ALL Virgin / NTL merger discussion

[ntl.wotcha]

Originally Posted by Stuart C

Actually, I do alright with T Mobile. TBH, with the amount of phones people appear to be buying (we have one of the largest mobile phone markets in the world), I suspect most people don't give a monkey's about cross network charges.

And they probably pay through the nose as a result. More fool them. I guess it really depends on what phones you regularly call. If your mates are on T-mobile you win, if not you lose. Point is, it makes no sense to switch to T-mobile just to get a quad play with NTL(Virgin). Unless of course they give free cross network minutes.

So is it a good business model ? It's a bit like a sandwich shop installing a wine bar, to try and compete with a purpose built wine bar.

Originally Posted by Stuart C

Also, as Chris said, you underestimate the power of branding. Sky (in the early days at least) was inferior to Cable, yet they still succeeded. Why? Initially it was because they had enough money to buy the rights to the Premiere league footy matches, and price everyone else out of the market. Now, they have a good brand. Why can Nike get away with charging 120 pounds for a pair of trainers, when exactly the same pair would cost 30 from a no-name make? Because they have a good brand.

Maybe I do underestimate, I've never been a consumer sheep. IMO, the proof of the pudding will be the quality of the content that the deal brings in. Much in the same way as Sky did with the footy, NTL(Virgin) need to put up a good lineup of VoD/HD content etc. or people will start to see through all the hype.

Wasn't it Malcolm Mclaren (or his dad - i can't recall now) that said "Never trust a hippy"

Sure you have a brand name that everybody recognises but like so much of Branson's flagships (Cola, Train, Air or Mobile) can anybody claim to be happier since he got involved?

Just ordered Sky TV and only a month to go before i go back to bt so i really don't care

[Visitor]

Does this mean our modems will be made by Nokia ?

[Jonathan David]

While Richard Branson is not going to be the chief executive, he will be hands on, thats how he works. IMHO they will have one idea that will be worthwhile and a hit.
Just look at Virgin Mobile? His ploy there, was to stop selling the phone at a reduce and plying that money into cheaper tariffs and talk plans that were suited for a 'trendy' demographic. For example, Virgin mobile sponsers the V Festival.

Breaking News

Might be off now

http://news.independent.co.uk/busine...icle331470.ece

[Mace]

Branson is getting his hands on fottie rights now he is getting together with ntl I see a link there ?

[Russ]

Seems like MSN Money has a view..... http://money.msn.co.uk/investing/Ins...in/default.asp

[jtwn]

I have to declare a personal interest, too. My wife had an NTL account a few years ago, and was over-charged by a sma*closes window*

[Chrysalis]

how long has simon been in charge for then? I thought he was up there back in the nthellworld.com days.

[handyman]

Originally Posted by msn money

NTHell: Meet the website
So just how bad is NTL? There are no precise figures. While the old industry regulator, Oftel, used regularly to release league tables of complaints about telecoms providers, its successor Ofcom does not. NTL was voted second for poor service in a 2004 national complaints culture survey by consultants CMI.
The anecdotal evidence is legion, however. There are even a series of self-help websites, a kind of NTL victims’ anonymous, in which those who have been unable to kick the habit can seek solace and technical assistance from each other, and sometimes through get better access to an answer from the company itself.
One site, NTHellworld.co.uk has an amazing 18,374 members registered to the site. One assumes they wouldn’t be there if they were happy.
Visit NTHellWorld

toot toot nthw back again (boo cableforum)

[injuneer]

If Ntl don't drastically improve their customer service isn't there the danger that this could backfire on the Virgin brand and drag it down? At the moment I think "Old Slapper" would be a more appropriate name for Ntl !!

[BBKing]

this could backfire on the Virgin brand and drag it down

The trains haven't managed it yet

[redpoppy]

Nooooooooooooooo and double nooooooooooooooo. Richard Branson the peoples poet don't do it !!! Not even your mighty hand can turn water to wine, or in Ntl's case, Sh*t into sugar !! How disappointing! Thats it my virgin mobile is going to be replaced before ntl get their hands on it and it stops working or 'computer says no.' What rrrrr u thinking Dick ? Xmas is ruined !!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4508754.stm

Virgin snub NTL's offer

[chandleo]

Just in from Digitalspy:

Virgin Mobile reject's NTL's offer

Virgin Mobile's board unanimously rejected a takeover bid from NTL on Wednesday, saying that NTL's offer of 323p per Virgin Mobile share "materially undervalues" the company.

Virgin Mobile's shares soared to 356p each on Monday after the NTL offer was unveiled; they have since dropped back to 345.5p, but the difference between that price and NTL's offer price clearly influenced the board's decision.

Shares in NTL dropped slightly in the US on Wednesday, closing at $62.44.

Source: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds27063.html

Originally Posted by chandleo

Just in from Digitalspy:

Virgin Mobile reject's NTL's offer

Virgin Mobile's board unanimously rejected a takeover bid from NTL on Wednesday, saying that NTL's offer of 323p per Virgin Mobile share "materially undervalues" the company.

Virgin Mobile's shares soared to 356p each on Monday after the NTL offer was unveiled; they have since dropped back to 345.5p, but the difference between that price and NTL's offer price clearly influenced the board's decision.

Shares in NTL dropped slightly in the US on Wednesday, closing at $62.44.

Source: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds27063.html

You aint stealing my thunder boyo.

for once i got something before anyone else on here

BTW it was posted on DS page 10 hours ago