UPC revenue hits €279m

UPC IRELAND — the company which owns the Chorus/NTL digital television, internet broadband and telephone services provider — has reported a 7.9% increase in revenue for 2008, to $355.8 million (€279.4m).

Revenue for the fourth quarter of the year actually fell by 2.7% to $80.7m. Operating profits were up by just under e40m at e143m.

In terms of subscriber numbers — UPC’s overall Irish subscriber base fell to 667,000 at the end of 2008, down from 675,900 from the end of 2007. Its telephony customer base, however, rose from 10,400 to 27,800, while its broadband clientele went from 80,500 to 101,900. The company’s overall digital television subscriber numbers, in Ireland, reached 320,300 at the end of last year.