Will VM be short for Vodafone Media?

[Horizon]

At least we know why the Virgin Media name is absent from the EPG in the latest software change for TIVO....I can easily see VM becoming Vodafone Media, yes.

Vodafone and Liberty have been competing for cable assets, so it makes sense for the two to combine. Malone has been quoted as saying he wants to do one last big deal before retirement, so perhaps this is it.

I've always said on this forum and others, that we'll end up with 3, or perhaps 4 companies all offering tv, broadband, landline phone and mobile and other media too. Perhaps looking something like this:

BT, O2, ITV
Sky, Talktalk, EE
Vodafone, Virgin Media

In related news, Vodafone is looking to buy Tesco's video streaming service Blinkbox:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/n...V-service.html

[muppetman11]

How would a tie up of Sky , Talk Talk and EE work ? Wouldn't they be the largest ISP by some distance ?

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by jb66

No virtual operator on EE used 4g, tesco and gift gaff use 02

Giff Gaff is just an O2 brand so not a virtual operator.
Virtual networks Asda Mobile, Life Mobile (part of Phones4U but just acquired by EE) and Virgin Mobile do not offer 4G.
But:
BT Mobile is on the EE network and offers 4G. At the moment, it is only available to businesses. We don't know if it will offer 4G to consumers, and I guess the launch of BT Mobile to retail customers may now never happen unless it rebrands an acquistion.

[Horizon]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

How would a tie up of Sky , Talk Talk and EE work ? Wouldn't they be the largest ISP by some distance ?

There is only one network, BT's, which reaches every home in the UK. VM passes around 50% of UK homes. I think Sky/TalkTalk could make an argument that if they build a consumer fibre network of their own, this would put them in a weaker position financially and so need the scale of the merger to make it workable.

I note that on CityFibre's network in York, Sky and TalkTalk are working together with CityFibre and between the three of them are funding the fibre network out to residential consumers there. Perhaps this may be the start of wider cooperation between the companies.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

How would a tie up of Sky , Talk Talk and EE work ? Wouldn't they be the largest ISP by some distance ?

Such a combination would need the approval of the Competition and Markets Authority. Broadband market share would be an issue - Sky has 20%, TalkTalk 15% and EE3%. This would give them a dominant position of 38%. With Vodafone's service not launched and VM only available in half the country, this would create a BT-Sky duopoly in half the country. (Remaining 2014 market shares are BT 31% and VM 20%, others 10%. Per Ofcom http://media.ofcom.org.uk/facts/)

[Horizon]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

Such a combination would need the approval of the Competition and Markets Authority. Broadband market share would be an issue - Sky has 20%, TalkTalk 15% and EE3%. This would give them a dominant position of 38%. With Vodafone's service not launched and VM only available in half the country, this would create a duopoly with BT in half the country.

If they were to build their own network and only offer their services on that network hence giving up the right to use BT's. Perhaps that would ease competition concerns as it could give another company the opportunity to pick up their FTTC/ASDL2 customers.

I think there needs to be a serious competitor to BT and the only real way that can happen is by using a totally separate network and infrastructure to BT's.

[muppetman11]

Anyone know the breakdown of FTTC customers by ISP ?

Personally I'm not convinced competition in this side of the market is working.

[Arthurgray50@blu]

I wish someone would buy virgin mobile, as there service / and staff are pure rubbish

[denphone]

Originally Posted by Arthurgray50@blu

I wish someone would buy virgin mobile, as there service / and staff are pure rubbish

Well Arthur there is a choice out there if you are not happy.

[spankysmagicpian]

Vodafone are slightly in bed with Sky at the moment with NowTV being offered on their mobiles. Is it a one night stand though?

Originally Posted by Arthurgray50@blu

I wish someone would buy virgin mobile, as there service / and staff are pure rubbish

What a lovely person you are, would you like to be called pure rubbish?

Seeing as its now integrated into Virgin Media, someone would have to buy the whole thing

[Pierre]

It would seem Arthur's love for the hard working person, is not for everyone.

Originally Posted by Pierre

It would seem Arthur's love for the hard working person, is not for everyone.

Also interesting that it's all the staff rather than the ones he has been in contact with.

Strange that, I needed to speak to them on Friday night and they were great.

[Ignitionnet]

Originally Posted by Horizon

If they were to build their own network and only offer their services on that network hence giving up the right to use BT's. Perhaps that would ease competition concerns as it could give another company the opportunity to pick up their FTTC/ASDL2 customers.

Absolutely no chance in hell of that happening.

---------- Post added at 20:45 ---------- Previous post was at 20:44 ----------

Originally Posted by muppetman11

Anyone know the breakdown of FTTC customers by ISP ?

Personally I'm not convinced competition in this side of the market is working.

No, beyond that BT have the overwhelming majority of them via the BT Infinity brand, with a large proportion of the remainder belonging to the BT owned Plusnet.

Competition isn't working there because the major competitors, Sky and TalkTalk, have all-copper LLU infrastructure they want to sweat for as long as possible so have been reluctant to get into FTTC while BT have pursued it aggressively.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Horizon

If they were to build their own network and only offer their services on that network hence giving up the right to use BT's. Perhaps that would ease competition concerns as it could give another company the opportunity to pick up their FTTC/ASDL2 customers.

Giving up the right to use BT's network does not give you carte blanche to over-ride the principles of the Competition & Markets Authority. Not that building another network from scratch would be viable or quick anyway.