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Old 14-02-2024, 16:26   #496
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Re: VM General News Thread

8.8% plus the 3.9% CPI. Thats what sky news said this morning
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Old 14-02-2024, 16:52   #497
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Re: VM General News Thread

In which case, Sky are also wrong. It's January RPI + 3.9%.
https://www.virginmedia.com/help/prices

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The amount the monthly subscription charge for your main services will increase by will be the Retail Price Index (RPI) rate of inflation plus an additional 3.9%. This increase will apply to the monthly subscription price you’re paying at that time and to the monthly price payable after the expiry of any applicable offer or discount

The RPI rate will be the January RPI rate that’s announced by the Office for National Statistics in February of that year

If RPI is 0% or less, your price will increase by 3.9%
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Old 14-02-2024, 18:23   #498
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Re: VM General News Thread

It's 8.8% according to sky news Web site five minutes ago
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Old 14-02-2024, 21:31   #499
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Re: VM General News Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pierre View Post
Who will they be?



CityFibre and the altnets ( worst band ever, I have their first album) can’t afford to consolidate.

There will be some, but it won’t coalesce around CityFibre.

VMO2/NexFibre have M&A built into their future business plan.
On the altnets, I reckon Vodafone will gobble them up. But then you'll say, didn't I say that all of those on that list will have a mobile co, which clearly Sky don't have and indeed I did.

I don't believe VM in its current form is long for this world and baring in mind what Sky's owner's main business is, I think the direction is clear. And yes, I know about the regulators, but something will happen.

So, who will the list be, hard to tell. We need to know what is going to happen with BT first. Whether the Germans make their move or Patrick Draghi. But I would say, as shown by the AT&T Warner demerger, do not assume that the current combinations of media and telecoms will last.

So, in terms of networks, (not consumer services) I reckon something like this:

BT/EE networks. (Deutsche Telekom/Patrick Draghi likely buyers)
VM cable network (Comcast) and O2
Vodafone with altnets

---------- Post added at 20:31 ---------- Previous post was at 20:15 ----------

And by the way, I think three separate networks is ridiculous anyway and something I lobbied against many years, not that anyone paid any notice.

For the last three months, every time I walk outside my home, someone is digging up the roads and/or up telegraph poles installing fibre equipment. Different companies... What a waste of bloody money.

There should've just been one network, run by a network operator (call it Netcom..) and lease out the capacity to various companies to offer consumer services. But hey, that boat has sailed long ago.
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Last edited by Horizon; 14-02-2024 at 21:22.
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Old 14-02-2024, 22:14   #500
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Re: VM General News Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Horizon View Post
On the altnets, I reckon Vodafone will gobble them up. But then you'll say, didn't I say that all of those on that list will have a mobile co, which clearly Sky don't have and indeed I did.
Sky isn’t an Altnet. You said that there would be 3no. Companies left. So that would be BT, VM & VF then?

*** Edit: acknowledge you answer that below.***

Vodafone is going to buy CF and all the other altnets? Vodafone that currently doesn’t have any access infrastructure whatsoever is going to buy and integrate dozens of altnets?

I don’t think so.

Quote:
I don't believe VM in its current form is long for this world
what form do you think it will be?

Quote:
So, who will the list be, hard to tell. We need to know what is going to happen with BT first. Whether the Germans make their move or Patrick Draghi. But I would say, as shown by the AT&T Warner demerger, do not assume that the current combinations of media and telecoms will last.

So, in terms of networks, (not consumer services) I reckon something like this:

BT/EE networks. (Deutsche Telekom/Patrick Draghi likely buyers)
VM cable network (Comcast) and O2
Vodafone with altnets[COLOR="Silver"]
By VM (Comcast) are suggesting that Comcast is going to buy Liberty Global?

Quote:
And by the way, I think three separate networks is ridiculous anyway and something I lobbied against many years, not that anyone paid any notice.
On the contrary, 3 networks …works. But no more than that and certainly not the current situation where you have several altnets overbuilding each other.

