[Horizon]

...yes, gone full circle. Good point about BT there, I'd forgotton that. What should've happened is that BT should've been allowed to build its fibre network - nationwide. No doubt with tax payers subsidies...Then BT should have been split up a bit like now, with BT as the network provider in charge of maintenence of the network. But any company allowed to offer services over that network.

What I think will happen now, if we take America as an example and things here usually do mirror things over there. With the cable industry now united but in billions of debt and BT no longer has the restrictions placed on it to offer video/tv services. BT, like the American Baby Bells (not that their babies anymore...) will build a fibre network to customers homes. And becuase its built with private money, I doubt it will be forced to open up this network to other companies. This will put cable in a weak position and it doesn't have the money to do the same. I think someone will buy the united cableco to fight against BT, someone with a lot of money and experience, ie Deutche Telekom. Whoever has the best network, can offer the best services. So interesting times ahead and of course there's wireless technologies and other things out there as well to compete.

I think the press release posted by m419 basically says (apart from lack of money) why ntl hasn't upgraded the Westminster network and perhaps other areas too. It isn't theirs....it's leased from BT. Didn't know that. No wonder ntl haven't been in a rush to spend money in central London.