Virgin Media today claimed it would be the first ISP to deliver broadband over existing electricity poles.

The Welsh village of Crumlin, Caerphilly will benefit from an agreement between Western Power Distribution company Surf Telecoms and Virgin Media to connect residential homes in the area to Virgin Media’s broadband network.

Virgin Media began trialling aerial deployment of broadband cable in the Berkshire village of Woolhampton in March. However, that was run over a purpose-built infrastructure. The company was unable to say whether or not the rollout would be optical fibre technology.

Virgin Media's trials could help make next-generation digital services in rural areas commercially viable.

Such answers would be useful for the government's Broadband Delivery UK organisation, which is tasked with delivering UK-wide 2Mbit/s broadband by 2015.

Jon James, Virgin Media broadband executive director, said: "Working in partnership with companies like Surf Telecoms, we can more rapidly and efficiently expand the reach of fibre optic networks to UK towns, villages and communities."

Surf Telecoms design and policy manager Richard Doble said: "Aerial deployment promises a valuable use of existing infrastructure and an interesting new commercial opportunity for utility companies."

Western Power Distribution’s electricity infrastructure reaches more than 2.5 million homes across South West England and South and West Wales.

Virgin Media will offer its 50Mbit/s broadband service, with the trial scheduled to start next month and run into 2011.