UPC, a division of UnitedGlobalCom, is set to launch VoIP services over its “chello” broadband cable network in The Netherlands, which serves 2.4 million customers. After an initial launch in Rotterdam and Amsterdam, the rest of The Netherlands will follow in early 2005. This follows the company’s launch of VoIP telephony services in Hungary last week.
UPC said a basic VoIP subscription will cost almost 50% less than the basic subscription of Dutch incumbent KPN, while tariffs per minute are 10%-15% cheaper. UPC is also planning several advanced capabilities, including fax-to-email, voicemail-to-email and conference calling.
At the same time, UPC is boosting the cable modem speed of chello broadband. chello’s top-line service tier for the whole of The Netherlands will be upgraded to an 8Mbps downstream capability. UPC will also start a market trial in October with a 30Mbps downstream service, to be followed by commercial deployment soon thereafter. A separate market trial with a 50 Mbps service is envisaged for Amsterdam in the coming months. http://www.unitedglobal.com
- Based on UGC’s operating statistics at June 30, 2004, the Company’s networks reached approximately 12.3 million homes passed and served over 9.3 million RGUs, including approximately 7.6 million video subscribers, 756,900 telephone subscribers and 1,032,000 broadband Internet subscribers.
