Cable Forum - View Single Post - BBC and Channel 4 in talks to buy Virgin Media's UKTV stake

m419 · 24-01-2009, 17:44

I dont understand where all this debt is coming from, Cable and Wireless Communications which was the Cable franchise arm of the Cable and Wireless group and a few american cable groups was owned by Videotron,Bell Atlantic(Nynex/Bell) and Cable and Wireless but traded as Cable and Wireless, they invested on the completion of the cable network and network expansion also the cost of building there own telephone network between 1990 and 1994, so thats where the debt came from, but why has NTL/Virgin acquired such debt, wouldn't have been better if NTL had taken over most of the assets from Cable and Wireless Comms and then place the rest of it into administration???

I tell you what would help Virgin Media reduce its debt, if the Virgin Group removed or reduced the lease of using the Virgin Brand name! that must cost a fortune, although Hutchison Telecoms was paying France Telecom a similar cost for using the Orange brand in Austrailia,but no more,they use there own 3 brand now!Is Orange brand really that good???

Its always run through my mind, but wonder what would happen if Virgin Media quit broadcasting Living,Challenge,Bravo,Virgin 1, all the UKTV channels and also made agreements with Discovery networks to make Discovery channels exclusive to Virgin and Cable TV??? There would be nothing left on Sky! I'm sure that would draw in the customers. If it lasted a year, it would definately drag in the customers, although there will be advertising losses.

Virgin TV needs more exclusive channels! Apart from that, Sky is crap compared to what Virgin offers, yes, Sky has more HD this that and the other, but no more than 1 Million out of 15 to 20 Million households actually need it! They realise that they have reached the limit to the amount of customers that they can draw in, so Sky has now quit advertising its HD services so agressively. Now they are talking about 3D TV, who the hell actually needs that!

Furthermore, Virgin Media has much ability to migrate to next generation technology and products because of its fibre optic infrastructure, they are even introducing a new V+ box, Sky wont be able to offer these because they have to use BT's copper cable network or through the ugly dishes!

Sky have no TV on demand,Less pay-per-view movies,dodgy set top boxes and no adsl broadband at my address! So really no point even thinking about joining them!

24-01-2009, 17:44	#13
m419 Inactive Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: London Services: BT Broadband,BT Anytime calls,Sky entertainment extra HD,Vodafone pay monthly Posts: 1,512	Re: BBC and Channel 4 in talks to buy Virgin Media's UKTV stake I dont understand where all this debt is coming from, Cable and Wireless Communications which was the Cable franchise arm of the Cable and Wireless group and a few american cable groups was owned by Videotron,Bell Atlantic(Nynex/Bell) and Cable and Wireless but traded as Cable and Wireless, they invested on the completion of the cable network and network expansion also the cost of building there own telephone network between 1990 and 1994, so thats where the debt came from, but why has NTL/Virgin acquired such debt, wouldn't have been better if NTL had taken over most of the assets from Cable and Wireless Comms and then place the rest of it into administration??? I tell you what would help Virgin Media reduce its debt, if the Virgin Group removed or reduced the lease of using the Virgin Brand name! that must cost a fortune, although Hutchison Telecoms was paying France Telecom a similar cost for using the Orange brand in Austrailia,but no more,they use there own 3 brand now!Is Orange brand really that good??? Its always run through my mind, but wonder what would happen if Virgin Media quit broadcasting Living,Challenge,Bravo,Virgin 1, all the UKTV channels and also made agreements with Discovery networks to make Discovery channels exclusive to Virgin and Cable TV??? There would be nothing left on Sky! I'm sure that would draw in the customers. If it lasted a year, it would definately drag in the customers, although there will be advertising losses. Virgin TV needs more exclusive channels! Apart from that, Sky is crap compared to what Virgin offers, yes, Sky has more HD this that and the other, but no more than 1 Million out of 15 to 20 Million households actually need it! They realise that they have reached the limit to the amount of customers that they can draw in, so Sky has now quit advertising its HD services so agressively. Now they are talking about 3D TV, who the hell actually needs that! Furthermore, Virgin Media has much ability to migrate to next generation technology and products because of its fibre optic infrastructure, they are even introducing a new V+ box, Sky wont be able to offer these because they have to use BT's copper cable network or through the ugly dishes! Sky have no TV on demand,Less pay-per-view movies,dodgy set top boxes and no adsl broadband at my address! So really no point even thinking about joining them!