Video: Liberty Global to move forwards with mobile plans #CC2013

Liberty Global’s plan to roll out a more advanced mobile product in many markets in Europe later this year will allow it to meet demand from a number of its customers for a single bundle from one provider, according to Mike Fries, president and CEO of Liberty Global.

“It’s really a complementary product to our core fixed products and allows us to satisfy certain of our consumers’ needs who want a bundled product…from one provider,” he told DTVE in a video interview at Cable Congress last week.

“We’ve had great success in Belgium and Chile [with mobile] and have a million mobile customers today and Virgin Media has three million mobile customers. Together we’ve got a strong experience base to inch our way into the mobile business cost-effectively and productively and give those consumers who want it a broader experience than us.”

Addressing questions about the rationale for Liberty Global’s acquisition of Virgin Media, Fries said there were both revenue and cost synergies between Liberty Global and Virgin Media, as both buy equipment and content from the same companies.

“We’re in the same business, so I think the synergies are potentially large, and the revenue synergies are large too because they can learn from us and we can learn from them,” said Fries. “We’re in the business of building scale and being more efficient with our balance sheet. There are lots of opportunities there. There are benefits of being bigger, including dealing with regulators,” he said.

He said Liberty Global could benefit from Virgin Media’s experience in business-to-business services and from its wireless experience.

Record-Breaking Results for Cable Congress 2013

Record-Breaking Results in 2013

This year Cable Congress welcomed over 850 senior-ranking attendees from 39 countries.

The high quality of attendees reflected a broad cross section of the industry, with 29% of delegates representing cable operators and service providers, 27% equipment and set top box vendors, 13% content providers. View the full attendee breakdown here.

Cable Congress 2013 came at a time of great activity within the sector and in a city where technology, media and entertainment are leading globally.

Both, Michael T. Fries, President and CEO of Liberty Global, and Neil Berkett, CEO of Virgin Media appeared at the event to talk about their views on the industry and the recently announced merger of the two businesses. Mike Fries, CEO of Liberty Global, told CNBC about plans to enter one of the most competitive and dynamic markets in Europe in an exclusive broadcast interview.

Cable Europe announced fresh data from IHS Screen Digest that showed 5.5% top-line revenue growth across Europe, representing nearly €1bn in new revenues for 2012.

The upward trend is explained by a shift towards digital for customers increasingly relying on the high speed fibre-rich broadband connections for which cable is known as well as the trend of increasingly accessing video content over cable’s high performance telecom networks. Guy Bisson, Research Director at IHS Screen Digest, broke down latest figures and leading trends in cable industry during a CNBC interview and explained why cable providers are extremely well-positioned to capitalize as the industry moves towards content provided over the internet.

For the Cable Congress TV’s executive speaker interviews conducted by Digital TV Europe, visit the event website.

Liberty Global plots cloud Horizon updates, dismisses Netflix threat

Liberty Global is planning updates to its Horizon platform that include a cloud-based interface, and a better remote, CEO Mike Fries revealed, adding that OTT players like Netflix did not pose a competitive challenge.

Speaking at Cable Congress last week, Fries said that, with Horizon, Liberty Global is aiming to establish a platform “that gives consumers no reason to go anywhere else,” and said that while Netflix has taught the business valuable lessons about how users wanted to access content, its business model was challenged.

Fries said that several new features were coming in the next iteration of Horizon. “One will be a better remote. We have a remote that has a keyboard on the back, for example, so you can easily search for things without poking through a screen.”

Fries also said that Liberty would update Horizon’s user interface, moving it from the set top box to the cloud, allowing Liberty to update and manage it over the web.

“Horizon as a concept is here to stay, but Horizon as a technology will evolve. The user interface will move to the cloud. Network PVR elements of it will be enhanced. Things will get smaller. The UI will evolve as well and get slicker. We’ll bring in new apps and pieces to the puzzle,” said Fries.

