Sir Richard Branson on TV-17th Jan 2012
 

Just to let people know that tonight, at 22.45 on ITV1, there is a programme telling the life story of Sir Richard Branson.

It will be interesting to see what is said about his involvement with Virgin Media.

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

To be honest, I think he should have more involvement in Virgin Media.

At the moment, it is Telewest with NTL's customer services with the Virgin brand written across.

Things like job losses and outsourced call centres abroad are not Richard Bransons favourite things, in fact i'm sure I heard Virgin Media was to get rid of that when it started, but that has fazzled out and now there are twice as many since it was NTL, and Telewest didn't have any until the two companies merged, that is where the customer services and even sales have dipped.

And Virgin Mobile, when I rang the sales, I got fed up with the bad philipines call centre and gave up my order and got the same Blackberry Curve 8250 order for an extra few pounds from Vodafone instead.

Now Virgin Mobile when it was owned directly by Virgin enterprises, didn't have all that crap.

I'm very sure if Virgin Enterprises had like 50% ownership of Virgin Media, there would be much more competition with Sky, in fact i'm sure I also heard that Virgin Media Television (the content division) was Virgin's priority, a few years on and former NTL management probably got there way and sold it off based on 'NTL is more of service provider than a content provider'

Sorry NTL, but that is no way to compete with the likes of Sky, and revenue based, you're gonna have more going out on carriage costs than you will have coming in.

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

I wouldn't expect that to take too long then
It has vastly reduced and is nothing more than a brand name now
Even in the recent group advertising campaign Virgin Media makes a very small appearance

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

Have they?

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

That s because he has never owned Virgin Media just leased the name to NTL/Telewest for a maximum period of up to 30 years, minimum term is 10 years.

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

When did the name change take effect Peter ie what year, theoretically, could the brand name change again?

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

February 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6343341.stm

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

Has it?

He is in the current advertising for Virgin Media and also I was given a copy of his recent book at work. Its more than just owning shares. He does actually have a small amount of involvemet/interest in the business.

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

Please refer to original text and wording
His involvement in Virgin Media has vastly reduced, in the first year there were numerous appearances, in the last year there were hardly any by comparison

"group advert", Virgin Media makes a very short appearance and you have to be eagle eyed to see
it!
Makes it look like Virgin got some cheap advetising space early in 2012 by the sheer volume and variants
I've even been offered three media streams for website advertising, the last time was 2009

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

So it was not Richard Branson in any of the TIVO advertisements or news items last year, are you really sure or did you not bother even looking.

Let me Google that for you.

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

I am not refering to the Virgin Media adverts, I am referring to the group adverts, of which there are only two on TV at the moment

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

We all bow to your superior knowledge of the virgin group, bransons involvement with virgin media and the virgin brand in general :rolleyes:

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

As Virgin Media is not a part of the Virgin Group why would it be mentioned in their advertising campaign common sense tells you why.

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

i missed it on t.v. other night, wanted to watch it, cant find it on catch up or itv player. !

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

Well they could, if Richard Branson pulls out, they could call it British Cable!

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

No I was refering to the new double broadband speed campain I am Richard Branson. He is in all of our new advertising.

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

great money spinner.

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

Nice money if you can get it.

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

Interesting, so in theory, it could change again in about 5 years time.

I was away from home, so recorded it. I've not had time to watch it yet, so don't know if it was any good or not.

As at this moment in time, it is still not on CUTV. IIRC the series is repeated
on ITV2, or 3 or 4 a couple of days later, so it might be worth checking the EPG.
.

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

Could Virgin Media rename themselfs British Cable?

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

They could but won't.

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

What would they change the name to? If it was a progression of names of a certain subject, I would not like to think of the name after Virgin:erm:

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

Would point the main one is not Virgin Group advert, it's an advert for Virgin Money

Dunno why Virgin Media wasn't included, suppose everything else (record/Galactic/Plane/Train/Balloon) is moving, can't really do that with a TiVo box or SuperHub :/

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

Richard Bransons Virgin Group initially had around 10% ownership and Richard Branson was in fact the largest shareholder of NTL Telewest Group 2006. The deal was also to use the Virgin name replacing NTL Telewest for long period of time on terms of a lease.

NTL and Virgin actually go back to 1996 when they both launched virgin.net

And Virgin initially used Mercury for all there businesses, in fact Richard Branson himself once featured in a Mercury TV ad in the early 90s(see link below), that is a sign he wanted to get into the telecoms business! He's always used Cable and Wireless and NTL, One2one at the time of launch of Virgin Mobile was still owned by Cable and Wireless. And yes Mercury was Cable and Wireless and not NTL, but NTL did eventually take over the residential 131 and 132 dialler service for a while so literally making it all the same.

Virgin.net became a wholly owned company of NTL in 2003, first step towards the making of Virgin Media?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrxKeFd6NY4

Funnily enough all those Mercury payphones disappeared 3 years later to become Interphone bright and orange kiosks.

