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[chrisgixer]

Where are they getting their money from?

I didn't think they where particularly well off as a company. Or am I confusing them with the appalling service we've had through open reach, with their obviously decrepit and shagged out phone line network.
Renting out their line to isp's then charging them to fix it does seem like a good money spinner.

But then open reach are completely separate to BT, aren't they!


More over, I refer to the HUGE sums of money paid for tv rights to show champions league football on their new spangly tv channels.

[tunnie]

I think BT were a little shocked we bid around a third of what they did. Sky is pumping a lot of money into buildings and infrastructure at the moment. Huge new studios, other buildings. Apprantly the latest one just started is going to be gigantic, one of the biggest in London for floor space!

Share price was hit when they won, but it's very quickly on the rise again. Mainly short term investors, we were told.

Thing is, BT spent a billion on those rights, Sky could have spent that, instead it could just double the marketing budget, spend more on home brew entertainment, or give us all a massive pay rise. I'm hoping for the later

[Marks DTM Calib]

BT have known for some time what the future of media is, the whole of the 21CN strategy was based on it (which many, not all though, are seeing the results of now).

There actualy a pretty good solid business and the only viable option for a business wanting networking etc (which is where the money is).

The future of media is streamed video, its as simple as that, these dodgy satellite dishes have but a limited future, Sky know this and hence why they are investing in the apps etc. 

But BT have BY FAR the largest network so its win win for them, hence to buy the rights for what they did is a pretty shrude investment, it will be interesting to see what they get subscriber wise.

[chrisgixer]

It seems imbalanced to me, but then I know nothing, hence the q...

BT only have two channels on rivals tv networks. Are they obliged to air BT 1 and 2? Plus it seems a massive spend for just two channels.

On the other hand, they're all in each other's pockets to an extent anyway.

[tunnie]

The future of media is streamed video, its as simple as that, these dodgy satellite dishes have but a limited future, Sky know this and hence why they are investing in the apps etc. 

That's good my new job focuses on the streaming

So far Sky's churn rate has continued to be the same, no big drop off yet...

[Varche]

Where are they getting their money from?

I didn't think they where particularly well off as a company. Or am I confusing them with the appalling service we've had through open reach, with their obviously decrepit and shagged out phone line network.
Renting out their line to isp's then charging them to fix it does seem like a good money spinner.

But then open reach are completely separate to BT, aren't they!


More over, I refer to the HUGE sums of money paid for tv rights to show champions league football on their new spangly tv channels.

Oh where to start!

Even though BT was emasculated by the government of the day (selling off its Mobile of all things, freeing up access to its painstaking and costly to instal network) Bt is still a giant of a worldwide company. Worth about £30 billion  and is one of the top 100 listed companies in Britain. Read a bit more here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BT_Group

They are currently investing vast amounts of money on 21CN.

For me it is nice to see a company giving Sky a run for its money and providing a bit of competition. (sorry tunnie ). The future is media over fibre optic at speeds way, way over what most people see now (and I can only dream of). 

Instead of spending billions on marketing I wish Sky would build a handset that lasts more than a year before buttons go faulty. They do have a lot of good things but handsets aren't one of them!

[Marks DTM Calib]

Fibre optic is neither needed or cost effective, you only need 2-4mbs for decent quality (Sky HD equivalent) video.

Many challenges associated with fibre to the home 

[Varche]

Fibre optic is neither needed or cost effective, you only need 2-4mbs for decent quality (Sky HD equivalent) video.

Many challenges associated with fibre to the home 

I remember the marketing guy for Diamond cable assuring me there wasn't a business case for Cable Modems(600k) many years ago. Who wants them and what would they use them for? Same with 1000 Meg links.

[Rods2]

Conventional TV will be largely dead in 10 years where we will move to TV on demand over the Internet. Fall off from cable and satellite companies is already happening in the US. NFL and many other programs are now available on demand.

