Quote:
Originally posted by andygrif
You're right...this could decend to a politics argument...and that will go on forever!!!
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I think it's important to remember the starting points of all these companies and the amount of time they have had to develop their services.
BT took over the networks of Post Office Telephones, previously supported by taxpayers and inherited a standard system that was in need of development and upgrading, which over time they have done.
Sky set up a standardised system, which once customers had a dish, only had to be maintained and developed.
NTL on the other hand inherited (by takeover) a variety of networks of varying technical standards and in varying states of repair. Unlike Sky, who only have to send their signals through the air to the customer, NTL were required to standardise, maintain, develop and upgrade the fibre-optic networks required to provide their services.
Because of the immense costs involved, NTL is not currently in a financial position to be able to carry out all the work required. In fairness to NTL they have tried to standardise the facilities provided by the Langley and Bromley platforms but provide them in a different technical way.
At present, it's true, that there are things that can be done only on the Bromley platform and others that can only be done by the Langley platform.
Over time, and bear in mind that NTL is relatively young compared to Sky and BT, this situation may change.