Phone subscriptions up by 60% at UPC in 2010

SUBSCRIPTIONS AT cable TV operator UPC grew by 10 per cent to 785,000 last year with the biggest jump seen in home phone subscriptions.

The company, which is owned by US-based Liberty Global, increased its number of phone customers by 60 per cent in the year to 94,000.

Broadband subscribers rose to 199,200, an increase of 35 per cent, while its digital TV customer base expanded by 9 per cent to 381,000.

UPC Ireland’s chief financial officer Carol Grennan said the growth of the company’s “fibre power” broadband subscriptions was indicative of rising consumer demand for faster speeds, while the 60 per cent rise in home phone subscriptions demonstrates consumer demand for UPC’s bundles.

Last year, UPC engaged in an intensive media campaign as it rebranded from NTL to UPC.

Full-year results for Liberty Global revealed that the international telecoms company reported revenues of $9 billion (€6.5 billion) for the 12 months ended December 31st, 2010, a 20 per cent rise.

The revenue jump was driven by growth in the company’s operations in Ireland, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Liberty Global is one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies, with operations in 14 countries.

It has 20,000 employees worldwide.