UPC Ireland and VM

[Pierre]

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

Wonder if folding it into VM's corporate structure means that UPC Ireland could use the 'Virgin' brand?

They only dropped 'ntl' from the branding in 2010

As you know the Virgin brand isn't something that is just handed out. certain criteria has to be met before he'll let you use it, and then you have pay him a huge wedge of cash.

Obviously the UPC CEO is already reporting into Tom Mockeridge.

The article doesn't make much sense to me.

I think the "merger" that is suggested, may just be a merger of the balance sheet. I don't see an operational coming together at this time. But what do I know?

[qasdfdsaq]

Originally Posted by Kushan

Indeed. I can tell you that they both taste very different from each other, or at least there's enough of a distinction for you to have a preference. So we're used to the "Same but not the same" thing when it comes to crossing the border.

Speaking of, 3 is a communications provider that has operations on both sides of the border - 3 Ireland launched 4G well before the 3 UK, 3 UK operate separately and have completely different tariffs and propositions. Seems to work fine.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

Wonder if folding it into VM's corporate structure means that UPC Ireland could use the 'Virgin' brand?

They only dropped 'ntl' from the branding in 2010

Would there be any advantage to using the VM brand? Would it add extra customers in Ireland? It would add extra cost in terms of licence fees to Virgin Group but in the long term when hardware and software becomes the same in both countries, there could be savings by having just one brand in the two English-speaking UPC countries.

[Kushan]

Originally Posted by qasdfdsaq

Speaking of, 3 is a communications provider that has operations on both sides of the border - 3 Ireland launched 4G well before the 3 UK, 3 UK operate separately and have completely different tariffs and propositions. Seems to work fine.

And in the south, Gee means something amusingly rude but nobody was confused when EE was advertising with the #4GEE slogan. Made people laugh though.

[Ignitionnet]

Originally Posted by Pierre

I think the "merger" that is suggested, may just be a merger of the balance sheet. I don't see an operational coming together at this time. But what do I know?

Yeah that's exactly how it looked to me, was really just urinating in the wind

Makes total sense for the two to do a bunch of things together - volumes of scale from purchasing, co-operation on architecture, vendor meetings, etc, but to very much retain their own identity on a day-to-day basis.

I know that VM are not following the 'standards' that UPC have elsewhere, indeed UPC has been learning a fair amount from VM.

---------- Post added at 11:01 ---------- Previous post was at 11:01 ----------

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

Would there be any advantage to using the VM brand? Would it add extra customers in Ireland? It would add extra cost in terms of licence fees to Virgin Group but in the long term when hardware and software becomes the same in both countries, there could be savings by having just one brand in the two English-speaking UPC countries.

Not really. Was just positing.

[batchain]

http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/...cle1571464.ece

UPC Ireland, the digital cable provider, is drawing up plans to rebrand the company as Virgin.

Industry sources said the rebrand would cost at least €2m and would give the company potentially a new consumer-friendly brand that would help it develop new areas of business.

[Pierre]

Was only a matter of time.

The honcho of UPC Ireland already reports to the CEO of Virgin Media, and as mentioned before much of the companies finances have already been aligned.

[Kushan]

I still find it interesting that the Virgin Media brand is being used rather than pushing the UPC brand into the UK. Does LibGlob now have permission to use the Virgin name Europe-Wide? Will other countries follow suit or is this just for the UK and Ireland?

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by Kushan

I still find it interesting that the Virgin Media brand is being used rather than pushing the UPC brand into the UK. Does LibGlob now have permission to use the Virgin name Europe-Wide? Will other countries follow suit or is this just for the UK and Ireland?

I think they need to use the Virgin name in the UK until 2037 (But they can stop using the name from 2017 if they want).

It was part of the deal with NTL Telewest took over Virgin Moble.

[Kushan]

Originally Posted by Media Boy

I think they need to use the Virgin name in the UK until 2037 (But they can stop using the name from 2017 if they want).

It was part of the deal with NTL Telewest took over Virgin Moble.

It's a good name and I get why they're keen to use the brand, it's more a case of "UPC" being used in several countries but Virgin Media only being used in one.

I mean, I doubt UPC means anything to most people in the UK but will Virgin mean much in say the Netherlands?

I suppose you could argue that it just doesn't matter.

[Ignitionnet]

ntl Ireland only completed rebrand to UPC in 2010, which alongside the obvious similarities between Ireland and the rest of the British Isles explains much.

It made great sense to have the entire British Isles under a single umbrella and to use the far more widely recognised Virgin name

[Kushan]

True enough, it does make complete sense for the UK and Ireland, I was just musing over the entire European picture.

Originally Posted by Kushan

It's a good name and I get why they're keen to use the brand, it's more a case of "UPC" being used in several countries but Virgin Media only being used in one.

I mean, I doubt UPC means anything to most people in the UK but will Virgin mean much in say the Netherlands?

I suppose you could argue that it just doesn't matter.

They have dropped UPC in Netherlands since the Ziggo buy out. Looks like they are going with the strongest brand in each country.

[Kushan]

Originally Posted by Mr Banana

They have dropped UPC in Netherlands since the Ziggo buy out. Looks like they are going with the strongest brand in each country.

Ahhh, I did not know that. Makes sense, really.

[Pierre]

Plus three letter abbreviations for company names just is vogue any more.