NTL/Chorus Branding

rogue-entity

Now that Chorus and NTL are owned by the same company, what is going to happen to the branding on the boxes. I assume that the software will be given a standard look&feel to match the new corporate identity (most likly NTL will be renamed Chorus) and the EPG may change again to standardise on one numbering system (doesn't chorus have 2-digit epg numbers and ntl 3).

I do hope they fix those horrendous problems with the NTL software, the EPG is very badly laid out, while I dont mind the fact that it is a banner on the top, the fact that program titles just get cut off when they are too long is infuriating. For example, "Final Destination 2" would become "Final Destinat" or something.

The tax man

ChNoTruLs:D

No one knows yet.

bk

Well they are both likely to be renamed UPC Ireland, like all of the other LGI companies.

However there recently have been rumours that they might keep the name NTL!!

There has also been talk of standardising the packages across the network, already the Chorus BB products almost exactly match NTL's offerings. Also Chorus are now offering a second digital box for just €5, the same as NTL.

Hopefully Chorus will be moving up to NTL's digital channel line-up rather then vice versa and that will necessitate a 3 number EPG.

paulm17781

upc.ie is reserved too. I think by Liberty Global Inc.

com7

they can nt keep the name ntl , i ve heard they re going to re brand it upc ireland and at the moment there is a big reshuffle at the top with none of the two chief excuitive s keeping their jobs

hakenberg

com7 wrote:

they can nt keep the name ntl , i ve heard they re going to re brand it upc ireland and at the moment there is a big reshuffle at the top with none of the two chief excuitive s keeping their jobs

Indeed

Today directors of both companys were reshuffled and in some instances directors of same title on both sides were given their marching orders.

icdg

Becoming UPC Ireland is the most likely - it would allow them to ditch the rather tarnished Chorus brand, as well as standardising their branding with their sister companies across Europe. "Chello" may also be used for the internet service.

Keeping the Chorus brand would possibly be a second option - it is well known outside Dublin.

Long-term, keeping the NTL brand is (almost) a non-runner. They do not own the rights to the brand and are only using it under licence. I say almost, only if NTL itself ditches the brand after its merger with Telewest. However in the event that they do not manage to buy Virgin Mobile (after which its planned that NTL will adopt the Virgin brand in some form), then the NTL brand will most likely be retained by the enlarged NTL UK, and I doubt NTL Ireland will be allowed use it long term. And even if NTL does start trading as Virgin for the public, it may still want to use NTL as a corporate name.

paulm17781

My guess is they would want to get some major network upgrading done before they rebrand. I would think they want to be seen as a new company, if they rebranded tomorrow they wouldn't be able to offer anything new and would be seen to have the same problems as Chorus/NTL.

patrickmooney

Re the two digit EPG, this isn't a runner as it wouldn't accommodate the 183 available channels on the Digital System.

Sarsfield

I'm inclined to agree with paulm17781. I'd hope to see a re-launch involving a common and improved service in conjunction with a new brand.

Will it be required to replace a huge number of STBs to launch a common service? Something like the replacement of cable modems that's currently going on?

watty

Probabily SW update by cable / MMDs

rogue-entity

AFAIK they wont need to replace the NTL STBs at least not the latest two (the tiny Pace box and older silver one with the black LED panel in the centre. These can easily have their firmware updated. I am not sure about the older NTL boxes (the black ones) or the Chorus boxes.

I just cannot wait for them to update that ugly and awkward NTL software.

bk

paulm17781 wrote:

My guess is they would want to get some major network upgrading done before they rebrand. I would think they want to be seen as a new company, if they rebranded tomorrow they wouldn't be able to offer anything new and would be seen to have the same problems as Chorus/NTL.

I see what you mean about the network, but the network upgrades will be an on going process and will take some time, years perhaps.

I wonder instead will they do the UPC launch when they announce the new faster BB speeds this month.

Maybe add in the launch of a VoIP service so they can finally go triple play.

These might be big enough products to launch the new brand on, without having to wait for the network to be complete.

They seem to have already aligned their BB products, with Chorus going from just one product at 1m to three products at 1m, 2m, 3m (the same as NTL), while NTL dropped the price of theri BB to match Chorus (€25, €30, €40).

Chorus have also dropped their price of a second digital box to €5, the same as NTL.

I'd say it will take them much longer to align the channel lineup of their TV packages, software and EPG used as this will require major engineering work to merge their headends and maybe require an upgrade of the boxes used by customers, this will be long term work and they are likely to keep the two networks separate for the time being.

Irishdudedave

I'd say it going to be UPC Ireland as I just visited the chorus wesite and this is what i got.

Gadgie

If you compare www.chorus.ie with (for example) www.upc.pl you will see they are very similar, with the same pictures used on most menus.

bk

Gadgie wrote:

If you compare www.chorus.ie with (for example) www.upc.pl you will see they are very similar, with the same pictures used on most menus.

It has been like that for the last 6 months. We are all waiting for them to finally move to UPC Ireland.

BTW It is owrth noting that both www.upc.ie and www.chello.ie have been registered by UPC.

paulm17781

enn.ie wrote:

The Irish Independent reports that up to 10 senior executives have left cable companies NTL Ireland and Chorus in the first steps of the merger of the two firms by NTL's new owner UGC. The paper says those making an exit include former NTL managing director Graham Sutherland and Chorus chief executive Phil Friedman. The management shake-up follows the EUR352 million takeover of NTL Ireland by UGC -- which already owns Chorus.

No name information but it seems the merger is getting closer.

paulm17781

I spotted this on the NTL website

NTL website wrote:

About ntl
ntl in Ireland is owned by MS Irish Cable Holdings B.V., an affiliate of Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MWD). The business in Ireland provides a broad range of communication services, including:

I assume they are not bothering to change that site as a new one is going to replace it soon.

bk

paulm17781 wrote:

I spotted this on the NTL website

About ntl
ntl in Ireland is owned by MS Irish Cable Holdings B.V., an affiliate of Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MWD). The business in Ireland provides a broad range of communication services, including:

I assume they are not bothering to change that site as a new one is going to replace it soon.

That is out of date, NTL isn't owned by MS Irish Cable Holdings B.V. anymore, from the LGI website:

Denver, Colorado December 12, 2005: Liberty Global, Inc. ( Liberty Global ) (Nasdaq: LBTYA, LBTYB, LBTYK) today announced that UPC Ireland B.V., following the approval by the Minister of Enterprise Trade and Employment last week, has completed the acquisition of NTL Ireland through its acquisition of MS Irish Cable Holdings B.V. NTL Ireland was subsequently contributed to UPC Broadband, our primary European borrower group.

http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/irol/19/191835/news/NTLi_final_121205.pdf

paulm17781

bk wrote:

That is out of date, NTL isn't owned by MS Irish Cable Holdings B.V. anymore

That's my point. Yet they haven't bothered to change it. I reckon it's because that website will be gone soon.