NTL:Telewest Scores With Virgin

[ben1390]

NTL:Telewest finally announced completion of its buy-up of Virgin Mobile today after getting the green light from the High Court.

Virgin Mobile's shares have been delisted from the stock exchange. It'll continue serving its four million punters as a separate entity for a while, most likely until early 2007, NTL:Telewest says.

Then, under the licensing arrangement which is a key driver behind the acquisition, NTL:Telewest will begin offering a quadruple-play of broadband, TV, mobile, and fixed phone lines to consumers under the Virgin brand.

NTL:Telewest CEO Steve Burch said: "This...will create a formidable competitor in the UK's fast changing communications and entertainment industries."

Virgin founder and beardy billionaire Sir Richard Branson said: "Today, we've created a unique organisation - a new, soon-to-be-branded Virgin company - which will offer the very finest in 'quadruple'.

"Through our new company, our aim is to offer consumers the very best, most sought-after choice available. You ain't, as the saying goes, seen nothing yet..."

Getting its hands on the Virgin name means NTL:Telewest will have a sexier market presence when the time comes to compete in the impending quadruple-play dust-up with the grunt of Murdoch's Sky, the power of France Telecom's Orange brand, and a still widely trusted household name like BT. The giants are all betting on people preferring to get one bill rather than four.

The Register

[Kliro]

ntl:Telewest have announced today, that the acquisition of Virgin Mobile has been completed. Having received the much needed court approvals, Virgin Mobile’s shares have been de-listed from the London Stock Exchange. Also an agreement that has been previously met, ntl:Telewest entered into a license arrangement to carry the ‘Virgin’ brand over all the companies product services.

ntl also announce that together with the Virgin Mobile acquisition and licensing agreement, it is their absolute intention to create a “powerful new force” with the offerings of quadruple-play, which consists of TV, Internet, fixed and mobile telephony services.

But for the time being – ntl:Telewest state that they will remain as separate organisations and brands, with no change to either companies services and terms and conditions, though their outlook suggests that by the early stages of 2007, they will be able to create a single portfolio of services under the ‘Virgin’ brand.

Commenting on the transaction, ntl:Telewest’s CEO Steve Burch said:


“This is a transformational deal for ntl:Telewest and good news for UK consumers. Virgin Mobile has a justified reputation for being one of the country’s most customer-focused companies. This combined with ntl:Telewest’s portfolio of competitively-priced, cutting edge products, will create a formidable competitor in the UK’s fast changing communications and entertainment industries.”

CableForum

[ben1390]

I should of looked on CF

[Stephen]

Yesterday starting work there was lots of new stuff on the intranet about virgin and even a phone number to call with a recorded voicemail message from Mr Branson himself. I had a listen