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

[kronas]

Originally Posted by Mick

Who knows what will happen but it would certainly be good if ntl customers could have the option of a 3MB connection.

yep, we dont know what 'would' happen if the merger happened, but it would be 'good for business' if NTL adopted telewest's tiered broadband system, i think it would make NTL more competative.......then i come back down to reality in NTL's thinking of a 'missed oppertunity' going by again

[seaneeboy]

It's all a case of business organisation and marketing - the basic networks are going to remain in their current form - Like in NTL there are both the langly and bromley platforms - does anyone know if the telewest network is similar/easily converted to one or other of these platforms?

Chances are we'll have a minimum of two networks, probably three - the actual likelyness of the individual networks going wrong isn't likely to change!
That said, the way the rest of the company is run WILL change. policy will be merged, the things like speeds (which have already been kind of standardised) will be negotiated between marketing and technical - there's no point in taking all the good bits (uncaped service, 3meg speeds) if part of the network will collapse under the strain.

As for branding, I must say I had a wee giggle to meself when I thought it could be called ntllywest. It just sounds a bit funny

I imagine for a while it will be called NTL:Telewest, then a big rebranding will be done 6months to a year after the merger, costing about £2milli on. No reason why it shouldn't work, as long as they do it right!

[Shaun]

Shame TW can't afford to just buy Ntl out.

[threadbare]

I would imagine if they do merge telewest will be swallowed up by ntl. they call the telewest region ntl: telewest for a while then they'll drop the telewest moiker altogether.

there will probably be a gradual alignent of services. if there is call for 3 meg service for ntl customer then I am sure they will do it. I would imagine it won't be for a while yet though as there has been little uptake of ntl's 1meg service

[seaneeboy]

The point I was (rather convolutedly, admitedly) trying to make was that the actual structure of the network means it doesn't matter *WHO* owns it, it's still going to go wrong for the same reasons - it's just the way that it's managed to be fixed when it *does* go wrong that would change...

... that said, that wouldnt be a bad thing

If 3meg is popular on Telewest and they can continue to provide it without any detriment to the network, they'll keep it, but only roll it out across everyone if the network can take it. otherwise it'll stay "Only available in some regions"

Those regions being ex-TW, of course...

[SMHarman]

My general knowledge on the area.

One of the NTL networks (the e CW) is built on the same underlying structure as TW. This is why many thought TW would have been the better buyer for CW as they would have been able to integrate the networks. The NTL (Cabletel) network is being migrated toward this infrastracture, but a migration of that much hardware and software takes time.

Most mergers fail to work as they are for the wrong reasons. I cannot see wrong reasons in this merger. Would it make sense to have BT operating in parts of the country and say Mercury (remember that) operating in others. The country is small enough that a single cable operator will not be a competitive threat with sky and freeview as competition.

Of the names NTL makes more sense from a corporate level than Telewest. National Television (transmissions whatever it was) Ltd or Telewest, but the operate in the North, South and East too! Cabletel is an interesting thought as pointed out above, the tel being television or telephone, but it does not have any broadband indications.

Ground, nice thought, but Sky has that "blue sky" thinking about it, a sense of freedom etc, ground, well you can see the financial headlines. Grounds expansion plans grounded. Grounds share price comes plummiting back to earth.

Post merger it will initially be buisiness as usuall for a good while. NTL and CW merged a long time ago and for the DTV transmission teams I imagine little has changed.

First will be integration and centralisation of call centres, billing etc This is now happening at NTL. I imagine that this structure will be used in the brave new world of Telenet ((c) SMHarman) See Telephone, Television and Network (BB). Harmony was probably designed to be scaled up to nationwide use.

Next the network integration will commence - probably at least 18 months post merger, and of course when all possible (not all) TV broadcast is using the same end user software.

That would be my strategy. But for 6-9 months you will see nothing as it will be planning phase. 9-18 months nothing but your bill might look different and behind the scenes you will be routed to different call centres etc. 18+ months strategic network changes.

[zovat]

Originally Posted by SMHarman

That would be my strategy. But for 6-9 months you will see nothing as it will be planning phase. 9-18 months nothing but your bill might look different and behind the scenes you will be routed to different call centres etc. 18+ months strategic network changes.

I think that this sort of timescale would make sense...

There is a lot of different technologies to merge together - not least the accounting systems and the backend servers (NTL and Telewest have different Server technology IIRC).

I would envisage an announcement in the near future, as I have friends in telewest who are openly discussing how some of this may be achieved (with the usual "if we were to merge..." caveat.

I think the actual network changes would start at approx 18-24 months and last for a good 24 months, as there are a lot of "green boxes" out there, and they would all need to have the same work done on them.

The Headend sites would logically be the first to be aligned, then they would need to rollout to the various local ditribution points, then on to the green boxes, then to the homes (assuming the cable at those extremeties would need modifying).

That said - I am probably completely wrong about everything

[Defiant]

Why do I get the feeling its only NTL customers that wont this merger. I dont know anyone on Telewest who wonts it to go ahead.

[Chrysalis]

because telewest customers are the one's with something to lose, they currently have better product's.

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by Defiant

Why do I get the feeling its only NTL customers that wont this merger. I dont know anyone on Telewest who wonts it to go ahead.

The financial markets want / expect this merger, they can see the operational synergys alongside a comprehensive UK wide marketing strategy, rather than this "if you live in a Telewest Cable Broadband area", it will be if a cable passes your front door call this number.

It's a frustration for a potential customer to workout who his provider is to call them, when just calling the one Sky number will do the same trick and well a BT line is probably already installed. Inertia is a benefit for NTL, Sky and BT.

[MovedGoalPosts]

Originally Posted by SMHarman

The financial markets want / expect this merger, they can see the operational synergys alongside a comprehensive UK wide marketing strategy, rather than this "if you live in a Telewest Cable Broadband area", it will be if a cable passes your front door call this number.

It's a frustration for a potential customer to workout who his provider is to call them, when just calling the one Sky number will do the same trick and well a BT line is probably already installed. Inertia is a benefit for NTL, Sky and BT.

Marketing costs will certainly be much more cost effective. Freuently we hear Telewest radio adverts. They have all the positive "I want it" vibes. Ntl has by comparison a very low profile. In my area, ntl, I'm very close to a Telewest franchise. As a result I often get the freebie newspapers with telewest advertising stuffed through my door. It makes me go green with envy.

[MetaWraith]

I'd rather there was a proposed merger with (takeover by) Honda.

What if things just worked.................

[MovedGoalPosts]

Originally Posted by MetaWraith

I'd rather there was a proposed merger with (takeover by) Honda.

What if things just worked.................

lol - someone gets taken in by advertising, those big budgets aren't a waste of time then

[MetaWraith]

Originally Posted by MovedGoalPosts

lol - someone gets taken in by advertising, those big budgets aren't a waste of time then

Taken in ? Hardly.
Was more in the nature of a sarcastic wish list.

[inthewildteam]

Just a thought, as an ex Nynex, ex CoCo, NTL customer....

Lets give a thought to the "front-line" staff from the call centres to installers to engineers. they are the guys (in the American sense.. sorry girls) who hold the company together and who I as a customer have dealings with. If TW and NTL do merge, lets hope that they get a good deal from it first.

I generally get a good service from NTL staff, lets hope any further changes look after them first. If they are happy, us customers will be too.