Cable Forum - View Single Post - NTL's Conflict Of Interests With Other IP Based Services

gimpymoo · 03-03-2005, 12:25

With the Internet now flourishing into something we all know it can be, and other services now becoming more common over the internet such as:

* VOIP
* Video/TV Over Broadband

Is NTL just going to sit back and watch us drop there TV/Phone service and pummel its broadband service for all its worth as we use it for phone calls and wathching broadcast quality TV? Its only a matter of time before TV broadcasters and Freeview channels negotiate to be allowed to broadcast there channels over broadband at a reduced cost than what you can subscribe to on NTL. Example... E4 have plans to go COMPLETELY Freeview by 2006/2007 and they decide to also broadcast over broadband to registered users in the UK ONLY (Allowing for carriage contracts with their content providers of course). This can be done in the same way as ONLY UK Broadband residents can access the BBC Broadband service.

ReagrdingVOIP, the quality is VERY good and as a Vonage user, I see no reason why I need to use my NTL line again... aprt from when NTL broadband goes down

Is it safe to rule out any "Under-hand" tactics in the future by NTL as more and more of us use IP based services or will they decide to take the difficult route and simply try to COMPETE (I doubt it).

Also (without turning this into a capping thread) are they allready limiting what services we use by introducing a cap in the first place ??????? 1gb a day? If we watch 5 hours of broadcast quality TV over broadband... Isnt that a big chunk of that allowance used up... Ignoring data used for VOIP calls, although these are minimal. Im sure if we were to use NTL's TV streaming, the data used would be waived.

I am a WWE fan and watch their monthly PPV's online which cost $35 a pop as I can watch them again from any broadband connected PC and also get quiet a few other "classic" matches which equates to about 10 hours of TV a month if I watch it more than once, maybe 2/3 times if freinds come around or if its a good PPV. Its broadcast at 600k and will be increased soon making it near broadcast quality.

Is this anti-competitive behaviour seeing as NTL have an interest in the IP services we use as it is taking money out of their own pockets.... as they themselves are a Telco and TV provider DESPITE THE FACT WE ARE ALLREADY PAYING FOR THE SERVICE TO USE AS WE PLEASE.

03-03-2005, 12:25	#1
gimpymoo Inactive Join Date: May 2004 Location: Nottingham Age: 48 Posts: 121	NTL's Conflict Of Interests With Other IP Based Services - ANTI COMPETITIVE ? With the Internet now flourishing into something we all know it can be, and other services now becoming more common over the internet such as: * VOIP * Video/TV Over Broadband Is NTL just going to sit back and watch us drop there TV/Phone service and pummel its broadband service for all its worth as we use it for phone calls and wathching broadcast quality TV? Its only a matter of time before TV broadcasters and Freeview channels negotiate to be allowed to broadcast there channels over broadband at a reduced cost than what you can subscribe to on NTL. Example... E4 have plans to go COMPLETELY Freeview by 2006/2007 and they decide to also broadcast over broadband to registered users in the UK ONLY (Allowing for carriage contracts with their content providers of course). This can be done in the same way as ONLY UK Broadband residents can access the BBC Broadband service. ReagrdingVOIP, the quality is VERY good and as a Vonage user, I see no reason why I need to use my NTL line again... aprt from when NTL broadband goes down Is it safe to rule out any "Under-hand" tactics in the future by NTL as more and more of us use IP based services or will they decide to take the difficult route and simply try to COMPETE (I doubt it). Also (without turning this into a capping thread) are they allready limiting what services we use by introducing a cap in the first place ??????? 1gb a day? If we watch 5 hours of broadcast quality TV over broadband... Isnt that a big chunk of that allowance used up... Ignoring data used for VOIP calls, although these are minimal. Im sure if we were to use NTL's TV streaming, the data used would be waived. I am a WWE fan and watch their monthly PPV's online which cost $35 a pop as I can watch them again from any broadband connected PC and also get quiet a few other "classic" matches which equates to about 10 hours of TV a month if I watch it more than once, maybe 2/3 times if freinds come around or if its a good PPV. Its broadcast at 600k and will be increased soon making it near broadcast quality. Is this anti-competitive behaviour seeing as NTL have an interest in the IP services we use as it is taking money out of their own pockets.... as they themselves are a Telco and TV provider DESPITE THE FACT WE ARE ALLREADY PAYING FOR THE SERVICE TO USE AS WE PLEASE.