38,500 more homes can connect to NTL broadband


3 Nov 2004

NTL Ireland has reported that homes now marketable for broadband have increased to 66,500 up by some 38,500 in the past quarter. However, the company reported a slim 3.5pc revenue increase during the quarter to €26.5m.

The company explained that the 3.5pc revenue rise was primarily due to price increases and additional growth in digital television subscribers.

Segment profit at NTL Ireland decreased by 17.6pc to €8.9m in Q3 2004 compared to €10.8m in Q3 2003. This decrease is entirely due to benefits realised in Q3 2003 from the successful renegotiation of a number of major supplier contracts that were not repeated in Q3 2004.

Customer number performance was extremely encouraging in Q3 2004. Overall residential customer numbers increased by 2,500 to reach approximately 343,600 (including MMDS customers) and digital television customers increased by 6,600 to approximately 88,800.

Homes marketable for broadband increased by 38,500 to reach approximately 66,500. Broadband customer numbers grew to approximately 5,400 at the end of Q3 2004, reaching a penetration level of 8.1pc.

Commenting on the results, Graham Sutherland, managing director of NTL Ireland, said: “NTL Ireland continues to show positive progress in an increasingly competitive marketplace. We remain committed to improving our market penetration in both our residential and business divisions, and are very encouraged by the increase in our customer numbers during Q3 2004.”

By John Kennedy