Subscribers To Digital TV And Internet Increase, But So Do Losses At NTL

NTL released its third quarter results today, revealing a large increase in net loss, despite the fact that revenues rose to $830m, almost doubling year on year. Last year losses for the period were $278m, but this year has seen the figure almost treble to $770m. The company has put this down to the cost of its European acquisitions and the rolling out of digital television services across the UK.

The company recently reiterated its claim that it is on target to hit 500,000 subscribers to its digital television services by the end of 2000 (see NTL Expects To Exceed Digital Subs Of ˝m By Year End), but is expecting the high costs of acquisition integration and digital roll out to continue to be felt well into 2001.

In addition, NTL now claims to be the third largest internet service provider (ISP) in the UK, having added over 235,000 subscribers thanks to its bundled internet service package NTLWorld. This has brought the total number of subscribers to 380,000. During the autumn of this year, NTL launched a £20m cross-media campaign in the UK promoting the concept of the company as “The Complete Communications Company”, in order to drive sales of its digital cable TV, telephony and internet services (see NTL Kicks Off £20m Autumn Advertising Drive).

NTL: 01252 402 000

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