Breaking news: A partnership comprising the BBC, BT and ITV has just announced a plan to bring a new common industry approach to deliver on-demand TV over broadband, dubbed ‘Project Canvas’.
The full press release is available on the ITV website, but here’s a taster.
“The BBC, ITV and BT today are joining together to work as partners to promote a common industry approach and consumer offer to deliver on demand TV over broadband. The initiative is open for all public service broadcasters, device developers and other ISPs.”
It sounds like this might be an initiative big enough to truly bring TV over broadband from the PC onto the TV. We’re big fans of the BBC iPlayer and like the sound of something that could build on that success. The service will work alongside Freeview and Freesat. Here’s a quote from Ian Livingston, BT’s CEO:
“Television and broadband are a compelling combination. Together they can offer live TV along with an unrivalled choice of on demand content and interactive services. It will mean that you can watch what you want whenever you want on your television. We are looking forward to working with The BBC, ITV and other internet service providers to support an open standard for the free to air market in the UK.”
As we find out more we’ll let you know…
Neil Armstrong
Products Director, Plusnet
It’s with some sadness that we have to report that Neil Laycock, our CEO has decided to hang up his Plusnet boots and, at the risk of mixing too many metaphors, pass on the baton to his successor. Neil has decided that, solely for personal reasons, he’d like to move on, having done a sterling job here overseeing the business through the past two years.
Whilst it’s always sad to say goodbye to a friend, and a good friend he has been to us all here at Plusnet, it’s also exciting to look to the future and know that we’re in good hands. I’m pleased to be able to tell you that Anthony Vollmer (pictured), currently General Manager of Voice Propositions in BT Retail’s consumer division, will take over the helm, as the new CEO of PlusNet from Monday, 17 November 2008. More…
After reading and discussing some of the comments on our recent iPlayer usage blog and the follow-up I thought that for the next topic it would probably be useful to put together a piece on how UK ISPs like PlusNet are charged for the broadband services that they provide. More…
Following on from the previous post about online campaigns in the US presidential race. Why not take a similar approach for your business or social group – and get your message out there.
Services such as BT Tradespace (http://www.bttradespace.com/) and Social Networking sites such as Facebook (http://www.facebook.com) can help get you kick started. You might not get the same momentum as Ron Paul but you never know unless you try…. 
Regards
Dean
We are pleased to announce that this morning, at 7am, BT announced to the London Stock Exchange that they had sucessfully completed their acquisition of PlusNet PLC.
We have produced a page on our website so that you can see confirmation of the takeover, as well as our plans for 2007.
Click here to view our Plans for 2007
Please keep all discussion surrounding the takeover and our Plans for 2007 to this thread, on our Portal Forums. We’ll be there all day to answer your questions and comments.
Thanks
The following statement from Lee has been posted on our homepage.
Today we have announced that BT has made a recommended offer to buy the entire share capital of PlusNet.
Due to the nature of our business, and our key relationships with our customers and our employees, we have given due consideration to BT’s intention to maintain and develop those relationships.
We have to be sure that any approach for our business has to deliver a good return for shareholders whilst ensuring an enhanced strategy for our customers and employees.
Essentially, the key strength of our business is the entrepreneurial spirit combined with a sense of community in our approach to customers and employees. These qualities are some of the factors that make our business attractive to BT.
We have a close working relationship with BT and have explored a number of projects that could drive benefit to our business and customers and to this end we can now progress this value creation and benefits to our customers.
This transaction will allow us to develop our business model, maintain our cultural approach and benefit from:
- greater investment capability
- access to new products and services including BT’s WiFi Fusion and BT Vision propositions ; and
- access to BT Retail’s broadband network platform and the associated scale benefits.
BT’s immediate plans are to continue to operate PlusNet as a separate entity within the BT group from its Sheffield offices. It is of great importance to BT to retain PlusNet’s distinct identity and culture and for it to continue to trade under the PlusNet brand.
BT intends to continue to leverage and develop PlusNet’s Workplace platform and has no immediate plans to integrate PlusNet into existing BT services, maintaining its focus on the internet serviced, discerning user, at competitive broadband rates. BT believes that, by combining this platform with its existing resources and expertise within BT Retail, the customer experience will be enhanced.
Regards,
Lee Strafford
CEO PlusNet PLC
Here at Plusnet we're always trying to use clever open source things to make our lives easier. Sometimes we write our own and make other people's lives easier too!
We sell broadband, phone, VoIP and more to homes and businesses in the UK. Winner of 9 out of 11 Categories in the 2008 USwitch survey. Winner of "Best Consumer ISP" at 2008 ISPA awards. Voted number 1 in the Broadband Choices 2008 survey.
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