Broadband ISP Virgin Media has announced its plans for upgrading customers' broadband systems. Beginning late February customers with a 4Mbit/s service on Virgin Media's 'L' tier package will be upgraded free to a 10Mbit/s service. Completion is expected by late summer.

Virgin Media have also said it will be extending its top-of-the-range 50Mbit/s service, offering it to customers who currently have a 20Mbit/s connection.

The announcement comes on the eve of a high level Government symposium on " Superfast Broadband". Acting Virgin Media chief executive Neil Berkett argued that Virgin Media’s cable systems perform better than other broadband systems, because connection speeds are not limited by customers' distance from the exchange.

"Virgin Media's cable network gives us a natural superiority over other broadband services," added Berkett. "We've barely scratched the surface of what's possible with our cable network.”