The double-speed broadband of 20Mb ups the speed on their conventional 10Mb broadband package by 100 per cent.

With the new Virgin service, digital downloads will be quicker than ever before, the company said, with customers able to download an MP3 song in just two seconds and secure an entire DVD-quality film in half an hour.

The offering will optimise new offerings such as 4oD, Channel 4 downloadable films and TV on demand, since a feature-length film takes three hours to download at the standard UK-wide broadband speed of 4Mb.

Virgin competitor Sky, meanwhile, offers a maximum broadband speed of 16Mb.

Communications industry observers have linked the announcement to the clash between Richard Branson’s media giant and Sky, which withdrew channels such as Sky One and Sky News from Virgin customers earlier this month.

The new super-speed broadband will cost customers £37 a month.

Find out more about Virgin Broadband.

© Adfero Ltd