And buying altnets is not that simple, precisely because they’re over building each other. You could, for example, purchase Grain Connect and G.Network but then let’s say Grain and G.N have overbuilt each other by 50%, that 50% of dead network you don’t need!

Altnet consolidation is a very different beast to the CATV of the 90’s, the CATV companies neve overbuilt each other.

Quote:
For the last three months, every time I walk outside my home, someone is digging up the roads and/or up telegraph poles installing fibre equipment. Different companies... What a waste of bloody money.
100% agree.

Quote:
There should've just been one network, run by a network operator (call it Netcom..) and lease out the capacity to various companies to offer consumer services. But hey, that boat has sailed long ago.
You could have done that, or the Gov could have sold franchises (a bit more difficult than in the 90’s), or there could have been a law that no more that 3 operators in one footprint.
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Old 14-02-2024, 22:32   #501
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Re: VM General News Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pierre View Post
Who will they be?

CityFibre and the altnets ( worst band ever, I have their first album) can’t afford to consolidate.

There will be some, but it won’t coalesce around CityFibre.

VMO2/NexFibre have M&A built into their future business plan.
I agree. I think there's space for the altnets in a few large cities but otherwise the altnets are ripe for Nexfibre to pick them off one by one.

Vodafone is not in acquisition mode nor does it have broadband infrastructure intentions in the UK. Its key objectives at the moment are to merge its businesses in Italy and the UK with competitors to increase its profitability.
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Old 15-02-2024, 00:31   #502
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Re: VM General News Thread

Pierre,

On Vodafone, it already has nationwide fibre infrastructure linking all their masts together. Whether they want to buy the altnets at the moment, who knows. But looking at their competitors, they are the only mobile co without an existing consumer landline network. I don't believe they will remain a standalone mobile co forever.

On VM, it's already got this offshoot company installing fibre all over the place. At some point I reckon VM will fully split into two companies (which already now exist) one being a consumer facing co and one a network company, including the 02 stuff.

On Comcast, no, I don't think Comcast will buy Liberty. Not now. Perhaps a few years ago, but not now. Liberty is clearly being wound down, so I reckon Comcast might bid for the network part of what we currently call VM.

And further, I don't think Comcast and Sky will be part of the same company.
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Old 15-02-2024, 13:55   #503
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Re: VM General News Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Horizon View Post
On Vodafone, it already has nationwide fibre infrastructure linking all their masts together. Whether they want to buy the altnets at the moment, who knows. But looking at their competitors, they are the only mobile co without an existing consumer landline network. I don't believe they will remain a standalone mobile co forever.
Vodafone do have an extensive fibre backbone network, they could go for City Fibre with whom they already have a relationship (which has it's own backbone that it bought from Torch..so that would be a waste of money to VF) but I don't see them picking off all the individual Altnets. Maybe City Fibre first, and then several other Altnets, might work. otherwise I don't see it happening, and it won't be cheap.

Quote:
On VM, it's already got this offshoot company installing fibre all over the place. At some point I reckon VM will fully split into two companies (which already now exist) one being a consumer facing co and one a network company, including the 02 stuff.


On Comcast, no, I don't think Comcast will buy Liberty. Not now. Perhaps a few years ago, but not now. Liberty is clearly being wound down, so I reckon Comcast might bid for the network part of what we currently call VM.

And further, I don't think Comcast and Sky will be part of the same company.
I don't see it happening but time will tell.
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Old 15-02-2024, 17:28   #504
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Re: VM General News Thread

It all depends on who owns what and when.

If BT changes hands and becomes a predominately foreign owned company (whether the government will allow that, is another matter entirely) but if that happens, that entity will push from day one to be rid of all other operators off its network.

And the new BT may have a good case to make, because with other networks out there, BT is not the monopoly provider anymore, so it could argue that why does it have to allow access to its poles and ducts when others don't.

