[Jon3G]

By Tim Richardson
Published Wednesday 25th May 2005 11:28 GMT
O2 has confirmed it is to sponsor London's most prominent white elephant by renaming The Millennium Dome "The O2".

The mobilephoneco - which is axing some 500 jobs including some 200 IT staff as part of a major restructuring - is spending £6m a year for its tie-up with London's big tent.

Teaming up with giant entertainment group Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), O2 intends to help rejuvenate The Dome and surrounding area. The Dome - sorry, "The O2" is due to be re-open in 2007 providing a venue for music, shows and sports events.

As part of the deal, O2 will be able to provide this content to its punters - something execs believe will be important as they try to hang on to their existing users.

A spokesman for O2 shrugged off claims that it was sponsoring a monument of ridicule. "This is a bold move," he said, "and is in keeping with our emphasis to back music and entertainment."

The venue is also expected to sport a massive "O2" logo on its dome-shaped roof. ®

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/05/25/o2_dome/

[Jon3G]

Very sad and not really a central place to allow all customers to get involved

[Hands0n]

The Tent is one of the most difficult places to get to in London! You wouldn't want to walk the streets round there at night time. Bus services are scaled right down since 1999/2000 and the Jubilee line is legend with faults and failures due to its antiquated signalling system (save construction costs, let the owners pay later!).

Call me and old cynic if you like but ...... they should pull the thing down and put the gasometers back up :) At least those served a practical function.

[3g-g]

...The venue is also expected to sport a massive "O2" logo on its dome-shaped roof.

You get quite a nice view of that bit of London from the air as you come into Heathrow and London city sometimes, not a bad bit advertising having a big O2 on the roof of the "O2".

[Jon3G]

You get quite a nice view of that bit of London from the air as you come into Heathrow and London city sometimes, not a bad bit advertising having a big O2 on the roof of the "O2".


Yes very true, I think its more for advertising than giving customers and others access to the services that it will offer

[Jon3G]

more info regarding the O2 project

http://www.mobiletoday.co.uk/artman-test/publish/article_424.shtml

[kryten]

The Tent is one of the most difficult places to get to in London! You wouldn't want to walk the streets round there at night time. Bus services are scaled right down since 1999/2000 and the Jubilee line is legend with faults and failures due to its antiquated signalling system (save construction costs, let the owners pay later!).

Call me and old cynic if you like but ...... they should pull the thing down and put the gasometers back up :) At least those served a practical function.


I'd disagree with your statement about the Jubilee line. It is the most efficient line atm.

[Hands0n]

Way off topic but just to provide an answer from my point of understanding.

@kryten - It may well be, but that is hardly saying much overall for the efficiency of the subway train systems in London. At the outset the Jubilee line was constructed with a signalling system that was obsolete and they knew the service problems that would cause. The signalling system used by the DLR on the other hand is more up to date and can handle variable spaces between trains and hence use the track more efficiently. London Underground had the opportunity to implement the more flexible and modern system but chose not to. It now has to replace the obsolete system with the one they should have put in the first place! A nice use of tax and fare payers money! But that's another subject altogether :)

Signalling system aside though, the Jubilee line trains, information systems and stations are a delight compared to what I've had to grow up with over the past few decades!

Now, for the life of me I can't work in a 3G closure to this specific posting so I'll leave well enough alone!