Is bundling key to the popularity of Virgin Media's TiVo?

Virgin Media has this week announced a major milestone for its TiVo product, with the one millionth household signing up for the service.

Less than two years after it hit the market, the next-generation entertainment proposition is no longer simply a niche offering, with 25 per cent of the cable company's pay TV customers signed up.

But is TiVo really changing the way we watch telly, or are people just subscribing because of its now-widespread availability?

Last August, not long after the introduction of TiVo, Virgin made the somewhat audacious claim that the service really is altering our viewing habits.

It revealed one in every four channel views from TiVo customers did not originate from the electronic programme guide, illustrating the popularity of the intelligent search function - which is currently being promoted in a TV advert starring Stephen Fry in full kung fu get-up.

At the time, we were a little sceptical about Virgin's admittedly unsurprising belief in its own product.

Fast-forward to the present day, however, and it appears that TiVo and its myriad functions really are catching on with more than just a tech-loving niche audience.

Virgin attributed the record one billion on-demand views it racked up throughout 2011 as a further indicator of how TiVo is encouraging people to explore different types of content.

And with one million households now receiving the service, TiVo looks to be going from strength to strength.

That said, it's certainly true that part of the reason behind the recent surge in uptake is down to Virgin's decision to include TiVo as standard with all of its new 'Collections' entertainment bundles.

Only time will tell if the service is proving so appealing due to its innovative viewing features, or simply because it's available in low-cost bundles with the cable company's super-fast broadband packages.

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