Steve Hooker: Telewest backgrounder

Telewest goes live with 2Mb service

Mon, 12 May 2003 09:17:06 GMT

"£50 per month."

£25 for 0.5Mb, £35 for 1Mb. I was expecting £45 for 2meg. Anyway I think I'll get me some of that Blueyonder self care ordered here.

Wed, 07 May 2003 20:53:52 GMT

Dateline announces Telewest iTV service launch. newmediazero May 6 2003 3:32PM ET [Moreover - Search results for... telewest] Can't get to the page, subscription required. Have to my eye on this. It could be webTV.

More jobs to go at Telewest as write-offs push loss to £2.2bn

Wed, 02 Apr 2003 21:17:12 GMT

Telewest's blueyonder nears 300,000 subscriber mark

Fri, 28 Mar 2003 14:16:56 GMT

"The cable company indicated that 31,000 of its 297,000 high-speed internet subscribers were on a 1Mbp/s service. In addition Telewest still has 280,000 dial-up internet customers. The 1,500 places on the 2Mb blueyonder pilot scheme were snapped up by the company's 1Mb customers within just 12 hours, Telewest said."

Two Megs? Damn, nobody told me about that!

The Register had the story yesterday: "Telewest is considering an increase in the number of people it will take on its 2Mb broadband trial after all 1,500 places were snapped up in just a few hours. "

Europemedia: Telewest begins wireless broadband trials

Thu, 13 Mar 2003 14:01:35 GMT

"Telewest Broadband has begun trials of a new wireless broadband connection, enabling customers to access its blueyonder broadband internet services via a wireless access point and their digital set-top box. The new self-installation pack is being trialled with the companyâs existing digital TV (DTV) customers in the North West and makes use of cable modems embedded in set-top boxes. The pack also utilises a pre-configured Netgear wireless access point and enables a connection suitable for either 512kbp/s or 1Mbp/s blueyonder broadband services. " I wonder what price this is?

Sat, 08 Feb 2003 21:49:53 GMT

For the first time ever, I'm at the top of the board. Two big hitters are currently replacing a senior FSM. They, I guess, are spending less time knocking doors. Thus they are out of the picture, but still not very far away [Bal's at 5th with 71 and Stu 11th with 54pts.

Stu did the presentation of the board. And then I realised that all the attention was to be on me as he called out from the bottom.

Nice, I get loud claps and bangs on tables. As look around the room [I only see half the reps, and I ain't going to look around - gotta look nonchalant] and I see genuine, congratulatory smiles. This is nice, I think, as I smile to myself.

Digital Spy: Telewest starts up gaming consultancy

Fri, 31 Jan 2003 22:27:59 GMT

"NGC (Telewest) has entered into a consultancy service and technology transfer agreement exclusively with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. Telewest is assigning five specialists from its ISP arm, blueyonder broadband, to the venture. The venture hopes to create premium gaming services for PS2 broadband users, including:

Leagues, ladders and tournaments for players
The chance to play across all networks in Europe
Moderation, buddy lists and server management functionality
"

Digital Spy: Telewest STB broadband install price announced

Fri, 31 Jan 2003 22:21:03 GMT

"Telewest Broadband has today unveiled a new self-install option for customers wanting to sign-up to broadband internet with the company. Customers who take the company's digital TV service can opt to buy a self-install kit for £12.50 to hook their computer up to the digital TV set-top-box (STB) via an ethernet interface. The STBs already contain a cable modem, which is utilised for two-way interactive services. After asking for the pack, customers should receive it within forty-eight hours. Both 512kbps and 1Mbps service levels are available through the STB."

Wed, 29 Jan 2003 00:26:14 GMT

A "walk in the park," area

I've won new cards. Lots of them. "Special, valuable these are," we are told. I spend a day there, everybody wants it, none can have it.

At first, I wonder if the juiciest section of my cards, are these blocks. Typical! Eleven, count them, I've never seen anything like them, eleven 'first name never nevers' as we call them. I put rectangles around mine, with big asterisks. Eleven out of eighteen. I get one every four sheets usually. Sometimes two on one sheet. Usually means they've applied and were turned down for some reason, usually stupid mistakes, bad credit.

After a while I speak to a solitary passer-by; he lived there, thinks one is still there some 'old harry' I think he said. "Waiting a bungalow. Not going anywhere else."

The place is simply amazing. Just about each flat has at least one window broken. I count them, to see if there is at least one door I'm able to knock. Eleven 'first name never nevers, and another four on the next sheet.

Passer-by told me the way up. I saunter past it and wonder what would be "up the steps, round the outside."

I wander around the back looking for numbers. There's more of the same the other side, another block. More. I see over one side, a workman carrying boards for windows talking to someone. Later two geezers with dark coats, tight hair cuts, striding my way. On a mission, no doubt. I see big white letters in place of the white handkerchief, "COURTS." We smile, I think, "I'm cool - I've got a badge." They're not after me. "Amazing," I say. They nod. We look around in awe at the wastefulness, and depravity of mankind. I share the spectacle for a minute with the knuckleheads. "Amazing," I says, "I gotta knock these." Chuckles and giggles and guffaws. "Nobody here, any more, mate. Nobody, nomore" I read out the street name on my sheet, "that's over there, the houses." Oh, good. More of same the people who still live around here, I say. And head off, once more about my business. Knock, knock. From Telewest, can I come in a minute? Cheers. Sniff.

I discover the remnants of... the people who once lived in the flats. Here, a door which has had several letters stapled to it.

Courts, I had in my mind. Drugs says Amanda. I wonder, a price list? :-)

I wonder, this could be a door to hell.

I swap the cards today. One day's enough, lots would want them, they're special.

Scut for knobs, anybody, get 'em while they're hot.

I do well today, all triple plays, credit cards, direct debits - good customers, nice people, in four hours, knocking bungalows and semis. Missed the rain and home in time for the family, back from their cousins' Christening.

Tue, 21 Jan 2003 20:04:50 GMT

Stu Knight, not in my team but another big hitter. Must get a shot of him smiling, looks like he's going to nut me in this pic. Again Abdul is in the background, how does he do that?