How well is Liberty Global now performing in Central and Eastern Europe?
While the release of first quarter results earlier this week, both by the company and its regional operations, provided some useful markers, we also learned that UPC DTH had extended its satellite distribution agreement with Telenor Broadcast.
The latter was particularly important, as it will allow Liberty’s DTH operations in four CEE markets – Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania – to continue using the popular I degree West slot for several more years to come.
Yet it was not all good for the DTH operations, with no fewer than three of the four losing subscribers in the first quarter. Indeed, their combined loss in Q1 was 12,900 as they ended March with a total of 826,900 customers.
Looking at specific markets in the CEE region, we learned that in Poland UPC had just passed the important milestone of 300,000 Horizon TV subscribers as of the end of the first quarter. It also had nearly 190,000 Connect box customers.
Meanwhile in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, UPC added 110,000 households to its network’s reach in the year to March 31. As of the end of the first quarter, its services could be received by a combined total of 2,017,500 homes across the two countries.
UPC also noted significant growth in digital and internet services customers in the Czech Republic and Slovakia in the first quarter. Interest in its internet offer was driven the launch of new services like Replay TV, the addition of more HD and SD channels and expansion of the range of content available on MyPrime.
Meanwhile, in Romania UPC’s revenues in the first quarter were around 6% higher than in the corresponding period in 2016. Its TV services, cable and DTH, reached a combined total of 1.25 million, a 2% increase on a year earlier.
As we move into 2017 we will see Liberty continue its impressive build expansion programme in the region. We will also continue to await the decision by the Polish competition office UOKiK regarding the company’s proposed acquisition of the cable operator Multimedia Polska.
