Editing NTL Incorporated (section)

== Services ==

=== Internet ===

NTL offered [[broadband Internet access]] connections through [[cable television|cable]]. The service operates through SACMs (Stand-alone [[cable modem]]s) and [[set-top box]]es (STBs).

In NTL areas customers could also access a 512&nbsp;kbit/s download-speed; and both NTL and Telewest offer [[dial-up]] Internet services on a pay-as-you-go basis, or at a fixed monthly fee of £14.99 for unlimited usage.

The broadband services did not have a bandwidth-cap or a fair-usage policy; this means that customers have unlimited usage and need pay no extra charges related to the amount of data downloaded. However NTL has admitted introducing [[traffic shaping]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cableforum.co.uk/article/292/ntltelewest-admits-traffic-shaping-on-its-network |title=ntl:Telewest admits traffic shaping on its network |publisher=Cable Forum |date=4 October 2006 |access-date=3 August 2013}}</ref>

NTL started trialling 20&nbsp;Mbit/s, and temporarily upgraded some 10&nbsp;Mbit/s subscribers to this speed in October 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=475832&page=1&pp=25 |title=Have NTL Upgraded 10MB ? |publisher=Digital Spy Forums |date=19 October 2006 |access-date=3 August 2013}}</ref> Furthermore, NTL started conducting trials of a 100&nbsp;Mbit broadband service on its cable network.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telecompaper.com/default.asp?ArticleID=13405|title=Telecompaper|website=www.telecompaper.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Walker |first=Dave |url=http://www.techdigest.tv/2006/02/ntl_trials_100m.html |title=NTL trials 100MB service |publisher=Tech Digest |date=13 February 2006 |access-date=3 August 2013}}</ref>

After trials in the Guildford area from mid-1999, NTL launched its original broadband services at the same time that NTL acquired the Cable business of Cable and Wireless (early 2000). In the "original NTL" (also known as "Langley") areas, NTL has always supplied broadband services via [[DOCSIS]] cable-modems. In these areas the digital television [[set-top box]]es used an incompatible standard, DAVIC.

Initially, NTL decided to terminate service to approximately 90,000 ex-Cable and Wireless subscribers on short notice.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/networking/ntl-pulls-the-plug-on-cwc-internet-users/ |title=NTL pulls the plug on CWC internet users |publisher=ZDNet |date=17 October 2001 |access-date=30 October 2013}}</ref> This threatened to leave customers stranded and without access to their email or websites and was due to NTL's lack of infrastructure capability in some areas. Before termination of services, Boltblue struck a deal with NTL and Cable and Wireless Communications to save 90,000
<ref>{{cite news | last=Welsh | first=James |date=22 November 2001 |title=Boltblue to take on non-cabled customers |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/news/a4291/boltblue-to-take-on-non-cabled-customers.html | newspaper=Digital Spy |access-date=30 October 2013}}</ref> and later an additional 210,000 customers. The roll-out of broadband services in the ex-Cable and Wireless franchises started in mid 2001.

NTL provided ex-Cable and Wireless subscribers with broadband through the set-top box (STB) also used for [[digital television]] services, adopting the rationale that subscribers could self-install. Initially, NTL supplied a "Self Install Kit" consisting of connecting cable, adapters and an install CD. Following demonstrated problems, NTL gradually introduced cable modems and phased out the self-install approach. The [[Pace Micro Technology|Pace]] STBs proved highly problematic, exhibiting two major flaws.

Firstly, large numbers of connections (for example, those with [[peer-to-peer]] (P2P) software) would cause the connection to slow down and eventually freeze the modem part of the STB (also required for interactive TV services, which suffered a similar effect when downloading). Customers in these circumstances had to re-boot the STB.

Secondly, the single processor and sharing the internal modem between television and broadband services made the television part of the box slow and unresponsive, for example making it extremely difficult to change channel using the remote. This became particularly evident when using the lower "Tiers of Service" such the 128&nbsp;kbit/s downstream 64&nbsp;kbit/s upstream, as the digital television set-top box without broadband service actually enjoyed a 256&nbsp;kbit/s upstream.

Although capable of higher speeds (up to 4&nbsp;Mbit/s), NTL did not make speeds higher than 1&nbsp;Mbit/s available due to degradation of the DTV service.

NTL eventually replaced the Pace set-top boxes with [[Samsung]] models that used a dual-processor architecture, overcoming the shortcomings of the Pace, and capable of much better downstream performance. However, with the advent of higher "Tiers of Service" of 10&nbsp;Mbit/s downstream and higher, plus the reducing cost of NTL's cable modems (supplied by Ambit Broadband) NTL now supplies all subscribers with cable modems.

