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

Cable TV: What is the Future?

Options
  • 11-05-2001 7:48pm
    #1
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users Posts: 166,026 ✭✭✭✭


    In 2003, the exclusivity ntl/Chorus enjoy in their respective catchment areas is gone. What will happen then? Will someone captive in a Chorus area be able to have ntl provide service? This question only scratches the surface of this issue, and if anyone has an answer to this and can enlighten on the other issues that arise from the end of exclusivity, I'd be pleased to hear.
    Thanks!


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    icdg
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,521 Mod ✭✭✭✭icdg


    In theory, yes they can invade each others patch after 19th April 2004...

    In practice, exclusivity has ended in UK since January, yet NTL and Telewest have no interest in moving in on each other parts. Laying cable is expensive - as we have just seen in Dublin with NTL pulling the plug (until 2002) on their new network. Even when they restart, it will only be in the highly profitable areas. And NTL already has most of these. Meanwhile, Chorus predecessor company Irish Multichannel gave up laying new cable a long time ago to concentrate on MMDS, (although CMI did an excellent job in Swords/Malahide) and have only recently been upgrading their existing system.

    Personally I believe Chorus will last two years tops (less if O'Reilly gets Eircom) in its present condition, after which UPC or Telewest will probably come in and take it over (NTL has no money to do so). And like the aforementioned Eircom there will probably be a big sigh of relief when the transaction goes through...


Advertisement