Sky are investing in new studios, infrastructure as an ISP and IP to become a bigger content provider as these are going to be the winners in the future. The transmission company will be your ISP, satellite, terrestrial broadcasting and dedicated cable TV channels will be dead, Sky know it and are keeping ahead of the game. Other companies that don't will disappear.

There is currently a massive fight for your living room with MS Xbox, Sony Playstation, Samsung TV, Amazon, Google and in the future Apple TV along with several startups all fighting for this new market and market share. Google are investing massively in a Fibre network in the US and I think it is St Louis where they have now wired the city with Fibre as a test bed for their new technologies and content.

Digital content has profoundly changed many industries including newspapers, book publishing, record distribution, camera and film manufacturers, travel agents, high street box shifters etc, etc. This revolution is set to continue where there are many new technologies on the horizon that are going to change our lives. I suspect in the future it is going to about the strength of your brand and marketing to customers to get them to your website to buy their entertainment. Part of this change will mean all sporting bodies selling to us direct. Things will become cheaper for consumers as many more sources of programs become available and you will only pay for what you want, not for the current packages for the 2% you want to watch and the 98% that you don't. I think unless commercial TV companies and the BBC up their game and embrace these changes to provide added value to external programme makers, they will lose them where they will either join the new companies that have control of your living room or website based entertainment aggregators, where this will make them more money where they are more directly connected to their customers.

Interesting times lie ahead, where how the Internet is going to change our lives has only just started. 

I suspect the above inflation line rental charges that we have seen in the last few years including more in January are subsidising their new ventures. So little old ladies that want to keep contact with their friends and families are subsidising the few percent that want the BT sports etc. VOIP in the next few years will mean that we no longer pay for fixed line or VOIP to wi-fi hotspot mobile calls. I don't think it is a sustainable model long term unless they invest in producing their own IP.

I suspect the TV licence will disappear as an antiquated unenforceable system with the BBC either funded from general taxation or by becoming a commercial enterprise. They are certainly doing themselves no favours with their handling of the Savile affair, big pay offs to staff and their consistant left-wing bias and fanatical support of minority views. 

[darrenfos]

The only people losing out with bt/sky are the viewers i pay around £60 a month for sky + football and in 2015 i will have to pay that + bt sport which will go up because of champions league, at the mo i get it all in one with sky. so i reckon it will cost me £100 a month because of them being separate bt wont stay at the same price with champions league it will rocket. i mean its a disgrace take the boxing on sat night, i pay for the whole sky sports package and yet i will have to pay extra to watch it. and last season you got a premiership lunchtime game on a Saturday now it's championship or league 1-2. but my bill goes up every year?

[albitz]

Just cancelled sky here. Very poor value these days imo.
I have no interest in the technological revolution Rods speaks off, but if it means the Bolshevik Broadcasting Corporation loses the licence fee viewing tax, then bring it on. The sooner the better.

[bored bigyin54]

wont use BT or SKY again they are both a rip off

[Varche]

Just cancelled sky here. Very poor value these days imo.
I have no interest in the technological revolution Rods speaks off, but if it means the Bolshevik Broadcasting Corporation loses the licence fee viewing tax, then bring it on. The sooner the better.

And that is the problem. Or at least the problem for our generation.

The kids of today live on their handy. Not just texts but Internet stuff, Twitter and Facebook and who knows what else. And that is the point when you can invite your mates round to have a virtual 3D projected on the village green shoot em up with another gang 3000 miles away OR star in your own version of a popular film etc etc that is what is going to need real bandwidth

In fifty years time the world will be clearly divided into dummies who gain their succour and fleeting knowledge via the Internet. A very few people will actually be smart and keeping it all rolling(hopefully).

[chrisgixer]

wont use BT or SKY again they are both a rip off

Yes Rolf, we know you don't like them.

Personally I think they are both excellent value for money.

[MR MISTER]

wont use BT or SKY again they are both a rip off

Yes Rolf, we know you don't like them.

Personally I think they are both excellent value for money.

He does like omegas though.