Liberty Global today announced financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2006. Highlights for the year compared to the results for the same period last year (unless noted), include: • 2006 organic additions of 1.63 million RGUs (540,000 in Q4), a 45% increase over 2005 • Revenue of $6.49 […]
Set-top strategy lifts KDG
Kabel Deutschland (KDG) has said that its new strategy of offering set-top boxes direct to the customer is beginning to pay off. Germany’s largest cable operator lifted its subscriber base by a further 3.6% to end 2006 on 10.031 million revenue generating units. Revenues for the nine month period rose by 7% to €813.2 million. […]
Virgin Media adds 38,500 subs in Christmas quarter
The rebranded Virgin Media has announced its end of year financial results. During a time when NTL and Telewest were still the consumer facing brands, the cablenet added 38,500 net TV subscribers, while 78,100 net broadband customers were also signed up. Churn was reduced to a monthly 1.7% from 1.8% in the previous quarter. In […]
Luxembourg agrees digital cable package
The Luxembourg government has signed an agreement with the country’s cable operators as the country aims to become the first country in Europe to have an all digital TV service. Cablenets in the Grand Dutchy will offer subscribers a selection of 75 international channels. “This agreement prepares the ground for the switch to an all […]
Virgin rejects ‘improved’ Sky offer
BSkyB has suggested that if it is unable to reach an agreement with Virgin Media over the carriage of its basic channels then it should be allowed direct access to the cable operator’s customers. The proposal is similar to the Sky by Wire service offered to IPTV services in the UK where Sky effectively rents […]
New video from the Amsterdam Cable Congress
More videos from the recent Cable Congress in Amsterdam have now been added to the Resources section of the Broadband TV News website. Included are George Stromeyer, Vice-President & Managing Director, Scientific Atlanta Europe; Koen Swings, managing partner, Zappware; Paul Entwhistle, chief technologist, intellectual property, Pace Micro Technology; and Ramin Farassat, vice president, product marketing […]
EC approves Liberty Global control of Telenet
The European Commission has approved Liberty Global’s recently increased and controlling ownership position in Telenet Group Holding NV. As previously announced on November 13, 2006, Liberty Global exercised options that increased the Company’s ownership in Telenet to 28.07%. With today’s regulatory approval, Telenet will be consolidated for financial reporting purposes beginning January 1, 2007 and […]
Virgin secures non-exclusive rights to Lost
Virgin Media has agreed to non-exclusive rights to Buena Vista International Television’s Lost. The extension to an existing agreement with BVITV means that Series 1 and 2 of Lost, screened last year by Channel 4, will be available from the end of August. The third series will be available later this year following the completion […]
Can Virgin drop Sky Three when it’s not being carried?
Virgin Media’s dispute with Sky over the carriage of its basic channels has focused on the flagship channels of Sky One and Sky News. However, there are other Sky branded channels that were not offered even before the current dispute erupted, and these include Sky Three and Sky Arts (the recently rebranded Artsworld). Sky Three […]
BSkyB: “Real possibility of no agreement” in Virgin dispute
BSkyB has issued a robust defence of its negotiations with Virgin Media over the carriage of channels on Virgin Media. “Despite the constructive approach adopted by Sky throughout these negotiations, the recent behaviour of Virgin Media appears at odds with a genuine desire to conclude a commercial agreement and at this time there exists the […]