The Bloke in the PUB says .........

slowcoach · 11-04-2008, 23:48

With so much lack of real information I thought it was time I had a word with “The Bloke in the Pub” again.
His words not mine, so don't shoot the messenger.

First, VM, negotiated their current loans before the credit crunch became evident, renegotiating when the loan period ends is going to be a real problem, VM will have to show tangible improvements to their, so far, lacklustre performance in order for even the most enthusiastic lender to give them a second look.

Sky has the best TV/Movies contracts sewn up leaving VM the option of being a reseller with all the pitfalls that entails, being held to ransom on price etc..

BT is moving to VOIP so will be able to be much more competitive in the future as regards normal phone service.

Virgin Mobile is just a reseller business, so not much scope there.

Broadband, the jewel in VM's crown.

With just a relatively small investment, compared to what BT would have to spend, VM can leave other UK broadband providers eating their dust. VM would have the broadband upper hand for many years to come.
Due to lack of cash, VM will have to do a balancing act until all the upgrades to the network are completed, hence the STM.
VM are working on the fact that if there is a light at the end of the tunnel customers will hang in there.
VM requires that the cash, and more if possible, keeps on coming in each month in order to complete the improvements as soon as is possible. Super deals for new customers will be the order of the day as this is new money.

The Master Plan:
STM times may change in order to facilitate the network upgrades occurring with the least impact on users.
Currently 4Mb/s customers are being temporarily upgraded to 10Mb/s, the 4Mb/s service will then be discontinued.
A new 50Mb/s will soon be made available.

The order that the following changes will occur is still in debate.
The 2Mb/s service will be discontinued with customers upgraded to 10Mb/s.
Original 4Mb/s customers will be upgraded from 10 to 20Mb/s.
Original 20Mb/s customers will be upgraded to 50Mb/s.
When all upgrades are completed the intention is to remove the STM altogether.

Prices envisaged post upgrades are:
10Mb/s = £18
20Mb/s = £25
50Mb/s = £37
50Mb/s may be initially priced more when it is introduced until all the upgrades are completed.

Well, that's the information “The Bloke in the Pub” has gleaned by diligently going through the waste baskets, and as history has shown in the past, it's as reliable a method as any other.

the-cable-guy · 11-04-2008, 23:53

if you chatted to him in the pub then were you not drinking no ?

slowcoach · 12-04-2008, 00:10

I had a swift one

Actually the way things are tonight with my broadband I would have been better staying at the pub.
Friday night used to be really good speed wise, I guess everyone is staying in more these days.

the-cable-guy · 12-04-2008, 00:11

not being funny mate but if you'd been drinking then how can you remember all of that ?

Zee · 12-04-2008, 00:14

Interesting... lets see what happens in the future

GreyWolf · 12-04-2008, 00:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by slowcoach

The Master Plan:
STM times may change in order to facilitate the network upgrades occurring with the least impact on users.
Currently 4Mb/s customers are being temporarily upgraded to 10Mb/s, the 4Mb/s service will then be discontinued.
A new 50Mb/s will soon be made available.

The order that the following changes will occur is still in debate.
The 2Mb/s service will be discontinued with customers upgraded to 10Mb/s.
Original 4Mb/s customers will be upgraded from 10 to 20Mb/s.
Original 20Mb/s customers will be upgraded to 50Mb/s.
When all upgrades are completed the intention is to remove the STM altogether.

Prices envisaged post upgrades are:
10Mb/s = £18
20Mb/s = £25
50Mb/s = £37
50Mb/s may be initially priced more when it is introduced until all the upgrades are completed.

Would it not be prudent to tell there current customers that this is the plan, if we are to believe the above quote....

If customers knew VM plans then surely most customers would stick it out till the upgrades are completed rather than VM loosing hundreds if not thousands of customers, which would mean longer delays for the necessary upgrades....

Thanks for the info.

Druchii · 12-04-2008, 00:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by the-cable-guy

not being funny mate but if you'd been drinking then how can you remember all of that ?

Oddly he's proved to be at least a bit useful, and in some cases correct in the past IIRC.

the-cable-guy · 12-04-2008, 00:19

im not trying to have ago far from it. however i find it hard to believe all of this from some random guy down the pub & a fella that had been drinking at the time who can then remember it all. if it was me i wouldnt be able to remember it all, even more so after id been drinking.

**Rob** · 12-04-2008, 00:23

And of course regarding debt, a number of posts have appeared on financial sites suggesting some sort of refinancing might again be on the cards for Virgin Media, with a further release of new stock devaluing the existing holdings

12-04-2008, 00:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by the-cable-guy

im not trying to have ago far from it. however i find it hard to believe all of this from some random guy down the pub & a fella that had been drinking at the time who can then remember it all. if it was me i wouldnt be able to remember it all, even more so after id been drinking.

Because some of us can handle our drink?

Also, for 50mbit the trial price was £47/month and it had been widely believed (and confirmed by some) that it will also be the price upon release.

the-cable-guy · 12-04-2008, 00:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob

And of course regarding debt, a number of posts have appeared on financial sites suggesting some sort of refinancing might again be on the cards for Virgin Media, with a further release of new stock devaluing the existing holdings

? are these old NTL Telewest debts that they acquired when they brought them ?

---------- Post added at 00:26 ---------- Previous post was at 00:25 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by TraxData

Because some of us can handle our drink?

Also, for 50mbit the trial price was £47/month and it had been widely believed (and confirmed by some) that it will also be the price upon release.

sorry but i still find it hard to believe.

**Rob** · 12-04-2008, 00:32

Virgin Media is just the current brand name. The company is still the old ntl:telewest or a parent company part registered in the state. Thus the organisation has a lot of historic debt to be financed, whatever the public branding.

12-04-2008, 00:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by the-cable-guy

? are these old NTL Telewest debts that they acquired when they brought them ?

---------- Post added at 00:26 ---------- Previous post was at 00:25 ----------

sorry but i still find it hard to believe.

Not all of us go out to drink to get so wasted that we cant remember what we did etc you know.

bmxbandit · 12-04-2008, 00:37

As rumours go, that sounds very plausible... but given the timescale upon which 10MB is being rolled out, I can't imagine it happening much before xmas.

the-cable-guy · 12-04-2008, 00:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob

Virgin Media is just the current brand name. The company is still the old ntl:telewest or a parent company part registered in the state. Thus the organisation has a lot of historic debt to be financed, whatever the public branding.

oh ok then thanks for the info :o)

---------- Post added at 00:42 ---------- Previous post was at 00:42 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by TraxData

Not all of us go out to drink to get so wasted that we cant remember what we did etc you know.

i never said that did i