NTL Broadcast becomes Arqiva as all-digital future beckons

26th May 2005

• New name and fresh start for long-established network provider with 50-year heritage
• Arqiva re-establishes its independence following sale by ntl Group
• Three businesses in one, supporting transition to digital

A new name and corporate identity for the former Broadcast division of cable group NTL has been announced today.  As of 1 June the company will be known as ‘Arqiva', marking the final phase of its separation from former parent ntl Group.  NTL Broadcast was sold by ntl at the turn of the year to a consortium led by Macquarie Communications Infrastructure Group.  The re-branding provides an opportunity for Arqiva to re-establish itself as a stand-alone company with strong credentials and proven track record in broadcast services, tower leasing and public safety communications.

Arqiva can trace it roots back to the engineering division of the Independent Television Authority over 50 years ago, set up just before ITV started.  With the advent of independent radio this became the Independent Broadcasting Authority, which went on to launch Channel 4 and develop numerous broadcasting technologies:

• 1955 - first transmitter built for ITV at Croydon (as ITA)
• 1960s - completed national 405-line VHF network for ITV
• 1969 - began the conversion to colour with 625-line UHF network
• 1970s - began building Independent Local Radio transmitters (as IBA)
• 1982 - Channel 4 network launched in record time
• 1991 - became a commercial company National Transcommunications Ltd (NTL) following the demise of the IBA and broadened into satellite services
• Acquired by International Cabletel in 1996, which later became ntl Group
• 1990s - developed Digital Terrestrial TV technology, mounted early demonstrations and constructed Digital 3&4 and SDN networks. National commercial DAB network built for Digital One.  Expanded into radio-communications support for the Emergency services.
• 2000s - Built regional and local digital radio transmitters, demonstrated ‘datacasting' and mobile TV.  Contributed to planning for digital TV switch-over.  Introduced shared mobile-phone site solutions in shopping malls and city centres.

Arqiva CEO Tom Bennie said: "This is a strong and thriving company with a proud heritage of innovation and technical firsts in the broadcast and mobile communications industries.  Arqiva stands for the ‘energy' behind the ‘connections' we provide to our customers and represents the talented and committed individuals at the heart of our business.  Our role in transmitting radio and television signals, our involvement in the planning and delivery of digital switchover, our leadership of the forthcoming Oxford mobile TV trial, and our assistance in migrating the emergency services to digital communications - all serve as evidence of the energy and commitment we bring to the broadcast and mobile communications industries we serve.  Our new identity combines a glorious past with a very exciting future."

22 million UK homes receive the analogue signals for ITV, Channel 4 and five, plus the majority of the independent analogue and digital radio stations via Arqiva's national broadcast transmitter networks.  Arqiva also provides multiplexing and transmission for two of the four multiplex operators that run the digital terrestrial TV platform - SDN and D3/D4.  It also uplinks around 150 channels onto the Sky direct-to-home satellite platform.

Alongside this, Arqiva leases over 2,000 towers and sites to the wireless communications sector including all five UK mobile phone operators, as well as providing a full range of communications services to the UK emergency services, including fire, police, ambulance and other public-safety organisations such as the RNLI and Coastguard.