Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

UPC Ireland to re-brand as Virgin Media

Options
245

Comments

  • Options
    #32
    icdg
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,512 Mod ✭✭✭✭icdg


    Sunday Times in an aside in a piece on the artist formerly known as Eircom says rebrand will take effect on 1st October.


  • Options
    #33
    StonyIron
    Closed Accounts Posts: 409 ✭✭StonyIron


    icdg wrote: »
    Sunday Times in an aside in a piece on the artist formerly known as Eircom says rebrand will take effect on 1st October.

    Hmm... Did they write that from London?!


  • Options
    #34
    icdg
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,512 Mod ✭✭✭✭icdg


    I don't see that matters in the context of this thread but since you ask, it was written by Brian Carey, Irish Business Editor.


  • Options
    #35
    StonyIron
    Closed Accounts Posts: 409 ✭✭StonyIron


    icdg wrote: »
    I don't see that matters in the context of this thread but since you ask, it was written by Brian Carey, Irish Business Editor.

    It's just that its old news. The rebrand of Eircom took place days ago, not at a future date in October. Just a little surprising for a major business paper - from the post above I read it as the Sunday Times said the Eircom rebrand is in Oct.

    I may have misinterpreted the post.


  • Options
    #36
    owen09
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭owen09


    MarkY91 wrote:
    Horizon is the worst thing I've ever owned..They better release s better main box lol

    MarkY91 wrote:
    Yeah I figure they'll just rebrand it and leave t at that for the time being at least.


    They are bringing in a new modem a really good one and new equipment, I think they know by know not to use Samsung for networking!


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #37
    StonyIron
    Closed Accounts Posts: 409 ✭✭StonyIron


    owen09 wrote: »
    They are bringing in a new modem a really good one and new equipment, I think they know by know not to use Samsung for networking!

    Unknown what new equipment they'll bring in. Horizon has been rebuilt on another plaform and Liberty are rolling it out in some markets.

    TiVo is also due an overhaul so, I can't really see Virgin replacing Horizon with an old platform.

    Some of the TiVo boxes are also built by Samsung.

    Virgin use Netgear routers rather than Cisco but, Liberty is very, very fond of Cisco and virgin has only relatively recently been acquired so that may change too.

    My sense is that Virgin will be moulded more into a Liberty subsidiary. The ex UPC Ireland CEO was brought in as their change manager etc etc.

    It makes no sense for Liberty not to use their scale and R&D capabilities as one of the world's largest cable companies.


  • Options
    #38
    icdg
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,512 Mod ✭✭✭✭icdg


    StonyIron wrote: »
    It's just that its old news. The rebrand of Eircom took place days ago, not at a future date in October. Just a little surprising for a major business paper - from the post above I read it as the Sunday Times said the Eircom rebrand is in Oct.

    I may have misinterpreted the post.

    To say it again - as an aside in an analysis piece (a full pager) on the rebranding of Eircom to Eir (which took place during the week), the Sunday Times reported that the rebranding of UPC to Virgin Media will take place on 1st October. It makes sense within the context of the piece concerned.


  • Options
    #39
    lertsnim
    Registered Users Posts: 9,717 ✭✭✭lertsnim


    lawred2 wrote: »
    Well Virgin are not overly slow on investment so this can only be a good thing

    It will be the same company but under a different name. It was UPC who bought Virgin Media in the UK, not the other way around.


  • Options
    #40
    StonyIron
    Closed Accounts Posts: 409 ✭✭StonyIron


    lertsnim wrote: »
    It will be the same company but under a different name. It was UPC who bought Virgin Media in the UK, not the other way around.

    Well, Liberty Global. UPC is a subsidiary.

    It would seem odd though to have Horizon, a Liberty Global developed platform removed in favour of something bought in from a 3rd party.

    It would be a major indictment of the whole Horizon project.


    Liberty's drive is not to be just a dumb pipe provider. They saw Horizon as key to being a content provider.

    Version 1 is from 2012 and starting to seriously show its age though.


