AfterDawn: News

Virgin Media launches 'unlimited' music service that isn't unlimited (updated)

Update: Virgin Media has contacted us, and blatantly say The Register's article is all speculation and we made one error (the service has not launched yet). The ISP says they intend to offer the unlimited downloading option when the service launches, and that "no decisions on the number of tracks or pricing" have been made yet. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Virgin Media has started a new "unlimited" music service this week in the UK, however The Register is reporting that the service will not be unlimited at all, and users will be able to download 40 MP3s for £15 a month instead.



The ISP will eventually have unlimited downloads but "we're still working towards that goal", says the company.

UMG, the largest label on the planet, is a big fan of the unlimited music model, and other reports have put the blame on Sony Music for the lack of current unlimited options via Virgin.

"We believe music fans are crying out for a service like this, and we want to see it launched as soon as possible. We and our artists are doing everything we can to support Virgin Media and to get the new service off the ground," adds a UMG spokesperson.

Virgin still hopes to have the service up and running by December, with all labels on board.


Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 11 Oct 2009 21:11

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• 8 comments

• IPRFenix

  So why the hell don't they launch it as "soon to be unlimited", and change the name when it actually is?
  
  Sounds like an all you can eat buffet that cuts you off after having only eaten one plate of food. Boo. You wouldn't want just 1 plate at an all you can eat. you'd want 2-4 plates.

  11.10.2009 22:04 #1

• Morreale

  I would love a service like that if the quality of MP3 wasn't so garbage... 320kbps or nothing.

  12.10.2009 01:11 #2

• domie

  It's the same as what they boast about with their "unlimited broadband" download speed - they and every other UK ISP on the market claim that and then they have a convenient little asterisk at the bottom and tiny print saying "fair usage policy applies" - meaning you are restricted to between 200 mb and 5 gb for 14 hours a day depending on your line speed.Exceed it and you are capped by about 75% of your speed for between 5 and 12 hours.
  When I asked the Advertising Standards Authority about that blatant lie they said they could do nothing as their jurisdiction doesn't cover internet adverts - what a joke !

  12.10.2009 05:31 #3

• beanos66

  Originally posted by domie: It's the same as what they boast about with their "unlimited broadband" download speed...their broadband isn't "limited" it's "throttled" which means on the 20meg plan, once you've downloaded 3500MB of data your speed drops (LIMITED)to a quarter if you're lucky and less than 2meg if you're not.

  12.10.2009 12:55 #4

• baldfrog

  The 50 meg never gets throttled though....

  12.10.2009 14:55 #5

• KillerBug

  I'd be very affraid to travel on Virgin Air...they might try to slow the plane down to 25% of airspeed half way across an ocean!

  13.10.2009 04:42 #6

• beanos66

  Originally posted by baldfrog: The 50 meg never gets throttled though....Not Yet!

  13.10.2009 12:24 #7

• mixtrixx1

  When VM first took over from Telewest back in 2006, they literally had no background knowledge of running an Internet Service whatsoever.
  2 yrs later, and they are still a bag of bollocks!!
  The one thing I can struggle to admit in which keeps me from changing to any other service provider, is that I that I still run my "Upto 20MB" connection from the old Motorola Surfboard modem supplied to me by Blueyonder, which is a wired connection.
  Most companies now, supply broadband with Free Wireless Routers, which may sound great, but the everything from TV's, Radio's Weather Change, can all dramatically decrease your broadband speed.
  So I can atleast say, that I do get a constant connection with little downtime through to any problems a Wireless User would experience.
  However, other then that, they are shite, I mean come on lol here are some examples.
  
  When will Ex Telewest & NTL Customers be given a @Virginmedia.com address? We are working on this, (or something to that effect( was their response. That was in Sept 2007, and it's now almost 2010, but still no sign of a virginmedia.net email address for me lol.
  
  Also, they state that with a "Upto 20MB" broadband connection you can download an MP3 File in under 2 Seconds*
  The nice small asterix indicates that they based that on downloading a 5MB MP3 File,
  LMAO!! What utter Bollocks (yet again), can anyone actually say that they have downloaded a 5MB MP3 file in "Under 2 Seconds"????
  I tried several times downloading a 5MB Dummy File from an online speed test site all at different times of the day, and at times where I had not exceeded any limits that would cause my connection to be throttled by 75%, the longest it took, was 9 Seconds, and the Quickest time to download a 5MB File was just over 5 Seconds, and bot on both attempts I used Google Chrome v4.0.1 beta (Which is the fastest internet browser available to date).
  I could sit here and tell you loads of horror stories about my time with VM, but don't think I'd have the time to bore you so much lol.
  Anyway, as for their new music service launching, they can shove it up their arse, until a time comes where they can actually provide better service and quality packages to those loyal customers that have all 4 Services, and pay more then what they offer the same packages to new customers for.

  13.10.2009 19:13 #8