The NTL network runs through transparent proxy servers. Up to 15 server addresses host each area. These transparent proxy servers also override the user's [[hosts file]] and prevent manual [[Domain name system|DNS]] updates. This makes it easier for NTL to provide a more reliable connection as well as being able to monitor traffic requirements in each area. This also causes many problems for websites which record IP addresses to ban and/or track users. This means that if a website bans one offender, it bans everyone in the same area. Also, many on-line games automatically ban IP addresses with multiple usernames associated with them. Small-scale games do not cause too many problems, but when friends attempt to spread the game around, the system prevents everyone (including the original player) from using the game.
On the other hand, advanced users can easily create a large number of illegitimate accounts on the aforementioned websites, allowing one user both to prevent all other users on the NTL network using the game, as well as to become untraceable.

NTL has used MAC addresses to track and register customers to the NTL internet service. As NTL had not supported the use of routers, or Xbox on the minority Set Top Box based Broadband Internet service, users had to use a clone MAC address feature to connect to the Internet when using an STB. This has become a common problem for people wishing to connect their Xbox to the existing internet connection through a router or PC connected to their STB, if they fail to use the official registration process. (These comments do not apply to the majority (>90%) use of cable modems).

=== Television ===

The digital television service, which launched in 2000, offered a number of products including true [[video on demand]], a [[Personal video recorder|PVR]], and [[HDTV]]. On 1 September 2006, NTL introduced the FreeTV digital package to its telephone subscribers free of charge. However, value-pack customers lost their value-pack discounts if they integrated the FreeTV deal into their existing packages.

==== PVR and high definition services ====

{{Main|TV Drive}}
NTL launched [[TV Drive]], its [[High-definition television|high-definition television (HDTV)]] and personal video recorder ([[Personal video recorder|PVR]]) service in [[Glasgow]] and [[Teesside]] on 16 November 2006.<ref>
{{cite press release
 | title = ntl customers to experience high definition TV
 | publisher = NTL
 | date = 16 November 2006
 | url = http://www.ntl.com/mediacentre/press/display.asp?id=876
 | access-date = 7 December 2006}}
</ref> The service relied on the service of the same name offered in NTL's Telewest areas, and used a new PVR set-top-box, with three tuners and a 160[[Gigabyte|GB]] [[hard disk]] for up to 80 hours' recording. The presence of three tuners meant that the TV Drive could record two channels at the same time while the user was watching a third.

==== Video on demand ====

NTL started to roll out its [[Video on Demand]] (VoD) service branded "NTL On Demand", using the Teleport system on Telewest's network. In contrast to [[Sky (UK & Ireland)|Sky]] which, due to technical limitations, could only provide near-VOD services, NTL On Demand provided a true VoD system. The service allowed customers of NTL digital television to download programmes as and when they wanted to watch them from servers at the customer's local [[Cable television headend|head-end]]. As the broadcaster automatically stored content on NTL's servers, it removed the need to pre-record many programmes. Users could search through a large library of programmes and watch them when they wanted to as part of their subscription. This library included a free 7-day watch-again feature for TV programmes produced by the [[BBC]], [[Channel 4]] and [[Living TV Group|Flextech]]. NTL also offered other television shows, films (service branded [[FilmFlex]]), and music videos, mostly for an additional fee. The VoD service also provided HD content that would work in conjunction with the TV Drive PVR.

==== Fixed-line telephone ====
NTL also provided telephone services to its customers, as the second-largest{{clarify|date=June 2016|reason=by what measure?}} fixed-line telephony provider in the UK, behind [[BT Group|BT]], who until 1984 held the monopoly on fixed-line telephony services in the UK. In 2003, revenue from mobile lines became greater than the fixed-line telephone revenue.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/a907d5fc-64ff-11da-8cff-0000779e2340 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/a907d5fc-64ff-11da-8cff-0000779e2340 |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=NTL seeking power of Virgin brand|website=Financial Times|access-date=2020-03-06}}</ref>

