Virgin Media launches online movie service

UK cable operator Virgin Media has launched a new online movies service, allowing viewers – including non-Virgin Media subscribers – to stream movies either to laptops or PCs or to TVs connected via VGA or HDMI cables to their computers.

Virgin Media Online Movies will give access to several hundred titles including Fantastic Mr Fox, District 9 and The Twilight Saga: New Moon. All rentals will offer unlimited views for 48 hours so viewers can pause, rewind and watch again. Films can be watched wherever the account holder logs on.

The service is provided by Virgin Media’s existing video-on-demand provider FilmFlex. Virgin Media is also relaunching its existing online movies site to provide a “where to watch” guide covering thousands of titles and formats.

Separately, Virgin Media has announced that it now has over one million mobile phone subscribers with regular monthly contracts, an increase of 40% over the last year.

Virgin Media has introduced a number of offers to provide incentives for pre-paid mobile customers to convert to subscription, including an offer of unlimited texts and web access for £20 (€23) a month, as well as a number of incentives to sign up for quad-play services with the operator.