Virgin Non-Cable Packages

Virgin Media came into being in 2006, following the merger of Virgin Mobile with NTL/Telewest, the UK's biggest provider of cable media services. Many people still associate Virgin Media exclusively with cable, and it is true that this is the company's biggest range of services, and one of Virgin's unique services. However, the company also offers services that are delivered without the need for a cable line. This is because, before Virgin's involvement with NTL/Telewest, it already offered internet services via a phone line, through Virgin.net.

Since the merger, these services have been integrated into Virgin Media. It also allows the company to offer services to people who associate cable services with a lengthy home visit and engineer installation - which is not necessarily the case, as the company will usually give a booking slot for installations, and many issues can now be dealt with remotely.

However, the main benefit of Virgin's non-cable services is that it allows customer across the UK to benefit from the company's services, whether or not they live in a cable-wired area. For cable services, customers would ordinarily need to live in a specified area (which can be checked with Virgin) that is physically part of their delivery network, which may exclude, for example, customers living in rural locations. The company offers non cable services under the brand 'National' products. These include TV services, land line telephone and broadband internet. The TV service is a stand alone product, which, unlike Virgin cable services, does not have a monthly fee - hence the product name, 'Virgin Free TV'. This involves purchasing a set top box (approximately £40) which gives access to over 50 digital radio and Freeview TV stations and interactive digital content.

This does not require an engineer to visit, as the box is designed for 'plug and play', allowing you to install the unit yourself in minutes. Non-cable broadband internet is offered as an 'up to 8 MB' service, which is less than the company's smallest cable broadband package, but which is still a fast speed, especially in comparison to other 'ordinary' broadband services. The speed can also be upgraded to a 16 MB service, if you require, and Virgin regularly have special offers on this upgrade (e.g. upgrade may be free for a certain period).

This service also has the advantage of no monthly download limits, unlike some other providers, as well as anti-virus protection, and comes with a wireless router, allowing you to connect other computers to the same network easily within your home. Non-cable land line telephone services from Virgin Media are only available as part of a 'bundle' with a broadband internet package. 'Bundle one' offers free calls to most geographic UK numbers at any time, any day of the week, while 'Bundle Two' offers free calls at evenings and weekends only, and therefore costs slightly less.

On top of these services for the home, Virgin Media are one of the leading providers of mobile broadband. This uses mobile phone networks, rather than physical networks, to transmit internet data via a special USB modem that plugs into the side of your laptop computer, and there are reduced prices for taking this with a non-cable broadband package.