==== Premium TV ====

Premium TV was a subsidiary of NTL. It purchased stakes in [[Rangers F.C.]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/ntl-signs–glasgow-rangers-for-pound31m-713122.html|title= NTL signs Glasgow Rangers for £31m|date=14 June 2000|access-date=23 December 2009 | work=The Independent | location=London | first=Our | last=City}}{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> [[Celtic F.C.]], [[Aston Villa F.C.]], [[Middlesbrough F.C.]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/multi-platform/news/ntl-takes-stake-in-middlesbrough/1192617.article|title=NTL takes stake in Middlesbrough|publisher=Broadcastnow|date=28 March 2000}}</ref> [[Newcastle United F.C.]] and [[Leicester City F.C.]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pressoffice.virginmedia.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=205406&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=935500&highlight=|title=NTL announces media partnership and loan agreement with Leicester City FC worth £12.5&nbsp;million|date=8 June 2000|publisher=Virgin Media: Press Office|access-date=23 December 2009}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The investments included interest free loans to the clubs to act as their exclusive agent for the sale of media sponsorship, advertising and publishing rights across all media platforms, including ownership of the clubs live television and radio rights.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2000/jan/26/7|title=NTL's stake in Villa opens way to bid for live football|work=The Guardian|date=26 January 2000 | location=London | first=John | last=Cassy | access-date=27 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/oct/22/citynews.broadcasting|title=Newcastle rewrites Premium TV deal|work=The Guardian|date=22 October 2003 | location=London | first=Owen | last=Gibson | access-date=27 May 2010}}</ref>

Premium TV operated and fully funded Boro TV for Middlesbrough F.C. from February 1998.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/multi-platform/news/boro-tv-faces-closure/1026731.article|title=Boro TV faces closure|publisher=Broadcastnow|date=4 July 2005}}</ref> Boro TV Extra was added in August 2001, taking advantage of the relaxation in the TV rights regulations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportbusiness.com/news/100145/boro-first-to-take-advantage-of-new-tv-rights-regulations|title=Boro first to take advantage of new TV rights regulations|publisher=SportBusiness|date=1 August 2001}}</ref> Both channels were closed in July 2005 after NTL withdrew funding.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/middlesbrough/4641295.stm|title=Boro television channel to close|publisher=BBC Sport|date=1 July 2005}}</ref>

In March 2000, news broke that NTL would spend more than £200 million ($316 million at the time) for a decade-long deal to own exclusive worldwide television and internet streaming rights to the events at the "Super 12" group of horseracing courses. This involved deals with BBC, Channel 4, and NTL's own Premium TV networks.<ref>{{cite news |title=Around the World - NTL |url=https://archive.org/details/multichannel-news-international-march-2000/page/n35/mode/2up |access-date=12 May 2024 |work=Multichannel News International |date=1 March 2000 |page=36}}</ref>

On 14 June 2000, NTL won the rights to show 40 live [[Premier League]] matches on a pay-per-view basis for three years, beginning at the start of the 2001–02 season. NTL would pay approximately £109&nbsp;million per annum for the rights. NTL pulled out of the deal on 18 October 2000, claiming that it was "unable to agree final terms".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pressoffice.virginmedia.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=205406&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=935444&highlight=|title=Negotiations between NTL and the FA Premier League for pay-per-view rights cease|publisher=NTL|date=18 October 2000}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The failure to complete the deal, led to a lack of confidence in their proposed 2005 joint bid with ITV plc.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/premier-league-chairmen-dismiss-itvntl-proposal-510895.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090913091325/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/premier-league-chairmen-dismiss-itvntl-proposal-510895.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 September 2009|title=Premier League chairmen dismiss ITV/NTL proposal|work=The Independent|date=18 October 2000 | location=London | first1=Nick | last1=Harris | first2=Saeed | last2=Shah | access-date=27 May 2010}}</ref>

On 19 June 2000, NTL entered into a joint venture with [[The Football League]] to set up an internet portal for all 72 clubs. Under the terms of the deal, NTL would pay rights fees of up to £65&nbsp;million over five years, with all participating clubs sharing in the profits of the joint venture, with a variable term in the region of 20 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pressoffice.virginmedia.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=205406&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=935496&highlight=|title=NTL wins Internet rights for Football League|publisher=Virgin Media|date=19 June 2000}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Premium TV was eventually able to set up 78 football club websites after adding its partially owned clubs.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/mar/14/newmedia.broadcasting|title=Flextech sales arm goes it alone|work=The Guardian|date=14 March 2002 | location=London | first=Owen | last=Gibson | access-date=27 May 2010}}</ref> The deal had with The Football League had to be renegotiated in September 2002 after NTL could no longer afford to pay its instalments. The League clubs would now receive £5m and an 80-per-cent share of all future revenue earned by the venture until the total amount reaches the original figure of £35m.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/sep/27/newmedia.broadcasting|title=Clubs forced into cut-price web deal|work=The Guardian|date=27 September 2002 | location=London | first=Owen | last=Gibson | access-date=27 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2003/mar/12/newsstory.sport6|title=League play down internet deal fears|work=The Guardian|date=12 March 2003 | location=London | access-date=27 May 2010}}</ref>

