[graf_von_anonym]

The thieves are outweighed by the millions of legitimate subscribers, so, yes, those millions of people who are paying for their services are going to have more influence over the network as a whole, but their influence is going to be tightly constrained by what the hardware that Virgin have provided (and configured for) them can do. The elite hackers* who steal cable services interact with the network in ways Virgin can only attempt to prevent, or close off, but that doesn't mean their actions won't have consequences for legitimate users of services. The Cisco equipment ostensibly has the capability to balance load across different UBR/CMTS if the node connects to a big part of the network, and messing about with it won't do anyone any favours.

I mean, obviously, Virgin can spare the money. Their debt is being serviced with smiles and rainbows, and their staff are motivated by innate esprit de corps rather than by money. One of the first parts of Virgin Media induction, I believe, is having the appendix replaced so one can subsist on the colour red.

* I class those who pirate cable somewhere between the guy who used to steal electricity from a mate's flat and shoplifters. It's petty, trivial, pointless, an inconvenience to others, a symptom more of greed and an inability to control personal finances and desires than anything else. Cunning, yes, venal, even, but more pitiable than anything else. At least it keeps them in-doors, but it is a bit of a shame that unlike stealing electricity there's less risk of them cooking themselves.