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

[fenlander]

In which case the headline message 'usenet access is being removed' is inaccurate and misleading... 

[jpeg1]

Sounds quite accurate to me, since it was only addressed to Virgin's customers. 

[ZinG]

One thing I certainly used with a couple of fill servers, paying more for less again it seems

[fenlander]

Not so. VM's usenet server (not platform) has always been a remnant from better days - severely limited in terms of retention and number of permitted connections. Turning it off is putting it out of its misery. However, 'removing access from usenet' would involve blocking the ports through which Virgin customers normally access usenet servers worldwide. VM use terminology so loosely that it's not possible to be sure what they mean. It seems like common sense to assume that it is just the server that is being closed, but if VM start blocking ports at the end of June they will be able to say 'we told you so'.

[jpeg1]

You are overthinking this.  Virgin are simply saving a small amount of money by removing a little used service.  The warning describes this perfectly. 

[fenlander]

Why? That's exactly what they do with peer-to-peer indexing services.

[jpeg1]

Not the same thing at all. I'm out.

[BatletUK]

Usenet seems to be pretty much dead these days anyway, aside from a handful of niche groups, so I can't  say I'm  surprised. Maybe more surprised VM has provided access to it  for so long. Still it is another service being lost. ..

[Pingouin]

Nice, yet another service I was using that's being cut.

Over the last few years, I've been paying more and more money (10% increase per year, which is about 4 times inflation?) for less and less services (e.g. website hosting).

[hippyclone]

Just got my email. Can't say I am surprised - Once again prices are hiked and services are reduced.

I don't use USENET for much but I am going to be a bit lost without it.