A sign advertising Flow at the intersection of Beverly Drive and Montclair Drive on Tuesday, November 21, 2006. - File

FLOW COMMUNICATIONS has acquired a third cable company, giving it a foothold in Ocho Rios, St Ann.

On June 26, Flow took control of Northern Cable and Communication Network Limited (NCCN), formerly owned by Philmore McCarthy, acquiring a client base of more than 2,000 subscribers with the purchase.

Flow will begin to offer its digital cable service in late July to Ocho Rios, Bamboo, St. Ann's Bay, Breadnut Hill and Sturge Town through this company, but says it will offer its triple play by the second quarter of 2008 to these regions.

Refusing to disclose the price for the acquisition, Michelle English, general manager for Flow, told the Financial Gleaner that Ocho Rios was in a group of locations which the company considered strategic to go after first.

Although Flow is still rolling out its services in Kingston, this acquisition represents progress on its plan to eventually go national with its services.

The company had previously acquired SAUCE and D&L cable providers, both operational in Kingston.

English, in a previous interview, had said Flow's intention was to acquire approximately 18 of the then 25 Cable Companies licensed with the Broadcasting Commis-sion, but she now says the company is open to any number of interested sellers.

"We continue to receive calls from operators who are in-terested," said English this week pointing out that most of the cable companies to be acquired first approached Flow.

NCCN, she said, would retain its name and identity under the Columbus Communication Group, of which Flow is a subsidiary.

Flow's all-digital network offers subscribers a choice of up to 250 cable TV channels. It's triple play package will add high speed internet and telephone service to the cable offer for a fixed price.

susan.gordon@gleanerjm.com