CABLE TELEVISION and broadband provider UPC is dropping the NTL and Chorus names as part of a major rebranding exercise launched yesterday.
UPC plans to spend €3 million over the next three months on a high-profile media campaign – fronted by broadcaster Craig Doyle – to publicise its rebranding.
This follows a €300 million-plus investment in the Chorus/NTL network over the past six years since they were acquired by Colorado-based parent group Liberty Global. This investment has seen the company launch a triple play offering of digital TV, broadband and phone services.
At the launch yesterday, UPC announced plans to upgrade its fibre-power broadband speeds to 100MBits/sec from August, which would give it the fastest service in the Irish telecoms markets.
“This will be available to all the homes we have cabled within the next 18 months,” said Robert Dunn, UPC Ireland’s chief executive said. Mr Dunn declined to reveal the pricing structure for the service.
It currently charges €42 a month for its 30MBits/sec service.
Mr Dunn also confirmed that UPC had closed a deal to acquire assets from television and broadband provider Broadworks, which was in liquidation. This will give UPC access to about 6,600 homes in west Dublin and Meath.
The Competition Authority cleared the deal on April 21st.