But back to the subject, Richard Branson has wanted a piece of telecoms market and now he's got it, he doesn't need to own 100% of it, when it comes down to it Virgin Media is a PLC and Richard Branson is one of the largest shareholders, whilst Virgin has there name branded across NTL Telewest, they are involved! Although I think they should have more involvement in what goes on than they already do, they don't necessarily need to own 100% of it to do that!

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

I've just watched my recording of the programme. VM wasn't mentioned, but it showed him to have a good sense of humour, I wouldn't mind meeting him.

Btw, he doesn't carry money, doesn't know how to use a cash machine and doesn't know the price of a pint of milk!

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

Runs a financial company, doesn't know how to use a cash machine. No wonder the whole industry is doomed.

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

He also can't drive a train or fly a Jumbo Jet either - I would still use those companies....

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

No, I'd say a more relevant comparison would be doesn't know how to use a train ticket (or ticket machine) or doesn't know how to use an airport check-in.

(Cash machines are a very basic customer-use commodity of a bank, passengers don't drive the trains, or fly planes)

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

I part own a coffee shop, but have no idea how to make the continental coffees on offer! Why? Well, I have no need to know and no interest in learning.

Your argument is just silly, as many high fliers are too busy creating wealth and employment to concern themselves with menial everyday tasks.

Incidentally, the reason his wife banned him from using cashpoints was that he stated the PIN number out loud once too often :D

PS Anyone know why we say PIN number, as the acronym stands for Personal Identification Number, we are, in fact saying "Personal Identification Number, Number"!!!

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

You can't read can you?

Like I said, the example is using a service of that industry as any average customer would. Customers don't make the coffee in coffee shops.

An actually relevant example would be you not knowing how to operate a coffee cup. Then again I wouldn't be at all surprised.

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

Which is it? He doesn't know how to use them, or he's not allowed to use them?

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

Of course I can read, what a stupid remark.

And how on earth have you come to the conclusion that I may not know how to use a coffee cup?

Both. He was asked if it was true that he couldn't use a cash machine and he said yes, but went on to say that his wife had banned him from using them after saying the PIN number out loudly on occasion.

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

No it won't.

What might be interesting is if the programme said something about his view of the wretched SH saga and the misery caused to a significant number of customers.

Remember, Branson is the champion of the (rather disreputable) "Broadband Honesty" campaign.

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

He would have just looked blankly at the interviewer as apart from advertising he has no dealings with the company.

As far as the company is concerned they might have said "What issue with what device, we have just made that the default kit across all tiers so the must not be an issue with it". ( A guess by me nothing more.;) )

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

Well, of course, Peter_. You've got it precisely.

But RC will no doubt grace us with his take on Branson's speil later tonight.

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

You can leave the underscore of that was just to get my name on here as the mods tend to just have their names.;)

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

What is the SH saga?

You don't have to wait to hear my views, I have already given them in post 25 :)

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV tonight.
 

SH = SuperHub

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV-17th Jan 2012
 

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV-17th Jan 2012
 

Thanks, I have no knowledge of this, has there been a problem?

Good idea, as I think Sephiroth thought it was on yesterday! :)

Re: SH = Super Hub
 

Oh dear! Don't get me going on this!

There's plenty for you to read about and augment your knowledge about the SH saga in the forum. I commend it as better reading than RB's book (without even seeing RB's book - I could have lied)!

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV-17th Jan 2012
 

Ok, thanks, i'll take a look at some point.

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV-17th Jan 2012
 

I've had a look and the VM just says that it is "available to all VM BB customers". Is it free?

The idea of saving power by combining the modem and router is a good idea, but users have reported problems with connectivity drop outs etc.

Has this been resolved yet?

I have noted that some people have resorted to using a third party router...which makes a mockery of the whole idea of the space/energy saving features of the Superhub :confused:

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV-17th Jan 2012
 

The SH's problems are plastered all over the forums. The SH when in router mode with wireless on is flakey. At best it is a get-you-going device and serious/wise broadband users put their own routers on. The power saving is truly neither here nor there unless you're a chick-pea and couscous eater!

And the SH isn't space saving at all (in a sense). It needs to be vertical for proper wireless operation.

It is free to VM customers and that's why it isn't feature rich; dosh.

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV-17th Jan 2012
 

Thanks for the info.

I'd never heard of the SH until here the other day. How have VM been advertising this offer?

My question is probably academic though, as, from what i've read, it's not very good.

Still, I find I have to reset my Linkseys router about once a week. This can be a nuisance, as it is in my home office, which is right on the top floor of the house!

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV-17th Jan 2012
 

You have never heard of the Superhub?

Haven't you seen any of the threads on this forum about the device, or the fact that VM have been using it for over a year as the main CPE for new 30, 50 and 100MB?

Re: Sir Richard Branson on TV-17th Jan 2012
 

I'd not heard of it no, but have now had a read about it on here and elsewhere. From what I have read, I think i'll leave things as they are!