Comcast is and always will be a cableco, first and foremost. Yes, the bosses (like AT&Ts) are enjoying hobnobbing with Hollywood stars, but I reckon that will come to a end, especially when the tech giants make all their moves on Hollywood, as I expect they will do. So, I'm jumping ahead, but I'm asssuming that once Comcast has offloaded its media assets, it may go on the hunt for more cablecos and Virgin Media's network seems an obvious target.

With the altnets, I am 99% sure they will not stay as independent companies, for exactly the same reason why dozens of cable tv companies couldn't remain independent in the end. It's just too expensive. And as Vodafone has no landline network, it seems the obvious way to go for them. But perhaps VM might pick some of them off, who knows. Or/and perhaps Vodafone and Verizon might come back together again.

Specifically on VM, Liberty Global has already disposed of most of its assets and was always nothing more than a holding company for John Malone. He's busy with Warner and all things American and I see LG selling the remainder of its assets off to the highest bidder in the not too distant future. Doesn't have to be Comcast, it could be Charter or a Euro telecom, but I reckon our telcos, as we currently know them to be, will change hands..
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Last edited by Horizon; 15-02-2024 at 17:31.
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Old 15-02-2024, 19:56   #505
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Re: VM General News Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Horizon View Post
It all depends on who owns what and when.

If BT changes hands and becomes a predominately foreign owned company (whether the government will allow that, is another matter entirely) but if that happens, that entity will push from day one to be rid of all other operators off its network.

And the new BT may have a good case to make, because with other networks out there, BT is not the monopoly provider anymore, so it could argue that why does it have to allow access to its poles and ducts when others don't.

Comcast is and always will be a cableco, first and foremost. Yes, the bosses (like AT&Ts) are enjoying hobnobbing with Hollywood stars, but I reckon that will come to a end, especially when the tech giants make all their moves on Hollywood, as I expect they will do. So, I'm jumping ahead, but I'm asssuming that once Comcast has offloaded its media assets, it may go on the hunt for more cablecos and Virgin Media's network seems an obvious target.

With the altnets, I am 99% sure they will not stay as independent companies, for exactly the same reason why dozens of cable tv companies couldn't remain independent in the end. It's just too expensive. And as Vodafone has no landline network, it seems the obvious way to go for them. But perhaps VM might pick some of them off, who knows. Or/and perhaps Vodafone and Verizon might come back together again.

Specifically on VM, Liberty Global has already disposed of most of its assets and was always nothing more than a holding company for John Malone. He's busy with Warner and all things American and I see LG selling the remainder of its assets off to the highest bidder in the not too distant future. Doesn't have to be Comcast, it could be Charter or a Euro telecom, but I reckon our telcos, as we currently know them to be, will change hands..
I was told in November that Verizon was said to be interested in buying all of Virgin Media O2 - but no bid was on table at the time.

https://mediaboyukblog.blogspot.com/...rizon-are.html
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Old 15-02-2024, 20:54   #506
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Re: VM General News Thread

I think VM02 can, I think the phrase north of the border is, 'Get Tae F.' at the end of my contract. There are cheaper out there and equally as speedy BB wise.
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Old 15-02-2024, 21:43   #507
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Wink Re: VM General News Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Media Boy UK View Post
I was told in November that Verizon was said to be interested in buying all of Virgin Media O2 - but no bid was on table at the time.

https://mediaboyukblog.blogspot.com/...rizon-are.html
There was never any talk around the water cooler that Verizon was interested in VM
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Old 15-02-2024, 22:07   #508
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Re: VM General News Thread

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There was never any talk around the water cooler that Verizon was interested in VM
👍 Spot on
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Old 15-02-2024, 22:44   #509
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Re: VM General News Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Media Boy UK View Post
I was told in November that Verizon was said to be interested in buying all of Virgin Media O2 - but no bid was on table at the time.

https://mediaboyukblog.blogspot.com/...rizon-are.html
Your link to this “made up, never going to happen” story, is to your own blog.

There is no link to a verifiable independent source.

Unless I’ve missed it, in which case please point me towards it.
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