[Merged] So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

Welcome to Day One, all. Behold the glory of UK Cable.

I have but one question: Will it make things better?

(I've placed this in the Current Affairs forum because, as yet, there is no UK Cable discussion. Mods, feel free to move!)

Re: So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

I do think things should get better. With the companies merging, hopefully they'll combine the best bits of each company. A lot of ntl customers here certainly won't mind if ntl adapted Telewest's billing system, amongst other things.

Re: So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

Is it day 1? It's supposed to be but I've heard nothing yet?

The new company is actualy to be called.... wait for it...... ntl:Telewest.

Inspiring! No, as you know it's actually a stop gap name until we take on the Virgin brand and become Virgin Cable or something.

I don't think customers will notice anything for a while not until decisions are made on what billing systems to use, what format the DTV will be etc etc.

At least what you have now is a company that can really compete with BT and Sky.

However, as you know we are not the only cable company left in the UK. There's good old "wight cable" holding out, waiting for the call from Steve Birch

Re: So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

The company's actually called ntl, Inc. - the Telewest name has been dropped. But as you say, the ntl name will also be dropped soon enough. Until a complete rebrand (to Virgin or whatever), the two companies are apparently going to continue having seperate indentities throughout the convergence activites.

Re: So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

why is there not an unsure option?

ik

Re: So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

a) I forgot
b) Make your mind up! :p:

Re: So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

That may be the company name but the interim branding will be "ntl:Telewest". On all billing paper etc.

So as not to confuse customers until the main rebranding in a couple of months.

Re: So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

Is the merger official as of today then? Didn't see anything in the news ... do you have any linkage?

Re: So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

I thought the Virgin deal was knocked on the head?

Re: So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

I'm on Telewest, and used to be on NTL. Things can only get worse imo :(

Re: So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

No, Virgin is just holding out for a bigger offer. They are well aware how badly NTL wants to buy the brand and think they can extract a few more pennies out of them.

In any case, today's merger is apparently the long-awaited ntl-telewest one.

Re: So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

Strangely enough, I can't see any news items either (apart from the CF one), but you can see the press release on the SEC website

The press release isn't on the ntl or Telewest websites, though... :erm:

Re: So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

It was supposed to be today. It has been accepted by the shareholders and and all ntl employees have been briefed this week with at two or more presentations.

A snippet from one the briefings

Re: So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

Well I see it can either go two ways.
1) They have merged and they put money in to expanding the network and upgrading hardware to make things better.
Or 2) they will take their money and do nothing meaning an overcrowded network all sharing the same hardware.
Hopefully this merger is a good one and I certainly hope it is for all of us.

Re: So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

worse reasons are.

merging of billing systems and support centres again.
merging of products and network.
both of which will probably cause problems.

bigger company meaning less bothered about things like speed issues and will be arrogant.
apperently telewest network in worse state then ntl according to some so I would guess the ntl side of things subsidisng that could mean less upgrades on ntl side.
staff cuts so less staff per customer.

pros
more power on contract negotiations.

Re: So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

With reference to the thread title ... presumably the (mis)quote continues with "everybody's having fun!"

Are they really? :spin:

Re: So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

My vote was
I'm an ntl customer, and I think things will get better However it really should read "hope" rather than "think". :erm:

Re: So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

Just keep the speed upgrades coming boys, thats all I'll say :)

Re: So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

And it's official:

http://www.ntl.com/mediacentre/ntlte...elewest-pr.pdf

Re: So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

Yep, we got that as well, I was just about to upload it, but I see I'm not quick enough. :)

Re: So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

Time to delete the Telewest forums ;)

Re: So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

Not yet. :)

Re: So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

networks still seperate would make sense to keep them.

ntl/Telewest merger completed
 

Re: [Merged] So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

merging with existing merger thread...

Re: [Merged] So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

/me wonders wether they will still carry the attitude "adsl is not the competition for BB in Britain" If so then they will be just a larger merged bunch of dumbnutz in the board instead of one reasonable board and one pathetic board. With TV doesnt cable just mainly resell Sky via cable ? and pretty much anyone can string two cans together, todays phone is not the main thing its just cream on the pie as far as profits go, the way the internet is going phones will be gone as we used to know them soon.

I hope things improve for them but even today I spoke to someone who has ntl BB and they refuse to change his modem because it works on usb but doesnt work via ethernet port, this is not very helpful to him as he really wants to hook linux up via ethernet. Of course he may just change to adsl which means the ntl phone line will go to minimum.

