UPC lost over 93,000 clients in Romania in 2010. Rumors of possible sale emerge

UPC lost over 93,000 clients in Romania last year, reaching 1.15 million subscribers and a fall on all segments – TV, internet and wired telephony, according to data published by owner Liberty Global. The negative evolution is explained by the UPC management as the result of the worsening economic climate which put pressure especially on small-income clients. The results come as a Romanian journalist, Catalin Tolontan, claimed on his blog on Thursday that another telecom company, RCS&RDS, was negotiating the acquisition of UPC in Romania, while economic newspaper Ziarul Financiar developed the story quoting market sources who it says confirm the allegations.

Neither UPC, nor RCS&RDS commented on the „rumors”.

By the end of 2010, UPC Romania had 1.15 million users, down 7.45% (93,200 users) as compared with the end of 2009. But it reported a slight growth – 400 – in Q4 2010, as compared to the same period a year before.

Journalist and blogger Catalin Tolontan wrote on his blog on Thursday that talks were being held abroad these days on a possible takeover of UPC operations in Romania by rival RCS-RDS. Both companies are present on several European markets.

Then, Ziarul Financiar newspaper quoted market sources according to whom businessman Zoltan Teszari, who owns 43% of RCS-RDS, is one step away from buying UPC in a deal that may reach 300 million US dollars.