Patientline Share Discussion Threads

[momentos] 28/11/2007 17:13

Scribbler EBITDA falling fast unfortunately.....

Revenue 16.9 21.6 (4.7) (22%)
EBITDA before
exceptional items 3.0 6.6 (3.6) (55%)

[palwing] 28/11/2007 17:09

Scribbler. I am not sure how long the kit has been installed, but in my experience of procurement of high tech electrical eqt, you should factor in obsolescence at the 5 year point and replacement after 10 years. Either that or buy mega stock of spares at the beginning of the project to enable the kit to last longer.

I think PTL's kit is getting near the end of it's "sell by date" so the next couple of years could be telling. All IMHO of course.

[palwing] 28/11/2007 17:06

momentos.. agreed. When the kit dies, PTL does too. However, as long as the banks can see their payments coming in, then PTL will drag along. Could be flat for some time unless something magical happens.

I tend to agree with willoicc, PTL need to reduce their call charges to generate interest in using their services. They might loose some income initially, but slowly people will realise (with good PR) that it's economic to use PTL phones instead of their mobiles. Turnover would increase in my view and maybe buy PTL time to sort out the next step.

[scribbler101] 28/11/2007 17:05

mo - it generates a fair bit of cash before interest. Surely the kit should be good for 10 years or so?

[momentos] 28/11/2007 16:45

"As PTL is cash generating"

Only just... and it won't be soon as the kit starts to fail. DO you think the banks will be paying for some more?

[scribbler101] 28/11/2007 16:19

As PTL is cash generating I exspect there will be a d/e leaving enough for shareholders to keep them onside. Trivial if you bought at 40p - maybe not if you paid 1p.

[pjh35] 28/11/2007 16:16

Will they wait whatever length of time it takes, I suppose they will at least get some of their losses back rather than nothing at all

[momentos] 28/11/2007 16:12

One thing is sure, they wont be giving any money to shareholders.....

[scribbler101] 28/11/2007 15:52

it can't make a profit for the banks - but if they write it down enough they can recover some of their losses over time

[pjh35] 28/11/2007 15:49

In all of this it looks like PL will actually survive and perhaps make a profit for someone (the Banks)

[willoicc] 28/11/2007 15:26

People are in hospital because they are unwell - not for a holiday - and are probably in no mood to watch TV, which is mostly not worth watching, even if you are well.

Is it better to generate £20m a year at £3 per day or £100m at £1 a day.

Most of PTL's costs are now sunk costs ie the money has been spent on the equipment. If they want to generate revenue, they should encourage greater use by reducing prices. At £1 a day people would probably leave their TV on all day. Not at £3 a day. That is over £1000 per annum. Ridiculous.

[scribbler101] 28/11/2007 12:25

magwash - 28 Nov'07 - 10:34 - 1642 of 1650

You folks seem to forget FREEVIEW has now gone portable. For around £50-00 (and dropping every week) you can get a mini TFT tv operated by batteries that can get ALL freeview channels.

This presumably only applies in very strong signal areas. Where I am - not parrticularly remote - can't get freeview at all without a rooftop antenna.

[palwing] 28/11/2007 11:59

momentos

Being an ex RF/Electronics techy and now in IT, in my opinion, WiFi has much the same sort of risks to hospital equipment as mobile phones. ie. minimal to nil.

As my wife keeps telling me...less is more and timing is everything! Women huh?

[momentos] 28/11/2007 11:34

PTL's biggest problem was timing.

TO provide the same now you would use different tech and the capital cost would be reduced many times, making the business model viable. Rental of portable equipment / wireless connections would probably work best (subject to effects of wifi on equipment!).

Hardwiring a basic network, rather than bespoke kit etc, would have been more sensible if wifi is not viable - ie like a hotel. PAYG for using the connection!

[debaleb] 28/11/2007 11:17

magwash

I'm no shareholder but have seen the benefits of the PTL system over a period of many Months, i'd pay much more than the current charge to get this service were I in hospital.

[palwing] 28/11/2007 10:49

Magwash

"palwing.... you keep a couple of spare charged batteries. and your kind relatives take the discharged ones home to recharge.. and bring them in the next time they visit."

So, how many spare batteries do you have for your mobile phone? TV? Radio? Laptop?

Is there such a thing as a spare battery for an iPod? Maybe you have a spare iPod?

[palwing] 28/11/2007 10:47

magwash - 28 Nov'07 - 10:39 - 1644 of 1644

PTL is like any other business, unfortunately it losing money and on the verge of insolvency. And just like any other business if it cant make money it goes bust or gets rescued. Thats capitalism for you.

Totally agree with your statement. The point of my post was to inform people of WHY PTL ended up filling a "gap " in the market. Unfortunately, events and public opinion have shot them in the foot.

However, every cloud has a silver lining. IF PTL go under, patients will still want to watch TV, listen to music or phone home, no matter how long their stay. This is a problem due to electrical safety laws and fire risks, etc. Every battery powered device (except wind up torches and radios) needs charging by the mains. So, those chargers and devices require a safety certificate (PAT test) I reckon there's an opportunity here for some enterprising company (PTL2??) to open a work shop in every hospital certifying patients equipment as safe to use. Small charge of say £5 per item. What ya reckon? That's Capitalism AND Opportunitism!

[magwash] 28/11/2007 10:40

palwing.... you keep a couple of spare charged batteries. and your kind relatives take the discharged ones home to recharge.. and bring them in the next time they visit.

[magwash] 28/11/2007 10:39

palwing

not everyone stays for so long. Thats the problem. PTL cant survive on those patients thats are exceptional long stayers. Majority are discharged in short swift. So these folks wont miss tv or net so much.

PTL is like any other business, unfortunately it losing money and on the verge of insolvency. And just like any other business if it cant make money it goes bust or gets rescued. Thats capitalism for you.

[palwing] 28/11/2007 10:35

magwash... How do you re-charge the batteries in hospital? LOL

[nimh] 28/11/2007 10:30

"if the plug is pulled on PTL altogether (which now seems bound to happen eventually as the kit detriorates), patients will lose a decent TV service and any internet access."



LOL.... i am sure you'll have sleeplees nights worrying about patients who cant access the net or watch TV now. What a saddo.

[nimh] 28/11/2007 10:28

If PTL is pulled so bleeding what. Get over it, they business failed. It deserves no sympathy or tears. Just like many businesses fail, they failed to. Get over it.

Save the crocodile tears and the apparent sympathy for patients... its doesnt cut... patients will live without tv...