ntl inc history

2006

On 3 March 2006, ntl Incorporated completed a merger with Telewest Global, Inc creating the UK's largest provider of residential broadband and the UK's leading provider of triple-play services. The company operates under the name of ntl Incorporated.

On 4 July 2006, ntl Incorporated completed its acquisition of Virgin Mobile, creating the first opportunity for customers in the UK to buy a quadruple-play of TV, internet and fixed and mobile telephony services from a single operator.

2005

In January ntl announced the launch of its VOD service, ntl On Demand. The sale of the broadcast division to Macquarie Communications Infrastructure Group (MCG) was also closed.

In May ntl announced the sale of its telecommunications operations in the Republic of Ireland to MS Irish Cable Holdings BV, an affiliate of Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MWD), for a price of EUR 325m.

2004

ntl reached the 3 million customer milestone in August 2004. In September, ntl increased the speeds of its broadband products from 128 kbps to 300 kbps, 512 kbps to 600 kbps, and from 1Mb to 1.5Mb - all at no extra cost to customers. Also in September, ntl announced that it would be extending its market reach by 25% to areas beyond its network by unbundling around 250 BT exchanges over the next two years. Jacques Kerrest (formerly of Equant) joined ntl as Chief Financial Officer on 20th September.

In October, ntl acquired the remaining 51% of the UK's 5th largest ISP, Virgin.net from the Virgin Media Group, bringing ntl's ownership of Virgin.net to 100%. Also in October, ntl announced plans to launch the UK's first mass market video on demand (VOD) in Q1 2005.

In December, ntl announced plans to sell its broadcast business to a consortium led by Macquarie Communications Infrastructure Group (MCG) for a purchase price of £1.27bn.

2003

The new ntl successfully exited from US Chapter 11 in January with much reduced debt, and re-listed on NASDAQ under the NTLI ticker. In March, ntl strengthened its management team, appointing Jim Mooney as Chairman, Simon Duffy as Chief Operating Officer and Scott Schubert as Chief Financial Officer. In August, Simon Duffy was promoted to Chief Executive Officer. In September, ntl embarked on a fully underwritten rights offering to raise £824m ($1.4bn) to reduce high cost debt and generate annual interest savings of approximately £124m ($206m). During Q4 2003 ntl turned free cash flow positive for the first time in the company's history.

2002

ntl began a strategic recapitalisation process in order to strengthen its balance sheet and reduce debt. A plan was agreed with bondholders that £6.6bn ($10.9bn) in debt would be converted into equity in two newly formed companies: new ntl - which consisted of the UK and Ireland assets; and Euroco - which consisted of certain continental European and other assets. To implement the recapitalisation, ntl and certain of its non-operating subsidiaries filed a pre-agreed recapitalisation plan under the US Chapter 11 protective procedures with the US Courts.

2001

ntl launched two broadband services, 512 kbps and 128 kbps. In May, ntl acquired 27% of the French cable company Noos, whose network passed over 2.4 million homes and businesses in France. By August 2001 ntl had one million digital TV customers.

2000

ntl launched its free, UK-wide internet service - ntlworld - and hit the 500,000 customer milestone later that year for both ntlworld and digital TV. Also launched in 2000 were joint venture TV channels - the Movie Channel, with Universal, and a 24-hour news channel with ITN. ntl continued to expand into Europe with the acquisition of the assets of Switzerland's largest cable company, Cablecom, and a 34% interest in Svenska Bredbandsbolaget AB (or B2), a Scandinavian company deploying fibre directly to the home throughout Sweden and Norway. ntl also acquired a 32.5% interest in eKabel in Germany.

1999

ntl continued to increase network coverage after investing in Cablelink (Ireland's largest cable TV provider) and the BT cable franchises of Westminster and Milton Keynes, bringing homes in franchise to 6 million and business telephony lines provided to over 150,000. ntl purchased National Transmission Network of Australia, consisting of 561 transmission sites, and completed the sale of its 50% interest in Cable London to Telewest. ntl also made its first investment into Europe with the acquisition of the 1G networks of France Telecom. In July 1999 ntl announced that it was acquiring the consumer operations of Cable and Wireless Communications plc after securing France Telecom as a strategic shareholder. The deal was referred to the UK Competition Commission which delayed the closure until May 2000. Hook in Hampshire became ntl's new headquarters.

1998

Network coverage expanded to the midlands and south east following the acquisition of Comcast UK, ComTel and Diamond Cable, bringing the number of homes in franchise to 5.2 million. ntl won the JD Power awards for the best multi-channel TV operator and the best telephone service operator. Front Row, the cable industry's first on demand movie service was launched in a joint venture between ntl and Telewest.

1997

ntl had the only national fibre optic network in the UK and began to offer residential customers TV and telephone services bundled together for the same price as BT's telephone service alone.

1996

CableTel changed its name to ntl after acquiring National Transcommunications Limited. In the same year ntl formed a joint venture with Virgin, for the launch of a dial-up internet access service, to be known as Virgin.net.

1995 

CableTel acquired new franchises in Northern Ireland, Glamorgan and Gwent, increasing the number of homes and businesses within ntl franchises to 2.3 million. In mid-1995 CableTel began offering services to businesses. By the end of the year, and after only 18 months of operation, CableTel had outperformed the industry with the highest penetration rate, the lowest churn rate, and the highest percentage of dual TV and telephony customers.

1994

Construction of the company's high speed fibre optic network began. By the end of the year, and following the acquisition of English Cable Enterprises, the company was providing TV and telephone services to customers in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire as well as Glasgow, Cardiff, Newport and Guildford.

1993

International CableTel (ntl's predecessor) was founded by Barclay Knapp, CEO, and George Blumenthal, Chairman. The company acquired the interests of Insight UK's cable systems, comprising about one million homes under franchise in cities such as Glasgow, Cardiff, Newport and Guildford.

1991

Following the completion of the Government's Duopoly Review, cable licensees were granted authorisation to provide all forms of wired telecommunications services, thus enabling them to compete directly with British Telecom for the first time.