  • Options
    #41
    Delta2113
    Registered Users Posts: 2,667 ✭✭✭Delta2113


    http://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/quad-play-virgin-media-prepares-for-ribbon-cutting-1.2363413

    Richard Branson -jetting in to Dublin.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #42
    StonyIron
    Closed Accounts Posts: 409 ✭✭StonyIron


    Delta2113 wrote: »
    http://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/quad-play-virgin-media-prepares-for-ribbon-cutting-1.2363413

    Richard Branson -jetting in to Dublin.

    Since the article mentioned it, Virgin Media actually removed the Union Jack from their branding last year both because of this and because it was actually stupid branding for any company operating in Northern Ireland.

    Branson is effectively a mascot rather than anything of significance in this. The brand is simply licenced from Virgin.

    The company is 100% Liberty Global as UPC has been since day one. The big change has been for Virgin Media in terms of structure, not UPC.


  • Options
    #43
    aphex™
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,338 ✭✭✭aphex™


    Delta2113 wrote: »
    http://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/quad-play-virgin-media-prepares-for-ribbon-cutting-1.2363413

    Richard Branson -jetting in to Dublin.

    I wonder will he pick up a woman for this one?


  • Options
    #44
    StonyIron
    Closed Accounts Posts: 409 ✭✭StonyIron


    aphex™ wrote: »
    I wonder will he pick up a woman for this one?

    He'll have to carry Craig Doyle and discuss why he's "putting up with ordinary broadband."


  • Options
    #45
    Delta2113
    Registered Users Posts: 2,667 ✭✭✭Delta2113


    You can see more of the woman in Home & Away weeknights on RTE2.


  • Options
    #46
    7upfree
    Registered Users Posts: 2,124 ✭✭✭7upfree


    Delta2113 wrote: »
    http://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/quad-play-virgin-media-prepares-for-ribbon-cutting-1.2363413

    Richard Branson -jetting in to Dublin.

    Sloppy reporting again. UPC stands for United PanEuropean Communications. Not United Philips as in this "report".


  • Options
    #47
    Delta2113
    Registered Users Posts: 2,667 ✭✭✭Delta2113


    http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/united-pan-europe-communications-nv-history/

    - Maybe re-read the article and above link to be really clear.


  • Options
    #48
    StonyIron
    Closed Accounts Posts: 409 ✭✭StonyIron


    7upfree wrote: »
    Sloppy reporting again. UPC stands for United PanEuropean Communications. Not United Philips as in this "report".

    It originally stood for United Philips Communications as Philips had a stake in the original UPC in the Netherlands. It sold it to Liberty a long time ago though.

    The article mentions this... Nothing sloppy about it.

    UPC as a brand is also gone in its original market, it's now Ziggo in NL.

    It seems they're less concerned about a single European brand all of a sudden.


  • Options
    #49
    7upfree
    Registered Users Posts: 2,124 ✭✭✭7upfree


    StonyIron wrote: »
    It originally stood for United Philips Communications as Philips had a stake in the original UPC in the Netherlands. It sold it to Liberty a long time ago though.

    The article mentions this... Nothing sloppy about it.

    UPC as a brand is also gone in its original market, it's now Ziggo in NL.

    It seems they're less concerned about a single European brand all of a sudden.

    It does. But that isn't what UPC stands for now - or for years.


  • Options
    #50
    Wabbit Ears
    Registered Users Posts: 3,042 ✭✭✭Wabbit Ears


    7upfree wrote:
    Sloppy reporting again. UPC stands for United PanEuropean Communications. Not United Philips as in this "report".


    Nope, sloppy posting of incorrect information that is freely available on the Internet. The P does stand for Philips.


  • Options
    #51
    StonyIron
    Closed Accounts Posts: 409 ✭✭StonyIron


    7upfree wrote: »
    It does. But that isn't what UPC stands for now - or for years.

    They were just giving the history. The article mentions both.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #52
    The Cush
    Registered Users Posts: 15,481 ✭✭✭✭The Cush


    UPC
    "United and Philips Communications" (UPC) was formed in 1995 between United International Holdings, Inc. (re-named UnitedGlobalCom in 1999) and Philips Electronic N.V.s to combine their cable holdings in twelve European countries and operate as a 50/50 joint venture. In December 1997, United acquired the remaining 50% of the ordinary shares held by Philips and the company was re-named "United Pan-Europe Communications N.V.". Following this acquisition, UPC became a nearly wholly owned subsidiary of United, except for approximately 7% of the stock held by a foundation to support employee stock option plans. In February 1999, UPC went public. Subsequently, United's ownership has reduced to about 53.3% (common class A stock), which are held through United's wholly owned subsidiary United Europe, Inc. As of end-March 2001, Microsoft Corp. has an interest of approximately 6.3% (common class A stock) in UPC.

