Sky announces one millionth broadband customer

Sky has announced that it has signed up its millionth broadband customer – less than 14 months since the entertainment and communications company first launched Sky broadband offers.

Sky was the first company to give customers a free wireless router, 12 months’ free McAfee security and the option of professional home installation to all customers.

Sky TV customers can choose from a range of broadband options including Sky Broadband Base, with no monthly subscription fee and download speeds of up to 2 meg, and Sky Broadband Max, offering superfast download speeds of up to 16 meg, for only £10 a month.

By Sarah at UK Broadband Finder

BSkyB gives notice of first quarter results

British Sky Broadcasting Group  has given notice of its first quarter results for the three months ended 30 September 2007, at 7.00 am GMT on Friday 2 November 2007. There will be a live audiocast of this call, and replay facility will be available on Sky’s corporate website.

By Sarah at UK Broadband Finder

Virgin Media engineers go green and get on their bikes to reach London customers

Virgin Media’s engineers will be faster and greener when they are heading to Virgin Media’s London customers, in a new pilot scheme that launches in November.

A number of specially trained engineers on motorbikes will be working alongside the existing fleet of vans, but in this case without sitting in traffic trying to reach their next appointment. This should mean more home visits per day, and better levels of service.

Virgin Media  estimates that a bike would spend a third of the time travelling from job to job than a van, and use less than a third of the fuel that a van would use during a year. So Virgin Media also reduces its carbon footprint.

If the scheme is a success, it is hoped it will be rolled out to other key cities around the country.

By Sarah at UK Broadband Finder

Virgin Media to announce third quarter results

Cable broadband, TV, phone and mobile provider Virgin Media will be announcing Third Quarter 2007 results on Wednesday, November 7, 2007 at 9 am UK time, 4 am ET.

A live webcast of the call, and presentation slide, will be available on the Virgin Media website.

By Sarah at UK Broadband Finder

Post Office broadband customers to be able to pay cash

The Post Office – which recently launched a range of broadband packages and bundles – is to offer a pre-pay cash service to pay for them.

The aim is to encourage groups previously excluded from the broadband revolution such as better-off over-50s who have not prevously had broadband, and those on lower incomes who tend to want a cash option.

Post Office® Broadband has been designed as a reassuringly easy to use service providing national coverage, with prices the same across the UK.  Users will be able to pay for their Post Office broadband service in cash at any of the 14,000 Post Offices® nationwide, a payment alternative not offered by any other nationwide ISP.

By Sarah at UK Broadband Finder

UK online shoppers to spend over £500 each in run up to Christmas

Thanks to the increase in broadband, UK shoppers are expected to spend £509 each online in the run up to Christmas , an increase in 40% on last year. This is more than German and French online shoppers combined, according to Forrester Research, which reported these findings.

Popular online Christmas purchases include travel, gadgets, and clothes.

Read more in The Telegraph.

By Sarah at UK Broadband Finder

New chief executive of Orange announced

The new chief executive of mobile and broadband provider Orange has been named as Tom Alexander, the former head of Virgin Mobile. He will take over this December.

Orange suffered a drop in operating profits for the first six months of this year, down 8.6% on the same period last year.

Orange recently revamped its broadband offering and now has broadband from £12 per month.

Read more in The Times about the new chief executive.

By Sarah at UK Broadband Finder

Virgin Media to focus on broadband

Virgin Media acting chief executive Neil Berkett has said that the company is to concentrate on broadband, as it can’t compete with main rival BSkyB on premium pay-tv.

The company may target those households which want more than basic Freeview TV, but don’t need premium movies and sports channels. Such families could, Birkett believes, be attracted to video on demand services that need fast broadband speeds – broadband speeds that cable can supply.

Virgin Media is already offering up to 20Mb cable broadband and is running trials for up to 50Mb cable broadband.

Read more in The Guardian.

By Sarah at UK Broadband Finder

02 announces broadband package deals

Mobile provider 02 has announced its 02 Broadband packages - and they’re superfast. All three packages have low monthly prices for existing 02 pay-monthly mobile customers, and unlimited downloads (subject to a fair use policy).

• 02 Standard Broadband: up to 8Mb - £7.50 for O2 pay monthly customers, or standard price of £17.50 per month.
• 02 Premium Broadband: up to 16Mb – from £10.00 for O2 pay monthly customers, or standard price of £20.00 per month.
• 02 Ultimate Broadband: up to 20Mb – from £15.00 for O2 pay monthly customers, or standard price of £25.00 per month.

Visit the 02 Broadband website now.

By Sarah at UK Broadband Finder

Virgin Media offers £10 online credit for cable purchasers

Virgin Media is offering a £10 credit for each cable purchase signed up to online, up to a maximum of £30. And it can be used with other offers, for example their current cable broadband Size M for £4.50 per month deal (when taken with a phone package).

This discount is available only for online purchases of Virgin Media cable boadband, cable TV and phone services on a 12 month contract – and will be deducted from your first monthly bill.

New customers only.

By Sarah at UK Broadband Finder