The telecoms price war hotted up this week with the release of the long-awaited NTL-bundled television, Internet and telephony package onto the Irish market.

That is for all observers except that diplomatic Northern Ireland-born managing director of NTL, Ian Jeffers, who claimed there was "no price war in terms of tariff".

However, it was difficult for assembled hacks to accept this, especially when Mr Jeffers proceeded to tell them that the NTL package would save consumers £35 (€44.44) per month on their telephone and Internet bills.

Maybe he is hoping to keep Eircom sweet. As one of NTL's first carrier pre-select telephone customers he has already felt the heat of the direct marketing campaigns about to be unleashed on unsuspecting consumers - when the Eircom sales team rang him up and tried to steal him back as a customer.

The company is expected to market its new products very aggressively.