    A brief summary of what happened here in Ireland -

    - In June 2005, Liberty Media International merged with UnitedGlobalCom, creating Liberty Global. UPC Ireland came into being after the acquisition of ntl/Cablelink and became part of UPC Holding B.V., Netherlands.
    - In December 2004, UnitedGlobalCom (United Pan-Europe Communications N.V. (UPC)/UGC Europe) acquired Princes Holdings/Chorus Communications for approx. €120 million from its majority shareholder Liberty Media International.
    - In Mar 2004, Liberty Media acquired the remaining half of Princes Holdings Limited from Independent Newspapers. Princes Holdings owned 100% of Chorus Communications (cable/MMDS franchises outside Dublin/Galway/Waterford).
    - In Jan 2004, Liberty Media acquired a majority stake in UnitedGlobalCom, Liberty Media International was later spun off (including UCG and other cable interests)
    - In 1998 TCI (Liberty Media) bought out UIH's (later UnitedGlobalCom) 25% share of Princes Holdings (Irish Multichannel). Rebranded Chorus Communications in 2000 following the acquisition of Suir Nore Relays and CMI Cable.
    - In 1992 Princes Holdings was formed as a 50:50 joint venture between Independent Newspapers (Independent Wireless Cable Ltd) 50% and US Telecommunications companies UIH (later UnitedGlobalCom) 25% and TCI (Liberty Media) 25%.
    - In 1999 Independent Wireless Cable (an Irish Independent Newspapers company) were awarded 7 MMDS licences as East Coast Multichannel. (They also held minority shareholdings in Cork Communications (Cork Multichannel) and Westward Cables (Westward Multichannel/Horizon Multichannel) when they were awarded 4 and 7 MMDS licences respectively).


  • Options
    #53
    7upfree
    Registered Users Posts: 2,124 ✭✭✭7upfree


    Wabbit Ears wrote: »
    Nope, sloppy posting of incorrect information that is freely available on the Internet. The P does stand for Philips.

    and Pan Europe.......:)


  • Options
    #54
    icdg
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,512 Mod ✭✭✭✭icdg


    I think we're going round in circles on that one, with the rebrand happening on Thursday maybe it's time to start looking to the future rather than the past


  • Options
    #55
    The Cush
    Registered Users Posts: 15,481 ✭✭✭✭The Cush


    On a related issue, talks between Liberty Global and Vodafone on a possible "asset swap" have ended without agreement. Virgin Media was seen as a possible target for Vodafone in the quad play market.

    http://advanced-television.com/2015/09/28/vodafone-liberty-global-end-asset-swap-talks/


  • Options
    #56
    JDxtra
    Registered Users Posts: 5,867 ✭✭✭JDxtra


    It's October 1st ...anything happen yet? Social accounts, web site etc. all still UPC this morning. Only sign of it is a PR Twitter account.

    https://twitter.com/VirginMediaIEPR


  • Options
    #57
    Wabbit Ears
    Registered Users Posts: 3,042 ✭✭✭Wabbit Ears


    Huge press thing going on this morning


  • Options
    #58
    0ph0rce0
    Registered Users Posts: 3,917 ✭✭✭0ph0rce0


    "Each of our 500,000 customers will get a free 3 month pass to Virgin Mobile"


  • Options
    #59
    JDxtra
    Registered Users Posts: 5,867 ✭✭✭JDxtra


    New web site launches October 5th.


  • Options
    #60
    0ph0rce0
    Registered Users Posts: 3,917 ✭✭✭0ph0rce0


    Take a screen of the prices and services now, i have a feeling we'll see some sneaky increases somewhere :D


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #61
    0ph0rce0
    Registered Users Posts: 3,917 ✭✭✭0ph0rce0


    UPC's existing customers will get the new Virgin Media mobile service for free for three months and €25 after that.


Advertisement