Virgin Media touts 200Mbit/s broadband

Cable provider says it could deliver 200Mbit/s services within four years.

Virgin Media is touting the possibility of providing customers with broadband speeds of up to 200Mbits/s within the next four years.

Speaking at a conference call on Virgin Media's second quarter earnings, chief executive Neil Berkett said, "Even by 2012, we'll still have an advantage to BT's fibre to the cabinet (FTTC). We'll certainly be able to offer up to 200Mbit/s broadband download speeds, if we so chose."

Also at the presentation Virgin Media unveiled its intention to launch a mobile broadband service in the fourth quarter of 2008, but with no further details. The service would launch on the back of re-negotiated wholesale rates with its mobile partner T-Mobile.

T-Mobile upgraded its 3G network from high speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) to high speed uplink packet access (HSUPA) in July. Although limited to users within the M25, uplink and downlink speeds would effectively be around 1Mbit/s and 2Mbit/s respectively.

Elsewhere, reports emerged that Virgin Media may be intending to withdraw from the corporate communications market to concentrate on its cable TV and broadband business. Investment bank Goldman Sachs is reported to have a potential merger plan for the business part of Virgin Media, NTL Telewest Business.

But a Virgin Media spokesman refused to be drawn on the reports. "We never comment on rumour or speculation," he said.