Virgin Media 2006 Annual Report Download - page 15

broadcast TV), is high definition, or HD, enabled and has three tuners, allowing viewers to record two programs while watching a
third. V+ Box customers that also have an HD compatible television can access our HD on demand content. Digital video recorders
are also known as personal video recorders, or PVRs, in the United Kingdom.
Broadband Internet
We deliver high−speed broadband and dial−up internet access to customers within reach of our access network by direct
connection to our network under the brand name “Virgin Broadband”. We offer broadband services at a selection of download speeds:
2Mb for Size M customers, 4Mb for Size L customers and 10Mb for Size XL customers, which we expect to increase to 20Mb in
June 2007. All services offer unlimited usage and PC security software. Premium broadband services (which are free for Size L and
XL customers) include advanced security features such as anti−spyware and premium broadband content. Leveraging the technical
capability of our network, we are also in the process of trialing a 50Mb broadband service, which will more than double the fastest
speed available from our DSL competitors. As of December 31, 2006, we provided broadband service to approximately 3.1 million
customers on our cable network.
In February 2007, we won the Best Consumer ISP award at the Internet Service Provider Association Awards (ISPAs) for
providing the most outstanding services for consumers.
Through our wholly−owned internet service provider, or ISP, which formerly operated separately under the Virgin.net brand, we
provide broadband and dial−up internet services to residential customers who live inside or outside our service areas. Various price
and feature packages are available including broadband ranging from 512Kb to 8Mb, and metered and unmetered dial−up. As of
December 31, 2006, we had approximately 479,000 residential customers including approximately 261,000 broadband customers.
In 2007, we plan to aggressively roll−out our off−net strategy to leverage the Virgin Media brand nationally by extending it into
non−cable areas. We intend to select a wholesale local loop unbundling provider, which will enable us to launch new “quad−play” or
other bundled product propositions outside of our cable network by the end of 2007 with only modest capital investment. In addition,
we plan to launch a Virgin Media branded multi−channel digital terrestrial television, or DTT, service that we will bundle with our
off−net telephone, broadband and mobile products. We intend to begin offering an internet protocol television, or IPTV, service,
including pay broadcast channels and VoD, to customers outside of our cable areas in 2008.
Fixed Line Telephone
We provide local, national and international telephone services to our residential customers who are within reach of our access
network by direct connection to our network under the brand name “Virgin Phone”. We enhance our basic telephone service by
offering additional services, such as call waiting, call barring (which prevents unauthorized outgoing calls), call diversion (call
forwarding), three−way calling, advanced voicemail, caller line identification and fully itemized monthly billing. We also provide
national and international directory enquiry services.
In addition to a core line rental fee, we offer Size M, L and XL variants of Virgin Phone as alternatives to straight usage−based
billing. These packages include “Talk Plans” that enable customers to make unlimited local and national calls for a fixed monthly fee
in addition to the standard line rental. As of December 31, 2006, we provided telephone services to approximately 4.1 million
residential customers.
We also provide phone service via BT’s local access network to customers outside of our network. As of December 31, 2006, we
provided off−net telephone services to approximately 38,000 customers.
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Source: VIRGIN MEDIA INVESTM, 10−K, March 01, 2007