TV, phone and internet provider UPC is to become Virgin Media in Ireland.

The firm says launching the Virgin Media brand in Ireland will help it make further progress to meet the unique needs of its customers.

UPC says all operations, products and services will move to the new Virgin Media brand with further details to be announced "in due course".

It currently provides TV, broadband and phone services to some 500,000 customers in Ireland, its market share has fallen by 3.5% since 2014.

Magnus Ternsjö, CEO of UPC Ireland, said: "In almost every corner of the world, the Virgin brand is famous for its entrepreneurial spirit in delivering more for customers, which is exactly what we're going to do by building even further on all our innovation and achievements to date".

Virgin Group founder, Richard Branson says that the brand hopes to build on the business that UPC has built: "We are delighted to bring the Virgin Media brand to Ireland. We are proud of the way it has revolutionised the UK market, improving customer service, increasing speeds and bringing more choice to our customers.

"Building on the strong platform in Ireland, I know we will do great things together with Liberty Global and shake up the Irish market even further."

UPC Ireland became part of Liberty Global's UK subsidiary, Virgin Media, in December 2014. Liberty Global bought Virgin Media UK in 2013.