However, he would not comment on whether Virgin Media would adopt the Horizon platform or stick to its current TiVo offering, on completion of Liberty’s planned buyout of the UK operator.

Cable Industry Looks Forward as 2013 Cable Congress Concludes On High Note

NEWS RELEASE

Cable Industry Looks Forward as 2013 Cable Congress Concludes On High Note

(Brussels, 8 March) After three days of debate and discussion on the future of the cable industry, Cable Congress 2013 concluded yesterday in London by sending a strong signal to operators and partners, competitors, investors, policymakers, regulators and consumers that the best is yet to come.

This year’s Cable Congress came at a time of great activity within the sector and in a city where technology, media and entertainment are leading globally. Both, Michael T. Fries, President and CEO of Liberty Global, and Neil Berkett, CEO of Virgin Media appeared at the event to talk about their respective views on the industry and the recently announced merger of the two businesses. The week began by celebrating another strong year for cable at year-end 2012, with continued strong growth in the core lines of business and an unmistakable tipping point into the digital interactive television universe. As Europe experiences an economic downturn, the health of the industry was a frequently mentioned bright spot, as operators in even the hardest hit countries such as ONO in Spain and ZON in Portugal continue to grow and invest.

Manuel Kohnstamm, President of Cable Europe, commented: “The key takeaway is that our markets are irresistibly moving to greater and greater convergence. Cable’s drive to innovate, change and adapt, to consolidate will create significant value to society and a rich and rewarding experience to the consumer. Regulators must recognize this and take a forward-looking analysis of our fast-moving industry. The European communications industry remains fragmented and will need more transnational and national mergers and acquisitions to stand its ground.”

European Cable Industry Spreads the Love in Digital Capital

(Brussels, 14 February) Cable Europe, the trade association for the European cable industry, today celebrates consolidation and the role it plays in building strong cable players, stimulating healthy infrastructure and promoting competition ahead of its annual flagship industry gathering.

In keeping with the spirit of Valentine’s Day and ahead of Cable Europe’s annual conference with 69% of attendees at C-level, Director and Board Level, Cable Congress, takes place in London from 5-7 March 2013.  We look back over the past decade at how successful pairings have resulted in the consolidation of the European cable landscape. Where Europe once boasted around 10,000 providers, today this number is closer to 7,000 stronger, more efficient and more competitive operators.

Yet, despite the wave of combinations in recent years, the cable industry still remains highly fragmented. It will need further consolidation to compete over the long term and to help meet Europe’s Digital Agenda policy objectives of increased connectivity for consumers.

Cable Europe Executive Chairman Matthias Kurth added:  “Cable’s investment in fibre- rich high speed networks plays an important if not sometimes invisible role in meeting the entertainment and connectivity needs of Europe’s sophisticated consumers. As the unique crossroads of technology and content that keeps us entertained, informed and connected, it’s entirely fitting that this year’s Cable Congress will take place in London, Europe’s undisputed Digital Capital and one of the most connected cities in the world.”

Cable Congress 2013 will feature the launch of new industry data with the contribution of fresh IHS Screen Digest data, the latest trends and an incredible line-up of industry all-stars across cable, content, technology and new media. Highlights include:

• BBC World News Presenter Babita Sharma as Master of Ceremony
• CNN anchor Becky Anderson’s exclusive interview with Liberty Global CEO Michael Fries
• Keynote speech by Neil Berkett, CEO, Virgin Media
• Ed Vaizey, MP & UK Minister for Culture, Communications & Creative Industries
• CEO panel featuring Berit Svendsen, Telenor Norway, Rosalia Portela, ONO and Dana Strong, UPC Ireland
• Lorenz Glatz, CTO, Kabel Deutschland

New content, programme updates and interviews are being added regularly to www.cablecongress.com and don’t forget that 22 February is the last day to submit nomination entries for Cable Europe’s 2013 Fellow and Innovation Awards.