EXHIBIT 99

                 [LOGO OF INTERNATIONAL CABLETEL INCORPORATED]

                                                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                INTERNATIONAL CABLETEL INCORPORATED ACQUIRES THE
               REMAINING 40% MINORITY INTEREST IN THE SOUTH WALES
                    TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND CABLE FRANCHISES

(New York, New York and Farnborough, Hampshire, Cardiff, South Wales; October
8th, 1996)

     International CableTel Incorporated (NASDAQ: ICTL) ("CableTel") announced
today that it had acquired the remaining 40% interest it did not already own in
its South Wales, U.K. cable/telephony franchises.  The interest being acquired
is owned by Hyder Plc, through various subsidiaries, in a joint venture created
in 1993.  This joint venture operates U.K. cable/telephony franchises comprising
approximately 540,000 franchised homes.

     CableTel is acquiring the interest in exchange for $78 million stated value
of a new class of CableTel non-voting convertible preferred stock.  The
preferred stock issued to Swalec Telco Investments Limited will be convertible
into shares of CableTel common stock having an aggregate value of $78 mil lion.
Dividends will not be payable for five years on the preferred stock, but
thereafter will be payable at a rate of 5% per annum payable in cash, CableTel
common stock or additional preferred stock, at CableTel's option.  Resale of the
common stock into which the preferred stock is convertible is subject to certain
resale restrictions and compliance with U.S. securities laws.

     CableTel also operates telecommunications and cable television franchises
in the West of Scotland, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Northern Ireland, Surrey,
East Hampshire and West Yorkshire.



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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, IN THE U.S., CONTACT:  J. Barclay Knapp, President or
Richard J. Lubasch, Senior Vice President at 212-371-3714; in the U.K. contact
Allison Smith at 011 44 1252 402 662.