to the mobile version of the company's Virgin TV Anywhere streaming service. Previously only available to watch through computers, the Viacom International Media Networks channels are now also available for Virgin Media customers to stream on mobile devices, including computers, tablets and smartphones, similar to BSkyB's Sky Go IPTV service:
Virgin Media Inc. : Virgin TV Anywhere gains eleven dazzling channels

* Watch Corrie on the go with newly-added ITV channels
* HISTORY® and Bio® channels among latest to join line-up
* Total live and On Demand channels upped to 75

Virgin Media has added 11 new live channels to Virgin TV Anywhere, its award-winning1 cloud-based entertainment service available exclusively to Virgin TV customers.

The new array of live channels - including channels from ITV, A&E Networks UK and Viacom International Media Networks2 - enables Virgin Media subscribers to take their home entertainment beyond the TV to devices such as computers, tablets and smartphones at no extra cost.

The introduction of ITV, ITV 2, ITV 3 and ITV 4 to the service means customers need never miss an episode of Coronation Street and can watch everything from The Americans and Britain's Got Talent to The Jeremy Kyle Show and even live sport while they're on the move.

American Pickers and Mud Men on HISTORY will keep those with a hankering for history entertained while Bio programmes I Survived… and Dance Moms inspire viewers with extraordinary true-life tales.

Content from Viacom now available to stream via tablet includes MTV's ever-popular Geordie Shore as well as enduring animated favourites such as Nickelodeon's Sponge Bob Square Pants and Nick Jr's Dora the Explorer.

The new channels join the collection of entertainment, news, documentaries, music and even premium sport and movies channels already available on Virgin TV Anywhere3.

Virgin TV customers can access Virgin TV Anywhere through the web or, for the 1.5 million customers with Virgin Media TiVo®, through a mobile and tablet app.

Scott Kewley, Virgin Media's multiscreen product director, said: "The latest channels to join Virgin TV Anywhere are brimming with top soaps, documentaries and comedy and follow hot on the heels of the 21 channels we added to the service in April. With an ever-expanding array of programmes available that cater for every taste, customers will never be stuck for something to watch, catching their favourite shows and discovering new ones in ways not offered on rival platforms. When paired with a Virgin Media TiVo box, we believe TV Anywhere offers our best, most interactive entertainment experience yet."

The online service is available to all Virgin TV customers, with extra features for TiVo users to manage their boxes through a range of exclusive tools such as remote record and managing 'My Shows'.

The mobile and tablet app is available on iOS devices such as the iPad and will be coming to Android devices later this year. The app offers the ability to manage TiVo boxes including scheduling recordings and deleting shows. It also acts as a touch/gesture-based remote control when at home which means viewers can search for whatever they want using a full QWERTY keyboard and without taking over the big screen. They can flick any live TV show or recording straight to the TV and even immediately start watching something On Demand from any point without the need to fast-forward or rewind4.

For further information on Virgin TV Anywhere, head to virginmedia.com/discovertvanywhere.

Notes to Editors

1 Virgin TV Anywhere was awarded 'The companion and second screen' prize at the 2013 Connected TV World Summit

2 A list of the live channels added to Virgin TV Anywhere is included below. Channel access is based on the TV package customers have and the method of access (online or through the mobile/tablet app). Starred channels were previously available on computers only but are now also available to stream on tablets.

Channel

Bio
CI
H2
HISTORY
ITV
ITV 2
ITV 3
ITV 4
MTV*
Nick Jr*
Nickelodeon*

3 The full list of live channels and On Demand programming is included below. Channel access is based on the TV package customers have and the method of access (online or through the mobile/tablet app).

Channel Live - online Live - iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch App On Demand - online

5 USA
5* [5 Star]
Animal Planet
BBC Worldwide
Bio
Boomerang
British Eurosport
British Eurosport 2
Cartoonito
Cartoon Network
Channel 4
Channel 5
CI
CNN
Comedy Central
Discovery Channel
Discovery Home & Health
Discovery Shed
Discovery Science
Discovery Turbo
Discovery History
Disney Channel
Disney Junior
Disney Original Movies
Disney XD
Dmax
E!
Eden
ESPN
ESPN Classic
Fox
GOLD
H2
Heat
HISTORY
I.D.
ITV
ITV 2
ITV 3
ITV 4
Kerrang!
Kids Extra (Hit Entertainment)
Kiss
Magic
More 4
MTV
National Geographic
National Geographic Wild
Nickelodeon
Nick Jr
PBS America
Quest
Smash Hits
Sony Entertainment TV
Sky 1
Sky 2
Sky Arts 1
Sky Living
Sky Livingit
Sky Movies On Demand
Sky Movies Action & Adventure
Sky Movies Comedy
Sky Movies Crime & Thriller
Sky Movies Disney
Sky Movies Drama & Romance
Sky Movies Family
Sky Movies Select
Sky Movies Greats
Sky Movies Premiere
Sky Movies Sci-Fi & Horror
Sky Movies Showcase
Sky News
Sky On Demand
Sky Sports On Demand
Sky Sports 1
Sky Sports 2
Sky Sports 3
Sky Sports 4
Sky Sports F1
Sky Sports News
Syfy
TLC
Universal Channel
The Box
US Boxsets (NBCU, Starz)

