Eircom has sold its Northern Ireland customer premises equipment business for an undisclosed sum to Netcom Limited, a Northern Irish telecoms firm.

Eircom's Northern Ireland equipment business employs 60 staff who will transfer to Netcom Limited, which has offices in Dublin, Belfast and Glasgow.

Eircom said the sale was part of its strategy to dispose of non-core businesses. It is believed the sale will net Eircom about €5 million, similar to the price it paid for the business in 1999.

Eircom is servicing its customers in Northern Ireland through its British subsidiary Eircom UK. It will continue to offer network services to the Northern Ireland market, the firm said in a statement.