Eircom on Tuesday confirmed that it is working on a rebrand and will share details of its new identity in the coming weeks.
The Irish incumbent made the announcement alongside the publication of its fourth quarter results, which showed 5% revenue growth to €325 million and a 12% increase in EBITDA to €135 million.
"We passed a symbolic milestone in June, recording yea r-on-year revenue growth in the quarter for the first time in seven years, driven by both our fixed and mobile segments," Eircom chief executive Richard Moat said.
The telco posted turnover of €1.27 billion for the full year, down 1% on the previous year, but EBITDA was up by 3% to €481 million.
Revenue growth and cost-cutting efforts had a positive impact on earnings Moat said. Eircom’s full year operating costs, excluding non-cash items, fell by 7% on last year to €512 million.
Bundled services helped push up revenue, with 25% of customers taking a TV or mobile bundle, Moat said.
Although Eircom did not provide any details of its planned rebrand, it is doubtless linked to the growing trend towards bundled services. The telco uses its main brand for broadband and TV services, in addition to product names such as eFibre and eVision. On the mobile side, it offers services as both Meteor and eMobile.
According to the Irish Times, Eircom has registered around 50 new business names in the past few months, including Eirmobile, Eirbroadband, EirTV and Eirwholesale, as well as others that do not follow that pattern.
However, the company is staying tight-lipped for now.
"The decision to launch a new brand underlines the extent to which the company has evolved, our commitment to Ireland and our ambition for the future," Moat said.
Formerly known as Telecom Éireann, the telco adopted the Eircom brand in 1999 after its mid-year stock market flotation.
Its decision to make a change comes just days after rival broadband and TV provider UPC announced its own rebranding plan. The firm intends to adopt the Virgin Media name, putting it in line with its U.K.-based parent company. UPC owner Liberty Global acquired Virgin Media two years ago; it transferred UPC Ireland to Virgin Media in December 2014.
"We have some exciting plans in the pipeline to step up competition for consumers which we will announce in due course," Virgin Media CEO Tom Mockridge said in UPC Ireland’s rebrand announcement on Friday.
