Virgin Media

Virgin Media is a relatively new entrant into the Digital TV arena. Formed from the takeover by the Virgin group of NTL:Telewest (itself an earlier merger of telecomms companies NTL Inc. and Telewest Global), Virgin Media is BSkyB's biggest competitor in the UK Digital TV market.

Virgin Media offers most of the channels that Sky Digital offers minus a few Sky premium options, such as Sky One, Two and Sky News. However, despite this, Virgin Media currently claim that it offers more to watch than anyone else.

TV & Phone

2 for £20

£20 per month

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Bundle includes:

• TV Size: L
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• Includes landline rental

TV & Broadband

2 for £25

£25 per month

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• TV Size: L
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TV, Phone & Broadband

3 for £30

£30 per month

Buy online and save £30.00

Bundle includes:

• TV Size: L
• Phone Size: M
• Broadband Size: M
• Includes landline rental

How it works

Like Sky Digital TV and Freeview, Virgin Media TV is a digital service, so it satisfies viewers need to eventually switch to digital TV by 2012. However, while Sky TV is transmitted via a satellite signal, Virgin TV is currently a cable offering. This means that Virgin Media is transmitted into customers' homes via a cable in the ground.

The benefit of being a cable service is that signal quality is guaranteed and possible issues relating to satellite dish placement is avoided. However, the drawback is that not all of the UK is currently accessible to cable TV and therefore Virgin Media is not available in a few areas of the county. However, Virgin Media is working to increase its coverage with the hope that all of the UK will soon be accessible to Virgin digital TV.

As a digital TV service, Virgin Media offers all the benefits of the digital age including excellent picture and sound quality, the huge range of channels mentioned above and interactivity. With digital TV we no longer just watch TV, we can also interact with it. With Virgin Media you get an interactive programme menu screen that allows you to quickly and easily find the programme you want. It also offers many additional labour-saving menu options, such as programme reminders and PIN security. Furthermore, Virgin Media's interactive services also provide games, online betting, shopping, info on demand and interactive viewing option.

Virgin Media operates a minimum contract term of 12 months.

What you need

To get Virgin Media TV you require a fibre-optic cable installed at your property. This will involve a Virgin appointed engineer running a cable from Virgin's network under your front garden and into a receiver box that they will place on the outside of your house. They will then connect the receiver box to your set top box, which will decode the signal allowing you to watch crystal clear interactive Virgin Media TV.

However, this service is not currently available to all UK residents. If you are not in Virgin's cable service area you can receive Virgin Free TV via an aerial. This free TV service, which offers around 40 channels, is only available when customers sign up to Virgin Talk and Broadband in the Bundle One format at a cost of £19.99 per month. To get this service you simply need to connect your Virgin Free TV box to your existing aerial feed.