Rumour - Sky to buy TalkTalk?

[Scubbie]

There are a few things to consider on the technical side for such a merger, but I wasn't present on the forums to know what happened last time Sky bought out an ISP.

I does occur to me though that TalkTalk will have their own backhaul and core network. I would have thought that it wouldn't be impossible to upgrade these systems to work with Sky's network. The backhaul would be required as doubling the number of subscribers overnight would swamp Sky's network. The servers might require an upgrade, but this shouldn't be technically impossible.

Also all the TalkTalk customers will have their own TalkTalk routers and non-TalkTalk routers. Sky would need to supply the 4 million TalkTalk subscribers with a Sky router at some stage. That is a lot of additional Sagem 2504Ns to produce!

The hardest thing to come from such a merger would be various redundancies. The front-line staff would very much remain unchanged initially, but various HR and payroll staff would no longer be required.

[Isitme]

Are TalkTalk customers going to be happy to be taken over and forced to use a locked down router? I don't think so. I have spoken to my neighbour who is on TT, he is not happy with it at all. He is already looking round for a new supplier. His may be a special case as he is one of those who was messed around when he tried to join Sky broadband. He is very anti-Sky, a bit like you and BT Scubbie.

[NewsreadeR]

Are TalkTalk customers going to be happy to be taken over and forced to use a locked down router? I don't think so. I have spoken to my neighbour who is on TT, he is not happy with it at all. He is already looking round for a new supplier. His may be a special case as he is one of those who was messed around when he tried to join Sky broadband. He is very anti-Sky, a bit like you and BT Scubbie.

No disrespect but I doubt very few people on TT would be bothered about a router. Same as on Sky. Only the more technical people know how to use their own router, and throughout my time on the net, it has always been the same. Most people just want a service that works with the minimum input from the end user.

In fact I would bet they would just be happy to have a decent Customer Service department.

[Scubbie]

I can appreciate that not everyone will be happy. There are many who will have left Sky and switched to TalkTalk for various reasons, so your neighbour will not be alone.

As for having to use the locked down router, it is worth mentioning that there are solutions available on this forum to get around this issue.

What will upset BT more perhaps is that TalkTalk and BT are both heavily involved with YouView which has been finally launched. I can see BT getting very hot under the collar if Sky were to get hold of that as a product.

[Fullen]

Also all the TalkTalk customers will have their own TalkTalk routers and non-TalkTalk routers. Sky would need to supply the 4 million TalkTalk subscribers with a Sky router at some stage. That is a lot of additional Sagem 2504Ns to produce!

Sky have developed a new in-house made router that's in beta testing at the moment, it's only just been briefed out to staff but it'll be available from September.

[Isitme]

Sky have developed a new in-house made router that's in beta testing at the moment, it's only just been briefed out to staff but it'll be available from September.

FYI> Some of the beta testers are on this forum.

[speedyrite]

FYI> ******* is one of the beta testers

Q is not going to be happy that you've blown that person's cover!

[speedyrite]

( duplicate deleted )

[Isitme]

Q is not going to be happy that you've blown her cover!

Yes, I posted without thinking there, I will edit it.

[Meteosat]

Sky have developed a new in-house made router that's in beta testing at the moment, it's only just been briefed out to staff but it'll be available from September.

Waiting now for the hundreds of questions - what size, colour, does it have a GaB port - will it do video on demand - ;-))