Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2006/06/19/demon_thus/

Broadband numbers grow at Demon

Devil in the detail

By Tim Richardson

Posted in Networks, 19th June 2006 12:46 GMT

Demon, the internet brand of Scottish telco Thus, saw the number of broadband subscribers jump 20 per cent over the last year to 110,000, helping to boost broadband revenues.

Slap on a further 16,500 broadband punters adopted when Thus bought Your Communications and Legend Communications earlier this year, and Demon's broadband base continues to swell.

But the Scottish telco acknowledges that it is competing in a "fast-moving broadband market" and that it must keep evolving or lose out to rivals. Last month it cut the ribbon on a VoIP product and is planning to unveil an 8 meg broadband service "shortly".

Publishing results for the year to March Thus reported that total revenues for the whole group were up three per cent at £350m while it managed to cut operating losses by 45 per cent to £20.8m.

It also reported that it is winning new corporate and public sector contracts including the Audit Commission, Manchester City Council, Scottish Media Group and the University of Westminster.

And it remains upbeat that the integration of Your Communications and Legend will deliver more, with boss William Allan saying that "once the integrations have been successfully implemented and the majority of the anticipated synergies have been achieved...[Thus] will be strongly positioned to further improve its operating performance."

Looking ahead, Allan added that trading for the entire business "remains in line with its expectations for the current financial year". ®