Were we glad that we did not succeed in getting a CATV franchise; is the industry doomed?

Every generation needs a revolution - an entrepreneurial revolution

We were unable to get a CATV franchise in our town   Despite a feverish campaign to get the local council approve the franchise and despite that some members of the council were friends and relatives we did not get the franchise.   They gave it to somebody from another town, who promptly sold the franchise to another party. Some of the members, somebody who bore our middle name, being a lineman at a telco, removed some of the cables.   We incurred a half million loss from the misadventure.      From what I know there was no working CATV in our town.   

Now a telco is bundling their offering with a cable TV package. They call this OTT - over the top services  Woe unto somebody who has a cable TV franchise.    The news article predicited the end of the cable TV industry as we know it

Biz Buzz learned that Uy is now in the final stages of designing a new service offering that will bundle most, if not all, of the channels currently available on cable TV with the internet service of every single Converge subscriber.

More importantly, the service will come at no additional fee for the subscriber as the cost of carrying all those channels will be tucked into the existing subscription fee.

Uy recently made waves by giving subscribers free speed upgrades, with some seeing their internet speeds rise by a factor of ten for the same price. The addition of OTT services that allow one to watch their favorite channels for free— instead of subscribing to cable TV services, whether wired or delivered via satellite dish— will make Converge an even more compelling service.

Read more: https://business.inquirer.net/394338/biz-buzz-cable-tv-industry-killer#ixzz7xo28DUuI
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 Their losses could be huge     The immediate effect would be loss of new subscribers, and then non renewal of subscription  

Were we glad we are not into this business anymore.   

Dennis Uy Udenna decries allegations vs the Malampaya take over; the field would be dry in 5 years

Every generation needs a revolution - an entrepreneurial revolution

Malampaya deal above board - Udenna from GMA news

Udenna through its lawyer Atty Raymond Zorilla said the Malampaya deal is above board.  There is no law requiring that the sale of shares of stocks that require prior govt approval.  The management of the gas fields shall be under the same persons who are now running the facility. 

The group decried making the deal a political battlefield.  A graft charge has been filed at the ombudsman

The deal was subject of an investigation by committee headed by Sen Win Gatchalian and alleged to be "lutong makaw"  (He is a Chinese and businessman too

Dennis Uy was reported to have spent $190 million for the deal (about P9,5 billion)  

The criticism vs the deal were based on alleged crony relationship with the President (he is from Davao and was alleged to have contributed plenty to the 2016 election campaign of PDU30) and lack of capital and expertise to push with the deal. 

Uy however has to contend with declining gas reserves at Malampaya  LNG production of Malampaya declining  It is down by 50% compared last year.  And the gas field will be completely exhausted by 2027.  I would comment that Udenna must be crazy to enter into a deal in field that would be exhausted in 5 years.    

To run the NG fed power plants in Batangas like the Ilijan and Sta Rita, the regassification facility are now being built.   

Re gassification process