Quote:
Originally Posted by Stephen
Well that is factually incorrect. VM have started to expand the network, so yes VM have built a cable network.
It was also Telewest that bought NTL and before it became VM it was known as NTL:Teleweest for a while.
While NTL did build they did also buy a LOT of smaller cable companies over the years.
|
I can speak with authority on the history of the company.
Nodal build for all companies that eventually became Virgin Media stopped pretty much by 2000/2001. Of course there were bits and pieces here and there but, the main build stopped when the Dot Com bubble popped.
It had actually started to slow down prior to that. The original cables companies had saddled themselves with lots of debt building the networks, they weren't making much money, and therefore they were easily bought on the cheap. However, you also bought the debt they came with which is why NTL and Telewest got into trouble and both went into Ch.11.
Telewest might have undertaken some build under the Telewest name but that would only have been the old Cable North West franchises which they acquired in 1995. Telewest as they were premerger with NTL didn't come into being until around 2000/2001 after they acquired General Cable and Eurobell just before the Poop hit the fan.
It wasn't a take over by either company, that's maybe how it looked on paper but it was a merger, as the major shareholder in both companies was the same guy William Huff.
anyway that's it for the history.