NTL INC/NY/
8-K, 1999-07-19
CABLE & OTHER PAY TELEVISION SERVICES
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                     ---------------------------------------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


         DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED) JULY 9, 1999
                                                          ------------

                                NTL INCORPORATED
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)


          Delaware                   0-25691                     13-4051921
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(State or Other Jurisdiction       (Commission                 (IRS Employer
     of Incorporation)             File Number)              Identification No.)



110 East 59th Street, New York, New York                           10022
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                         (Zip Code)


        Registrant's Telephone Number, including area code (212) 906-8440
                                                           --------------


          -------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)



<PAGE>

Item 2.   Acquisition or Disposition of Assets
- ------    ------------------------------------

     On July 9, 1999, NTL Incorporated  ("NTL")  announced that it had completed
the  acquisition  of  Cablelink  Limited,  Ireland's  largest  cable  television
provider.  This  major  strategic  expansion  makes  NTL the  largest  broadband
telecommunications  provider in the UK and  Ireland  with a  subscriber  base of
approximately  1.8 million.  The purchase price was 535.180  million Irish Punts
(approximately US$695 million; 445 million UK Pounds).

Item 5.   Other Events.
- ------    ------------

     (A) On July 15,  1999,  NTL  announced  that it had  reached  a  series  of
agreements with France Telecom regarding strategic business opportunities in the
United Kingdom.  As part of these  agreements,  France Telecom agreed to make an
initial investment of $1.0 billion in NTL, which will represent,  on conversion,
approximately 10% of NTL's then outstanding common stock.

     Under the terms of the  agreement,  France  Telecom will  purchase  750,000
shares of $1,000 par value 5% preferred stock,  convertible into common stock at
$125 per share and  approximately  2.7 million  shares of common stock at $92.50
per  share.  Closing  of  this  purchase  is  conditional  upon  normal  closing
conditions, and it is anticipated to occur by the end of July 1999.


     (B) On July 15, 1999, NTL confirmed  rumors that it has been in discussions
with Cable and Wireless about a possible  transaction by which certain assets of
Cable and Wireless Communications would be merged with NTL.


Item 7.   Financial Statements and Exhibits
- ------    ---------------------------------

          Exhibits

     99.1 Press release, issued July 9, 1999

     99.2 Press release, issued July 15, 1999

     99.3 Press release, issued July 15, 1999

     99.4 Press release, issued July 15, 1999

<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES



     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.



                                          NTL INCORPORATED
                                            (Registrant)


                                          By: /s/ Richard J. Lubasch
                                          -------------------------------------
                                          Name:  Richard J. Lubasch
                                          Title: Executive Vice President-
                                                   General Counsel


Dated: July 16, 1999

<PAGE>

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX



Exhibit                                                                   Page

  99.1    Press release, issued July 9, 1999

  99.2    Press release, issued July 15, 1999

  99.3    Press release, issued July 15, 1999

  99.4    Press release, issued July 15, 1999




                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1

                                                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


    NTL COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF LARGEST CABLE TELEVISION OPERATOR IN IRELAND

       Emerges as Largest Broadband Telecommunications Provider in UK and
                      Ireland with 1.8 Million Subscribers

NEW YORK,  NEW YORK (July 9, 1999) - NTL  Incorporated  (NASDAQ:  NTLI;  EASDAQ;
NTLI.ED) announced that it has completed the previously announced acquisition of
Cablelink  Limited,  Ireland's  largest cable  television  provider.  This major
strategic expansion makes NTL the largest broadband  telecommunications provider
in the UK and Ireland with a subscriber base of approximately  1.8 million.  The
purchase price was 535.180  million Irish Punts  (approximately  US$695 million;
445 million UK Pounds).

Cablelink  provides  multi-channel  television and information  services through
cable and Microwave  Multipoint  Distribution  Systems (MMDS) systems in Dublin,
Galway  and  Waterford.  With a  customer  base  of  over  360,000  subscribers,
Cablelink  currently has an 83% penetration rate in its cable broadband  network
which passes  420,000  homes.  Cablelink  holds  licenses to provide  analog and
digital television  services over cable and MMDS in its franchises for 15 years,
with  exclusive  rights  for  five  years.  It also has a full  service  license
allowing it to provide public telephony, Internet and other value-added services
throughout Ireland.

NTL intends to play a leading role in Ireland,  providing an integrated range of
advanced broadband multi-media services, including digital television, telephony
and Internet services.  NTL plans to upgrade the existing Cablelink network to a
fibre trunk network,  which will allow a rapid rollout of these  services.  Over
the next several years,  NTL expects that all of  Cablelink's  customers will be
served by a 750MHz to 1GHz two-way  digital cable network  capable of delivering
300+ television  channels,  voice telephony and high-speed  Internet access. The
acquisition  will  also  further  NTL's  previously  announced  plans to  launch
business telecoms services in key markets in Ireland.

