US Cable Giant Liberty Global buys Virgin Media

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by Arthurgray50@blu

I believe that this is what customers want, and could be why we have had no new channels.

We have had and will have new channels

[Gavin-D]

Remember any sale is likely to push the debt up even higher from its current estimated £5.7bn worth of debt

[Arthurgray50@blu]

Ben, I know new channels came on today, what l am saying is that VM could hold back on new channels until the sale - which l expect will go ahead- to Liberty.

Its a challenge that customers will get a choice of channels, which we don't get now. As l said in my comment, American cable channels are vast and therefore the competition will be there to keep customers happy - and at the end of the day, that's what brings money in.

Originally Posted by Gavin-D

Confirmed on Sky News now

Virgin Media Eyes Sale To US-Based Cable Firm

Virgin Media has confirmed it is in talks about a possible sale of the company to the US cable group Liberty Global.

Almost 5 millions households in the UK subscribe to Virgin's broadband, television and landline services.

Virgin also has some 3 million mobile phone customers in Britain.

Sir Richard Branson owns a 3% stake in Virgin Media and the company is listed in New York, with a secondary listing in London.

The company's share price soared this morning on news of the late-stage talks, with the price up 14% in early trading.

US-based Liberty Global operates in 13 territories and has sought to expand its base in European countries.

Virgin Media is the second pay-TV group in Britain behind BSkyB, the parent company of Sky News, and has been valued at around $20bn (£13bn).

The talks were confirmed by Virgin Media in a brief statement.

It currently has around $9bn (£5.7bn) of debt.

Liberty has recently increased its stake in Belgian operator Telenet to 58 percent and owns other consumer brandsacross Europe including UPC, Unitymedia, Kabel BW and VTR.

It also owns a content and channels group called Chellomedia.

http://news.sky.com/story/1047765/vi...sed-cable-firm

Neil Berkett will be giving a view tomorrow morning when he announces their results. Reckon he will be hoping it goes through as counts his 180,000 shares. Deserves it though as he is the guy who took the share price from 8 dollars to 40.

Interesting point is that Liberty were the major shareholder in Telewest

[Itshim]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

We have had and will have new channels

I understand your spin but really NEW channels - ok a few. Plus one is not to my mind a new channel . Its welcome by me . but is a time shift , a new epg number, but an "old" channel"

[MovedGoalPosts]

More channels does not necessarily equal better choice or even quality. One also has to accept that many channels have exclusive transmission rights that limit them to one platform or another. Often companies like VM have to pay the provider for the "privilege" of carrying the channel, and that would mean in turn that the fees the subscribing customer pays to VM risk increase.

It's probably too early to tell if a buyout is a good or bad thing for VM and more particularly the consumer. What it does indicate is VM are probably doing something right as a potential owner can see potential profit. The question is what a buyer has to do in terms of investment, to maintain that profit, or alternatively would they risk running the company into the ground and selling off assets?

[Stephen]

Remember its only talks. Doesn't mean anything at all will come of them.

Originally Posted by Stephen

Remember its only talks. Doesn't mean anything at all will come of them.

Financial Times seem to think the talks are quite a way down the road " The deal has not been finalised and could still fall apart. As per the report, the companies could announce the deal in the coming days"

Originally Posted by Bogof

Reading into that it seems Liberty global has $26 billion in debts lol, oh well...

And News Corp has $16.46 billion in debts - standard business practice....

[telfordcable]

Virgin Media go into administration if a deal broke down with Liberty Global. I hope they go into administration, cos serve them right!

[denphone]

Originally Posted by telfordcable

Virgin Media go into administration if a deal broke down with Liberty Global. I hope they go into administration, cos serve them right!

Really l think you need to take a course in business studies dear chap.

[thenry]

telford go away.

---------- Post added at 13:45 ---------- Previous post was at 13:42 ----------

theres a lot the new can do as we know but i hope they dont cut security which has increased lately. infact they could use VMs in Europe if anything.

[MovedGoalPosts]

Originally Posted by telfordcable

Virgin Media go into administration if a deal broke down with Liberty Global. I hope they go into administration, cos serve them right!

That is absolute rubbish, and you know it

A company only goes into administration if it's insolvent, and that would only occur if debts cannot be financed. If you look at even only the most basic of figures you know that Virgin Media in it's current form is viable.

And of course why anyone would want a company to go into administration, with the consequent problems faced by both customers and employees is beyond me.

[Gavin-D]

Looks like they have plenty of HD channels on the Switzerland TV service some of the HD channels are in this country as well on Sky and or VM

http://www.upc-cablecom.ch/en/b2c/tv...ackage=comfort

The " Comfort " pack is the top pack similar to the XL pack VM have

[Kabaal]

Someone seriously needs to ban telford, every post is just trolling.