Friday, 26 November 2021

Media Boy HQ Views: Are Virgin Media UK set to reveal new channel lineup in 2022?

Cable Forum and DS Forum poster epsilon has posted today: 

Two extra versions of BBC One South East (SDT labels) added overnight on SID numbers 10129 & 10130 (channel 858) but, apparently not allocated in the NIT. A massive gap in the internal serial numbers between these (2199 & 2233).
 
Maybe Virgin have a large amount of extra channels to add!!! (P.S. don't bet on it). A new mystery.

Maybe the 34 unknown channels are for the BBC One HD and BBC Three launch? Or Is Virgin Media UK set to move channels about as part of new channel lineup? 

  • Ofcom wants Virgin Media UK to BBC Three HD launch on Virgin Channel 108 (In England and Northern Ireland only). 
  • Ofcom wants Virgin Media UK to launch BBC Three HD on Virgin Channel 124 (In Scotland and Wales only). 

For BBC Three to launch in Scotland and Wales on Virgin Channel 124 

I feel the following channels may move: 
  • GOLD HD - from Virgin UK Channel 124 to Virgin UK Channel 125. 
  • W - from Virgin UK Channel 125 to Virgin UK Channel 126. 
  • Ailbi - from Virgin UK Channel 126 to Virgin UK Channel 127. 
  • Dave - from Virgin UK Channel 127 to Virgin UK Channel 128. 
  • Really - from Virgin UK Channel 128 to Virgin UK Channel 172. 
  • TLC +1 - from Virgin UK Channel 172 to Virgin UK Channel 173. 
  • ID +1 - from Virgin UK Channel 173 to Virgin UK Channel 213. 
  • Quest +1 - from Virgin UK Channel 213 to Virgin UK Channel 214. 
  • DMAX +1 - from Virgin UK Channel 214 to Virgin UK Channel 215. 

 Also I feel the following areas need tiny up (In my view)
  • Entertainment (I would move all Entertainment channnel down to sit beside their sister channels (Like E4 HD and More4) and move rest down and also merge with Lifestyle)
  • Factual (Move channels down the wee bit by 11 numbers to start with Eden on Channel 261 making more room for Entertainment and Lifestyle channels)
  • Lifestyle: 
  • Kids (After Channel 708)
  • Shopping (Move to Channel 761 to make room for more kids channels to launch)
  • International (After Channel 816)