[BIG MERGE] Ntl/TW merger - what if...?

[Florence]

Originally Posted by Pierre

Not alledgedly - fact (AFAIK)

I can only guarantee one thing "when" they merge. There will be a massive power struggle and many good people on both sides will be lost

And the crap left behind who want a free ride no doubt...

[ntl customer]

Originally Posted by Rorschach

Is there a lawyer in the house?

While I think we're (mostly) agreed that the merger would be a good thing, would it not mean that NTelewestL (TM Me!) would have a complete monopoly on CATV.

Surely the Monopolies & Mergers Commision would have something to say about that!

Rorschach.

Thing is don't BT have a monopoly on their lines. Of course you can go with another service provider but you still have to pay your line rental to BT - you can't get the line for free or move it to another provider and then pay them your line rental

[DrAwesome]

Originally Posted by ntl customer

Thing is don't BT have a monopoly on their lines. Of course you can go with another service provider but you still have to pay your line rental to BT - you can't get the line for free or move it to another provider and then pay them your line rental

Guess you have never read this link

[Pierre]

Originally Posted by Rorschach

Is there a lawyer in the house?

While I think we're (mostly) agreed that the merger would be a good thing, would it not mean that NTelewestL (TM Me!) would have a complete monopoly on CATV.

Surely the Monopolies & Mergers Commision would have something to say about that!

Rorschach.

Not really as they effectively already have monopolies in the franchise areas they own. It just means that for TV you will either go with sky,NTelewestL,Freeview. For Telephone/Internet there are a raft of companies out there.

But there will still be two cable companies in the UK NTelewestL and Wight Cable (Wight Cable North)

[Tristan]

Both the regulator and the MMC are likely to get involved, but given that it will only increase competition for the markets leaders in DTV and telecoms (Sky and BT), it will almost certainly be a formality.

[cappy]

ntl and telewest merging has been on the cards for ages an inevitability, it's only circumstances in each company that have delayed it happening sooner. But the wheels been in motion for long time all the signs been there.

[ozziestu]

Lots of people have (rightly or wrongly) had a moan recently about Ntl BB services. Speed upgrades and price increases and the dreaded cap are well documented in this forum and elsewhere but what I havenââ‚ƚ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t read anything about is the potential merger between Ntl and Telewest, particularly regarding proposed package differences and how these would come into line †“ if at all.

So, if the merger DOES happen, what will be the way to go with broadband? Will Ntl increase its speeds to match Telewest? And if that happens and we get 3mb access, do Ntl then follow suit and scrap the download cap for its higher tier customers? Yes pie-in-the-sky at the moment, but what ifââ‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¦.? If †˜industry insidersââ‚à ƒâ€šÃ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢ are to be believed this merger could happen in the not too distant future. So what is the chance of Ntl taking over the Telewest bb section and screwing it up or will it work the other way and a Telewest team (who seem switched on to what consumers want and need from a broadband connection) take the helm and drag Ntl into the real world?

[bigitup_j]

i hope that ntl + telewest have all Internet access under the Blueyonder brand - they seem to have a much better service and people are far more content with the service! unlike jolly old ntlworld !

I think once the merger occurs - I think the majority of customers on both sides will want Telewest BB services to take presidence - I do not think there will be an immediate effect at the change of packages on both sides after the merge, like there wasn't when Ex CW customers became ntl customers. Who knows what will happen but it would certainly be good if ntl customers could have the option of a 3MB connection.

[andrew_wallasey]

How can a specific companies services take presidence?

NTL's has a completely different network. They could keep all products specific to set regions.

You should not count your chickens when you don't know what might happen!

Originally Posted by andrew_wallasey

How can a specific companies services take presidence?

NTL's has a completely different network. They could keep all products specific to set regions.

You should not count your chickens when you don't know what might happen!

Hence why I said 'I do not think there will be an immediate effect at the change of packages on both sides after the merge and Who knows what will happen'.

[andygrif]

Originally Posted by andrew_wallasey

How can a specific companies services take presidence?

NTL's has a completely different network. They could keep all products specific to set regions.

You should not count your chickens when you don't know what might happen!

Because that's what happens in a merger. One company generally takes on the name of the other (usually the larger) and the products get conusmed or merged into the portfolio.

Where there are products that are similar, they are likely to end up as one - as ntl really don't want another fiasco like the one they're just starting to get themselves out of with different prices and products in different areas.

A merger is generally a polite term for a take-over where one company will be the dominant, but there will be some equity swapping and places on boards going down (like Granada/Carlton recently).

There are two options - either take one name or another - or the better option (given the bad press of both cablecos) will be to come up with a snazzy new name for the newco. If any ad agency sees this and uses it - I'll sue for millions - but as we already have 'Sky' would could name the new one 'Ground'!!

As for merging of product line-ups and back-end stuff....well I think we are already seeing some alignment of the products available (like the broadband announcement a couple of weeks ago).

I forsee more of this in the coming months, as the two companies work together for a harmonised offer.

Originally Posted by andygrif

There are two options - either take one name or another - or the better option (given the bad press of both cablecos) will be to come up with a snazzy new name for the newco.

I thought the new name could be ntwest - sure someone mentioned it here, but they can't have the domain ntwest.com its gone.

[Lew]

They could always resurrect the old CableTel brand name

[dev]

even if telewest did take over ntl's bb, it wouldn't make it any better unless telewest upgraded ntls network which would send them way back into the red