NTL, through Premium TV, launched the [[ITV News Channel|ITN News Channel]], a joint venture with [[ITN]], on 1 August 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brandrepublic.com/Discipline/Digital/News/127932/ITN|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120730233004/http://www.brandrepublic.com/Discipline/Digital/News/127932/ITN|url-status=dead|archive-date=30 July 2012|title=ITN to launch news channel with ntl.|work=Press Gazette|date=28 June 2000}}</ref> In June 2002, Carlton Television and Granada Television – the predecessors of ITV plc – bought out ITN's 65-per-cent stake. This led to a rebrand as the ITV News Channel in September 2002. In April 2004 the newly created ITV plc bought NTL's remaining 35-per-cent stake to assume full control of the channel.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=25672&sectioncode=1|title=ITV buys out NTL to take control of News Channel|work=Press Gazette|date=30 April 2004}}</ref>

Premium TV also oversaw NTL's 49-per-cent share in pay-per-view movie service Front Row, in joint venture with Telewest and NTL's 48.1-per-cent stake in interactive television technology and games firm, Two Way TV.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qtadvisors.com/cs-twoway.html|title=Two Way Media (formerly Two Way TV) (2003–2004)|publisher=Quest Turnaround Advisors|access-date=26 December 2009|archive-date=10 November 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101110091241/http://www.qtadvisors.com/cs-twoway.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Premium TV also operated Lions TV between June and August 2001, covering [[2001 British Lions tour to Australia]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/digitaltv/news/a2977/lions-tv-available-on-ntl-digitalplus.html|title=Lions TV available on ntl digitalplus|work=Digital Spy|date=29 May 2001}}</ref> The channel showcased eight, one hour 'behind the scenes' programmes to be made by Premium TV.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pressoffice.virginmedia.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=205406&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=935431&highlight=|title=NTL lines up with the biggest sporting event of next summer|publisher=Virgin Media|date=15 December 2000}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Premium TV also provided the funds to create programming specifically for the UK feed (British Eurosport) of the pan-European channel [[Eurosport]]. It did not have a stake in the sports channel, but got a share of revenue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.broadcastnow.co.uk/broadcastnowArticle.aspx?intStoryID=98209&strSearch=|title=More than a road digger?|publisher=Broadcastnow|date=21 March 2001}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Premium TV planned to launch a live sports channel in September 2001 called British Sport, which would have combined archive footage from the BBC with live coverage of rugby union, basketball and ice hockey. Premium TV dropped its plans after realising it could not compete with other sports broadcasters, such as ITV and BSkyB. Instead Premium TV chose to launch a channel with the working title of Classic Sport, offering classic BBC sports footage from the ''[[Grandstand (TV series)|Grandstand]]'' archives, the channel never materialised.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2001/nov/08/broadcasting.bbc|title=BBC opens sports archives in cable deal|work=The Guardian|date=8 November 2001 | location=London | first=Dan | last=Milmo | access-date=27 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2001/dec/19/broadcasting2|title=Classic Sport channel shelved|work=The Guardian|date=19 December 2001 | location=London | first=Dan | last=Milmo | access-date=27 May 2010}}</ref> The [[Ice Hockey Superleague]] issued a high court writ claiming damages of up to £10m from the company, after its £1m-a-year TV deal was cancelled at short notice. The Superleague settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/ice-hockey-fans-hold-the-key-for-a-game-on-the-slide-613630.html|title=Ice Hockey: Fans hold the key for a game on the slide|work=The Independent|date=10 October 2002 | location=London | first=Nick | last=Harris | access-date=27 May 2010}}{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

Premium TV was spun-out of NTL's UK cable operations and into NTL Europe Inc. in 2002, as part of a rescue plan devised by Barclay Knapp. Premium TV was placed under the control of the crisis and turnaround advisory group, Quest Turnaround Advisors. Quest negotiated commercial contracts with joint venture partners to eliminate £43&nbsp;million of parent company guarantees and generated $10&nbsp;million cash through restructuring. At the same time, Quest doubled paid subscribers to 75,000, cut staff by 50-per-cent, and broke even within 15 months of taking control. The business was then sold for $54&nbsp;million to [[Access Industries]], who merged it with Inform Group in 2007 to create Perform.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2009/10/06/football-crazy/|title=Football crazy|publisher=Broadband TV News|date=6 October 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qtadvisors.com/cs-ntleurope.html|title=PTV, Inc. (formerly NTL Incorporated) (2003–2008)|publisher=Quest Turnaround Advisors|access-date=26 December 2009|archive-date=10 November 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101110091206/http://www.qtadvisors.com/cs-ntleurope.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>