BSkyB Could Launch Standalone Broadband Service

BSkyB is mulling over the idea of launching a standalone broadband service which would not require subscribers to sign up to one of its pay-TV services.

The new service, which could launch under the Picnic Broadband brand, is still in a testing phase and has no set launch date.

The broadcaster recently announced that its broadband customer numbers had grown pretty impressively 259,000 to 716,000 in the three months to June 30 this year (see Sky Adds 90,000 Subscribers).

On Monday, BT announced that it has became the UK’s first broadband supplier to pass the four million customer mark (see BT Retail Passes Four Million Broadband Customers Mark).

According to BT, only Canada is ahead of the UK in terms of broadband penetration in the G8, meaning the UK is ahead of Japan, France, Germany and the US.

BSkyB subscribers are currently offered a free 2 Mbps service with the option to trade up to speeds of 8 Mbps or 16 Mbps.

Sky: 08702 40 40 40 www.sky.com