Streaming services on Virgin TV Anywhere can be used anywhere in the UK using a fixed or wireless broadband connection. Streaming over 3G is not supported. Whilst there is no charge to use the Virgin TV Anywhere service for Virgin TV customers, charges may apply for using public Wi-Fi or mobile networks.

4 The mobile/tablet app can be used to browse and select content and manage recordings as well as view live TV. To use remote control functionality, the Virgin TV Anywhere app needs to be paired to customers' TiVo box(es) and the mobile/tablet device needs to be connected to the same local area network as the TiVo box. Customers will require additional networking equipment such as an ethernet cable, or, in some cases, smart TV wireless adapters or powerline adapters - more information at www.virginmedia.com/powerline.

For journalist enquiries contact

Press Office
t: 0207 909 2225
e: pressoffice@virginmedia.co.uk

About Virgin Media

Virgin Media is the first provider of all four broadband, TV, mobile phone and home phone services in the UK.

The company delivers ultrafast broadband connections to over half of all UK homes, with speeds of up to 120Mb, and is expanding this cable network - the result of a multi-billion pound investment - to reach thousands more people across the country.

Virgin Media has developed the most advanced interactive television service, bringing together broadcast TV, thousands of hours of on demand programming and the best of the web in a single set-top box powered by TiVo. The company was the first to offer HD TV and 3D on demand to millions of UK households.

Virgin Media also operates the most popular virtual mobile network in the UK which, when launched, was the world's first such mobile phone service. It is also one of the largest fixed-line home phone providers in the country.

Virgin Media Inc. is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market and the London Stock Exchange (VMED).
Also, from The Next Web:
Virgin adds 8 new channels to its UK TV Anywhere service including ITV, and brings 3 more to mobile

UK cable TV company Virgin Media has added 8 completely new channels to its online Virgin TV Anywhere service, and made 3 additional ones available for mobile users, bringing its total ‘live’ and ‘on-demand’ channel count to 75.

The new channel additions include ITV, ITV 2, ITV 3 and ITV 4, and are the latest terrestrial channels to be added after Channel 4 and Channel 5. Indeed, while BBC Worldwide is part of the offering (on-demand only), the main BBC channels have yet to be added.

Virgin TV Anywhere launched last November to rival BSkyB’s Sky Go service, serving up online and mobile access to TV shows and movies on the move – though it only supports WiFi connections. It launched with more than 40 channels initially, though it added another 21 to the mix in April this year.

The other new additions are: Bio, the Crime & Investigation Network (CI), History and History 2 (H2). While MTV, Nick Jr. and Nickelodeon were previously available through computers only, they are now also available to stream on mobile.

Virgin TV Anywhere is available via the Web for any customer, though only those on Virgin Media TiVo are able to access the service via their smartphone or tablet.

BSkyB (Sky) and Virgin are the main competitors for the UK subscription TV market. Sky launched its Sky Go service back in July 2011, after merging its existing Sky Player and Sky Mobile TV services. Initially it was only available on iOS in terms of mobile, though it finally hit Android in early 2012. Though Virgin is available through iOS devices, it has yet to land on Android – though this should be remedied later this year.
Also, from Broadcast:
Virgin Media bulks up streaming service

Virgin Media has added a further 11 live channels including ITV and Viacom’s bouquet of channels to its Virgin TV Anywhere streaming service.

The move means that customers of the cable platform can now watch 75 channels on the cloud-based entertainment service, which is available on devices including computers, tablets and smartphones.

This comes on the back of a deal to add 21 channels to the service in April.

Virgin struck the agreement with ITV, A+E Networks UK and Viacom International Media Networks to add channels including ITV, ITV2, ITV3 and ITV4, History, Bio, Crime & Investigation Network, H2, MTV, Nickelodeon and Nick Jr.

Scott Kewley, Virgin Media’s multiscreen product director, said: “With an ever-expanding array of programmes available that cater for every taste, customers will never be stuck for something to watch, catching their favourite shows and discovering new ones in ways not offered on rival platforms.

When paired with a Virgin Media TiVo box, we believe TV Anywhere offers our best, most interactive entertainment experience yet.”