Re: [Merged] So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

anyone got the figures for combined subscriber base, for DTV and broadband ?

Re: [Merged] So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

Not sure but I think this is the combined totals

http://www.ntl.com/mediacentre/theco...ctsandfigures/

Re: [Merged] So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

ntl and telewest both did very well for broadband. They are the biggest broadband supplier in the uk (bigger than bt) and in their areas they used to have greater than 50% market share (not sure if they still do)

---------- Post added at 11:42 ---------- Previous post was at 11:39 ----------

They are in ntl's financial figure, just shy of 5 million for phone/tv/bb, 3.3 for tv and 2.6 for bb (and 181,000 total for dialup lol).

http://www.ntl.com/mediacentre/press...20FEBRUARY.pdf

Re: [Merged] So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

That depends on how you veiw it, remember even discounting LLU from BT figures BT still wholesale aDSL BB so NTL/Telewest even together are not the largest BB provider in the UK and with LLU even then there is some BT network usage but cut in a much larger way. This is the problem with Cable they have allways looked at commparing against other cable co's. If you want ot compare then compare Cable BB vs aDSL BB and the ratio will be completely different. Anyone with any half a brain doesnt go to BT for aDSL, if ofcom forced the new ntl/telewest cable monopoly to wholesale you would likely find the same would happen to them.

Re: [Merged] So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

You can't really count wholesale ADSL lines as equal to BT Openworld/BT Yahoo!/BT whatever customers. On a wholesale line BT provide the connection from the customer's house to the ISP's network. They do not provide access to the internet itself, they do not provide email/newsgroup/content etc, they do not provide technical support, they do not advertise.

Basically what they do provide is pretty similar to what they provided for dialup - and you wouldn't say everyone who dials up over a bt line gets their internet from BT.

Re: [Merged] So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

ntl:Telewest do, in fact, do wholesale broadband - but it is only AOL who have taken them up on the offer, as other ISPs (quite rightly) think they can achieve better coverage by simply using BT Wholesale's DataStream or IPStream products without having to invest in lots of extra things!

Re: [Merged] So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

Well, it looks like one of the first casualties of the merger is those that are working for Telewest in Export House in Woking town centre.

From Digital Spy - http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds30250.html

Re: [Merged] So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

That seems like a deliberately provocative way of putting it...

Very few (if any) staff will be made redundant as a direct result of closing Export House. I'm sure some people will choose not to make the move to Hook, and there might be some facilities layoffs (cleaners, buildings maintenence, etc.) , but saying "those that are working for Telewest in Export House" are casualties of the merger is not correct!

Re: [Merged] So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

Seems telewest staff are now handling some ntl customers, my sister rang up regarding her house move and had a telewest call centre.

Re: [Merged] So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

how do you know it was a telewest call centre?

I find it hard to believe that they have trained staff in new products, systems and diagnostic tools in a week...

Re: [Merged] So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

From what I've read from the official sites, both companies are being separate. A structure is in place to merge them but that will take months if not years to complete.

Since "Day One" I'm not aware of ntl taking any telewest calls and vice versa, at least this is the case in the Faults Management Centre and Customer Services.

Hope that helps :)

Re: [Merged] So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

Does ntl have a call centre in the newcastle area?

Re: [Merged] So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

Yes, in Teesside (Stockton) - they do provisioning/despatch, retentions and I think housemoves (not sure on the last one though).

If the customer in question was moving to a Telewest area, it's quite possible the ntl Moves & Transfers team put her through to Telewest sales as they have speed dials now.

Re: [Merged] So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

Teesside don't handle house moves but do also have 2nd line faults.

Re: [Merged] So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

nah staying in leics, ironically I told her cancel and rejoin rather then move then get new customer offer.

so it may well have been a ntl call centre then, she told me it was first time they had that call centre (accent) and thought was telewest cause of merger so I assumed was also since telewest have call centres in north I think.

Re: [Merged] So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

Anyone remember Cable & Wireless? It has been years since NTL took over and until recently (or maybe still is), customers that were with Cable & Wireless were always known as ex Cable & Wireless - not NTL customers. So presumably the same will apply to Telewest customers.

Just a thought! ;)

Re: [Merged] So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

There are still technical differences in the networks, the TV software looked totally different until last year and the channel numbering is still different.

Integration with Telewest should be easier though, because the Telewest network is similar to ntl's Bromley network.

Re: [Merged] So here it is, Merry Merger!
 

Yep, they still are known as ex-cwc in engineering circles ;)