NTL is the leading  telecommunications  and media company in the United  Kingdom
and Ireland. The company offers local business and residential telephony,  cable
television and Internet  services over advanced  broadband fiber networks to 25%
of homes in the UK including the Northern Ireland cable  franchise.  Through its
national telecoms services  division,  the company owns and operates one of only
five  independent  national  telecoms  networks  in the UK, and offers  national
business telecoms, national and international carrier

                                   -continued-

<PAGE>


telecommunications  services,  and satellite and radio communications  services.
The  company's   broadcast  services  division  operates  a  national  broadcast
transmission network of more than 1,300 owned and shared transmission sites, and
offers digital and analog  broadcast  transmission  services to major television
and radio stations nationwide in the UK.


For further information contact:

         John F. Gregg, Chief Financial Officer - Corporate Development
         Bret Richter, Director - Corporate Development
         Richard J. Lubasch , Senior Vice President - General Counsel
         Jeffrey Wyman, Assistant General Counsel
         Kathy Makrakis, Director - Investor Relations
         (212) 906-8457 or via e-mail at [email protected]

For media inquiries contact:

         Alison Smith, Group Communications,-011441252402662



                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.2

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


                         FRANCE TELECOM TO INVEST IN NTL

NEW YORK, NEW YORK (July 15, 1999) - NTL  Incorporated  (NASDAQ:  NTLI;  EASDAQ:
NTLI.ED) confirms that it is in advanced  discussions with France Telecom which,
if successful,  will result in France  Telecom  making a minority  investment in
NTL. This investment will allow NTL to further its strategic  initiatives in the
UK cable industry.

This investment would result in the suspension of the equity offering previously
announced by NTL on June 23, 1999.

                                       ###

For further information contact: John F. Gregg, Chief Financial Officer; Richard
J.  Lubasch,  Executive  Vice  President-General  Counsel;  or  Kathy  Makrakis,
Director - Investor Relations: 212-906-8457 or e-mail:
[email protected].

In the  United  Kingdom  contact:  Alison  Smith,  Head of Group  Communications
01-252-402662 or e-mail [email protected].



                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.3

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                        NTL CONFIRMS DISCUSSIONS WITH CWC

NEW YORK, NEW YORK (July 15, 1999) - NTL  Incorporated  (NASDAQ:  NTLI;  EASDAQ:
NTLI.ED) - Following UK media reports,  NTL Incorporated  said today that it can
confirm that it has been in discussions with Cable and Wireless about a possible
transaction by which certain assets of Cable and Wireless  Communications  would
be merged with NTL.

                                       ###

For further information contact: John F. Gregg, Chief Financial Officer; Richard
J.  Lubasch,  Executive  Vice  President-General  Counsel;  or  Kathy  Makrakis,
Director - Investor Relations: (212) 906-8457, e-mail:
[email protected].

In the United Kingdom contact: Alison Smith, Head of Group Communications phone:
011-44-1252-402662, e-mail:  [email protected].




                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.4

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


              FRANCE TELECOM INVESTS AN INITIAL $1.0 BILLION IN NTL


New York, New York (July 15,  1999)- NTL  Incorporated  (NASDAQ:  NTLI;  EASDAQ:
NTLI.ED) today  announced that it has reached a series of agreements with France
Telecom regarding  strategic  business  opportunities in the United Kingdom.  As
part of  these  agreements,  France  Telecom  has  agreed  to  make  an  initial
investment  of $1.0  billion  in  NTL,  which  will  represent,  on  conversion,
approximately 10% of NTL's then outstanding common stock.

Under the terms of the agreement  reached  today,  France  Telecom will purchase
750,000 shares of $1,000 par value 5% preferred  stock,  convertible into common
stock at $125 per share and  approximately 2.7 million shares of common stock at
$92.50 per share.  Closing of this purchase is  conditional  upon normal closing
conditions, and it is anticipated to occur by the end of July 1999.

The  arrangements   between  the  companies   contemplate   further  significant
investments  by France  Telecom in NTL,  so that NTL can  complete  its  current
negotiations with respect to a possible  transaction  regarding Cable & Wireless
Communications Plc.

As previously disclosed,  NTL will suspend its equity offering announced on June
23, 1999.

                                       ###

For further information contact: John F. Gregg, Chief Financial Officer; Richard
J.  Lubasch,  Executive  Vice  President-General  Counsel;  or  Kathy  Makrakis,
Director - Investor Relations: (212) 906-8457, e-mail:
[email protected].

In the United  Kingdom  contact:  Alison  Smith,  Head of Group  Communications:
011-44-1252-402662, e-mail: [email protected].



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