17th May 2007 16:03
Cable & Wireless bags landmark agreement with Virgin Media
Cable & Wireless today announced a four-year agreement with Virgin Media to become its exclusive unbundled local loop (LLU) network provider on a wholesale basis until 2011.
With its extensive LLU footprint giving access to around 4 million additional homes, Cable & Wireless will supply wholesale broadband services to support Virgin Media's existing off net customers as well as new customers.
Virgin Media will be able to offer broadband, phone and television service to parts of the country not currently served by its cable network.
Thanks to its long standing relationships with a number of Virgin brands, including Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Group, Cable & Wireless has the experience and understanding of Virgin's culture.
Neil Berkett, Chief Operating Officer, Virgin Media, said: "This deal is great news for consumers and an important step towards making Virgin Media a truly national brand. Cable & Wireless' excellent service and technology will allow us to offer enhanced broadband and home phone services to an additional four million customers. It also lays a foundation for us to provide our unique quadplay services to the 50% of households outside our cable network."
Jim Marsh, CEO, Cable & Wireless UK, commented: "This is another landmark win for us; we're delighted. We're obsessive about delivering great service and putting customers at the heart of our business - clearly, this approach resonates with Virgin Media."
- ends - Media Contacts:Cable & WirelessAntonia GrahamHead of corporate & UK PRT: +44 (0)7803 724 111E: [email protected] MediaM:CommunicationsNick FoxLisa Gordon+44 (0) 207 153 1540/1548Notes to editorsAbout Cable & Wireless
Cable & Wireless is one of the world's leading international communications companies. It operates through two standalone business units - UK and International.
The UK business unit provides enterprise and carrier solutions to the largest users of telecoms services across the UK, US, continental Europe and Asia, and wholesale broadband services in the UK.
The International business unit operates integrated telecommunications companies in 33 countries offering mobile, broadband, domestic and international fixed line services to residential and business customers, with principal operations in the Caribbean, Panama, Macau, Monaco and the Channel Islands.
For more information about Cable & Wireless, go to www.cw.com
About Virgin Media
Virgin Media is an innovative and pioneering UK entertainment and communications business. For the first time consumers can get everything they need from one company - the UK's only quadplay of TV, broadband, phone and mobile plus the most advanced TV on demand service available, the UK's first high definition TV service and V+, our high specification personal video recorder. We're the UK's most popular broadband provider, the largest virtual mobile network operator and the second largest provider of pay TV and home phone.
Virgin Media owns two content businesses - Virgin Media Television (VMTV) and sit-up. VMTV owns seven entertainment channels - LIVINGtv, LIVINGtv 2, Bravo, Bravo 2, Challenge, Trouble and Ftn - and is a 50% partner in UKTV which consists of ten channels including UKTV Gold and UKTV History. sit-up runs retail TV channels bid tv, price-drop tv and speed auctiontv.
Virgin Media is the largest Virgin company in the world and has almost 10 million customers. To find out more visit www.virginmedia.com/presscentre
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