UCOMA Unitedglobalcom (MM)

European Broadband Division to Launch VoIP Digital Telephony in the Netherlands; Also Announces Major Increases to chello Broadband Internet Speeds DENVER, Sept. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- UnitedGlobalCom, Inc. ("UGC") (NASDAQ:UCOMA) announced today its planned launch of VoIP (Voice over IP) Digital Telephony in The Netherlands by its European broadband division, UPC. This follows our launch of VoIP telephony services in Hungary last week. Using the same advanced broadband IP technology that drives our chello Internet services, UPC is the first operator in these countries to start with a full-scale deployment of low-cost Digital Telephony via VoIP. At the same time UPC also announced that it will dramatically increase the speed across a range of its chello Internet products in The Netherlands. In the city of Almere, UPC will start a 30 Mbps broadband chello Internet trial to be followed by commercial deployment of new high-end broadband products. At the IBC 2004 in Amsterdam, Europe's largest trade show for the broadcasting and broadband industries, UPC showcased its latest suite of new triple play products, including high quality VoIP, ultra high speed broadband Internet by chello and several digital and interactive television platforms. Most of these products are now ready for large-scale deployment in several markets within our footprint. Low prices, guaranteed quality and new features UPC is the first operator in The Netherlands now starting a full scale national launch of advanced, high-quality VoIP (Voice over IP) technology that will enable UPC to provide advanced, low-priced fixed line telephony services to its 2.4 million customers on its cable network. After an initial launch in Rotterdam and Amsterdam, the rest of The Netherlands will follow in early 2005. UPC's customers, including its chello broadband Internet subscribers, will enjoy many new features of the revolutionary new VoIP technology compared to traditional fixed line telephony, integrating several of these new features with the chello Internet products. The new services will be available at significant discounts to the telephony products of the incumbent operator. A basic subscription will cost almost 50% less than the basic subscription of Dutch incumbent KPN, while tariffs per minute are 10%-15% cheaper. VoIP technology Along with a lower priced, high-quality VoIP telephone service, UPC will provide a full range of advanced telephone features to its customers. In addition to providing digital quality telephony services UPC's VoIP platform is capable of providing easy-to-use features such as call forwarding, call waiting, calling line identification, wake up service, three way calling and more. With our advanced IP technology, UPC is able to dedicate prioritized bandwidth for voice calls over our managed IP network. This guarantees connectivity and high sound quality. Once the voice call leaves the UPC network, it is routed like a traditional voice call. This is very different from Voice over Internet services that route voice calls over the public Internet and can guarantee only 'best effort' quality. Going forward, UPC will start with the introduction of fax-to-email, voicemail-to-email and conference calling. Step by step, a whole range of additional customer focused services will be available on UPC's VoIP Telephony Platform. A few examples include integrated telephony, Internet and television services that will provide voice mail notification via a customer's TV or PC; a personal address book via television or PC, and using your television to make telephone calls or for video conferencing. Increased chello performance Building on its technology investments of the past years, UPC is also ready as from October 1 to drastically increase the speeds of a whole range of its chello Internet products in The Netherlands. chello's top-line product in the whole of The Netherlands will be upgraded to an 8Mbps downstream capability. UPC will also start a market trial in October with an ultra high 30Mbps downstream Internet product, to be followed by commercial deployment soon thereafter. A separate market trial with a 50Mbps product is envisaged for Amsterdam in the coming months. Gene Musselman, President and Chief Operating Officer of UPC Broadband, said: "We worked hard and diligently on a robust technology roadmap to get us where we are today. Along with our digital television, we offer the most advanced integrated triple play solutions available to customers in The Netherlands with a focus on speed, convenience and quality of service. And by offering bundled packages for television, chello Internet and telephony, we are able to offer great new features and benefits directly to our customers." Mike Fries, President and Chief Executive Officer of UGC, said: "I am very proud of what we are achieving in The Netherlands. We are clearly delivering on the promise to provide the most advanced broadband products and services available with the launch of VoIP and ever-faster chello Internet speeds. And you can expect similar progress across our European networks as we aggressively capitalize on our leadership position in broadband technology, services and scale." About UnitedGlobalCom UGC is the leading international broadband communications provider of video, voice, and broadband Internet services with operations in 14 countries. Based on UGC's operating statistics at June 30, 2004, the Company's networks reached approximately 12.3 million homes passed and served over 9.3 million RGUs, including approximately 7.6 million video subscribers, 756,900 telephone subscribers and 1,032,000 broadband Internet subscribers. Forward-Looking Statements: Except for historical information contained herein, this press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including planned launch dates and anticipated product performance. These forward looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these statements. These risks and uncertainties include, new product and service performance in commercial settings, amount of use by subscribers and potential subscribers of the Company's new services, changes in the technology and competition, our ability to achieve expected operational efficiencies and economies of scale, as well as other factors detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any guidance and other forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. Please visit http://www.unitedglobal.com/ for further information or contact: Richard S.L. Abbott Bert Holtkamp Investor Relations - UGC Corporate Communications - UGC Europe (303) 220-6682 + 31 (0) 20 778 9447 Email: DATASOURCE: UnitedGlobalCom, Inc. CONTACT: Richard S.L. Abbott, Investor Relations of UGC, +1-303-220-6682, , or Bert Holtkamp, Corporate Communications of UGC Europe, + 31 (0) 20 778 9447, Web site: http://www.unitedglobal.com/

Copyright