VM Usenet access is being removed / closing

[Tazz]

Just a heads up for anyone still using Virgin Media UseNet Service, I received this today:

Hello,

We wanted to give you a heads-up that the Usenet platform is being removed from the Virgin Media service on 30th June 2021. After this time you will not be able to add or remove content from the platform.

We hope you want to continue enjoying your Virgin Media service. If not, call us on on 150 from a Virgin Media home phone or mobile, or 0345 454 1111 by 30th July to cancel your contract without early disconnection charges.

Kind regards,

The Virgin Media team

[stjamespark]

Rumours on USENET claim that VM is to withdraw USENET on June 30th (2021)

Ism this true?

[SlimboyFat]

Correct, I have received my letter today 😞

Get less, pay more.

[jbrennand]

There are no VM specific groups on there so it makes sense really.

I have always used the "Eternal September" server. It's totally free, very reliable, complete, and fast. I tend to only use it for the Mac related groups though so don't know how complete it is for other groups or Binaries.

[Jboss87]

Yep, I've just given me 30 days' notice within 10 mins of receiving the email, much less hassle than when I tried to go through a package upgrade a few months ago.

Looks like I've pulled 166GB through Virgin's usenet since reformatting around 10 months ago so it's not an inconsequential loss.

[gcarter]

Just received this email...

We wanted to give you a heads-up that the Usenet platform is being removed from the Virgin Media service on 30th June 2021. After this time you will not be able to add or remove content from the platform.

We hope you want to continue enjoying your Virgin Media service. If not, call us on on 150 from a Virgin Media home phone or mobile, or 0345 454 1111 by 30th July to cancel your contract without early disconnection charges.

Kind regards,

The Virgin Media team

... clear enough notification.  

However what's not clear, is whether physical access to postings on news.virginmedia.com will be no more?  The email states and I quote " After this time you will not be able to add or remove content from the platform"

... again its not clear whether this will be a complete nuking of the entire newsgroup platform or as stated, just the ability to add and remove content?

[jpeg1]

The actual Usenet content will still be there, unchanged.

You will no longer be able to see it via a Virgin server. You'll need another server to see it and add to it, except for the Virgin group.

[fenlander]

Please be quite clear. When VM use the term 'platform', they mean 'server'. I.e. VM are closing their (free) usenet server at news.virginmedia.com; they are not intending to block all access to usenet. Is that correct?

[jpeg1]

Virgin Media don't own Usenet and its many newsgroups.  They have until now provided access to Usenet for its customers.  

When that stops you will need to find another service to access Usenet. 

[jbrennand]

I have used the free "Eternal September" USENET server for years it works just fine and will continue to do so when VM close down their server.

However, it is only for text based groups AFAIK

https://www.eternal-september.org/