UPC Ireland grows revenues by 11%

CABLE TV and broadband company UPC Ireland posted strong double-digit growth in its customer numbers for its internet and telephone services last year.

Figures published yesterday show that its broadband subscriber base rose by 28 per cent last year to 255,400. It is the second biggest broadband provider in Ireland behind Eircom.

Its telephone subscriber base rose by 68 per cent to 162,200.

Growth in its digital TV customer base was slower, due largely to the fact that this is a more mature market for UPC, which was formed in recent years from the merger of NTL and Chorus.

UPC closed 2011 with 386,400 digital TV subscribers, a rise of 1 per cent or 5,000 year-on-year. Its biggest rival in pay TV is Sky.

The strong increase in broadband and telephone subscriptions is largely down to the company’s aggressive pricing of its triple-play package of internet, phone and TV.

Dana Strong, UPC Ireland’s chief executive, said the business here was the fastest growing of the group’s 11 countries last year in regards to revenues and net customer additions.

UPC Ireland grew its revenues by 11 per cent last year, putting it ahead of Germany and Poland in growth terms.

“We are quite proud of that achievement . . . it’s been a very good year for us,” Ms Strong said.

She said there was still “plenty of upside” in the Irish market for UPC in 2012.

“Our focus will continue to be on our triple-play bundle,” she added.

“There’s definitely more headroom in the market here for us.”