The current email system is (relatively) simple and NTL can't get it working. They're now buying an all-singing-all-dancing email system with lots of knobs and whistles. Seems likely that we'll end up a great email system that works less often than the current one
Having read the Openwave blurb I'd agree with the poster(s) who said NTL would use the system to tack adverts onto the bottom of emails - something that's unacceptable when an email account is used for professional purposes.