NTL deal takes AOL beyond BT's broadband network

AOL Broadband will be available to subscribers of NTL's cable network from early next year.

The Internet service provider announced on Thursday morning that it has signed a contract with NTL, worth £85m over four years, that will allow AOL to offer its broadband service to the 7.2 million homes covered by NTL's broadband network.

Currently, AOL's UK broadband offering is only available via BT's ADSL network, so this deal should give it a significant number of extra potential customers.

"Some NTL customers live in areas where ADSL isn't available, while others can't get ADSL because their line quality is too poor or they live too far from their local exchange," an AOL spokeswoman explained.

At up to 600Kbps downstream, NTL's broadband network is slightly faster than BT's consumer ADSL product, which offers a maximum 512Kbps downstream connection.

Pricing details haven't yet been announced, but it is likely that cable-based AOL broadband will cost around £27.99 per month, the same as the ADSL-based product.

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