NTL revenue up but losses widen

NTL, the Nasdaq-listed company poised to become Britain's biggest cable operator, yesterday reported that second-quarter net losses widened to $348m (pounds 218m) from $104m a year earlier. Last month NTL clinched an pounds 8.2bn deal to buy the cable-TV arm of Cable & Wireless Communications. Total revenues in the quarter more than doubled to $360m from $154m, aided by acquisitions.

The proportion of customers taking either TV, telephone or Internet service from NTL in its franchise areas rose to 46 per cent from 40.6 per cent a year earlier, excluding acquired franchises