Basildon cable giant Telewest is about to undergo a £30 million rebirth.

A television campaign will be launched in the summer along with a new name for the company currently merging with TV firm Flextech.

The new company will be given its own identity and image with the help of famous advertising agent Saatchi & Saatchi, the name behind the 1979 Conservative Party campaign.

The cable firm, which supplies south Essex with telephones and cable television, only advertises in the regions it serves. This will be the first time it has seen the need to go national.

Telewest spokesman Stephen Powers said the move is in keeping with the launch of the internet revolution.

He said: "We have always limited ourselves to advertising within the regions we serve, like Basildon. With the services now moving to mobile telephones, the internet and personal computers, Telewest is able to broaden the understanding and awareness of its products.

"We are pulling out all the stops with this campaign and have put aside £30 million to do so. We want to make a huge impact with the advertising programme."

The £11 billion merger between Telewest and Flextech will bring together the digital cable television franchises and telecoms businesses of Telewest and the television production and channel provision of Flextech.

Wolff Olins, the name behind the Orange mobile phone company name and image, is in charge of creating a new company name.

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