http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/may/06/virgi
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Posted On: 05/19/2014 6:27:48 PM
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/may/06/...ay-package
Virgin Media offers 'quad-play' package
Television, broadband, landline phone and mobile to be offered in one package with some contracts costing £30 a month
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Mark Sweney
theguardian.com, Tuesday 6 May 2014 04.11 EDT
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Virgin Media
Virgin Media has announced a new ‘quad-play’ package, combining its TV, broadband, landlaine telephone and mobile services
Virgin Media is aiming to offer consumers a one-stop shop for services by launching what it claims is the UK's first "quad-play" packages – TV, broadband, landline phone and mobile – significantly upping the ante with rivals in the increasingly cut-throat battle in the telecommunications market.
Virgin Media will this week launch a range of new packages – with names such as the Big Kahuna and Big Bang – from as little as £30 a month marketed as the simplest way for customers to get all their household communications from one provider.
BT's move to drive the growth of its previously stuttering TV service, BT TV, by securing rights including Premier League football, and TalkTalk's successful move to sign up cost-conscious customers to its budget pay-TV service, has forced rivals to innovate their offerings to maintain growth and profits.
BSkyB is rumoured to have looked at a deal with Vodafone to expand into offering mobile services to make its product mix more enticing, while branching into areas such as launching a cheaper internet TV service.
"For the first time, households will be able to get the best broadband together with the UK's best value mobile," said Dana Strong, chief operating officer at Virgin Media.
Virgin Media claims it is the first provider to truly offer four products in one bundle – TalkTalk has a mobile offering but sells it separately to its other services, which is what Virgin has done until now.
In October, BT signalled its intention to move into the quad-play market by striking a deal with EE – which operates the Orange and T-Mobile brands – paving the way for a first return to mobile since selling off BT Cellnet in 2001.
The launch of the first tranche of bundles, which are designed to be flexible and allow customers to bolt on options such as Sky's sport and movie channels, will be made available to Virgin Media's customers from this week.
Virgin Media has 3.7 million TV customers, 4.4 million broadband customers, 4.1 million landline users and 3 million on mobile contracts.
The company is aiming to leverage its impressive result to date of 66% of its customer base taking three products, BSkyB has so far managed to get 37% of its 10 million customers to take three of its products.
Virgin Media intends to start offering the new quad-play bundles to the wider market from the end of the month.
• To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email media@theguardian.com or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".
• To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook.
Virgin Media offers 'quad-play' package
Television, broadband, landline phone and mobile to be offered in one package with some contracts costing £30 a month
Share
26
in
Share
.
20
Mark Sweney
theguardian.com, Tuesday 6 May 2014 04.11 EDT
Jump to comments (13)
Virgin Media
Virgin Media has announced a new ‘quad-play’ package, combining its TV, broadband, landlaine telephone and mobile services
Virgin Media is aiming to offer consumers a one-stop shop for services by launching what it claims is the UK's first "quad-play" packages – TV, broadband, landline phone and mobile – significantly upping the ante with rivals in the increasingly cut-throat battle in the telecommunications market.
Virgin Media will this week launch a range of new packages – with names such as the Big Kahuna and Big Bang – from as little as £30 a month marketed as the simplest way for customers to get all their household communications from one provider.
BT's move to drive the growth of its previously stuttering TV service, BT TV, by securing rights including Premier League football, and TalkTalk's successful move to sign up cost-conscious customers to its budget pay-TV service, has forced rivals to innovate their offerings to maintain growth and profits.
BSkyB is rumoured to have looked at a deal with Vodafone to expand into offering mobile services to make its product mix more enticing, while branching into areas such as launching a cheaper internet TV service.
"For the first time, households will be able to get the best broadband together with the UK's best value mobile," said Dana Strong, chief operating officer at Virgin Media.
Virgin Media claims it is the first provider to truly offer four products in one bundle – TalkTalk has a mobile offering but sells it separately to its other services, which is what Virgin has done until now.
In October, BT signalled its intention to move into the quad-play market by striking a deal with EE – which operates the Orange and T-Mobile brands – paving the way for a first return to mobile since selling off BT Cellnet in 2001.
The launch of the first tranche of bundles, which are designed to be flexible and allow customers to bolt on options such as Sky's sport and movie channels, will be made available to Virgin Media's customers from this week.
Virgin Media has 3.7 million TV customers, 4.4 million broadband customers, 4.1 million landline users and 3 million on mobile contracts.
The company is aiming to leverage its impressive result to date of 66% of its customer base taking three products, BSkyB has so far managed to get 37% of its 10 million customers to take three of its products.
Virgin Media intends to start offering the new quad-play bundles to the wider market from the end of the month.
• To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email media@theguardian.com or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".
• To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook.
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