UPC Broadband

UPC Broadband is a pan-European telecommunications company owned by Liberty Global and is active in several European countries providing bundled cable television, internet and telephone services.

UPC was founded in the Netherlands by United International Holdings and Philips, originally as United Philips Cable and later Pan-Europe Communications, before being bought out by Liberty Global. UPC provides internet, phone and television in 10 countries of Europe, and is a major provider in countries like Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. UPC has previously had operations in France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia and Sweden but these business units have been sold off or rebranded to other Liberty Global subsidiaries.

Key Facts:

In 2005, Liberty Global Europe bought the Romanian communications company Astral Telecom for $420 million, the Swiss communications company Cablecom for CHF2.8 billion, and the Slovenian communications company UPC Telemach for EUR71 million. In 2007 UPC Telemach also bought 66.7% of Ljubljanski kabel (major competition in Ljubljana) and grew its market share to 40% in Slovenia.

Liberty Global's European operations is divided into two business units, UPC Broadband and Chello which is also a very large media provider on the European continent.

Companies in the UPC unit: