Virgin Media adds 56,600 PVR subscribers in 2Q09

LONDON, England — Virgin Media Inc. (NASDAQ: VMED) announces results for the quarter ended June 30, 2009.

Television

Total TV net additions were 20,400 in the quarter (Q1-09: 30,600; Q2-08: 24,800).

Customers are increasingly using our VOD services. On a monthly basis, 1.9m of our digital TV customers use VOD, representing a reach of 55%. Average views per user per month in the quarter were 32.1 compared to 23.8 a year ago.

During the quarter, we added 56,600 V+ DVR subscribers to reach an installed base of 668,500. This represents a penetration level of just 19% of our digital subscribers which leaves significant further up-sell opportunities.

We have announced the launch of six new HD channels from Channel 4, ESPN, LIVING, FX, MTV and National Geographic. These will be available for free to all subscribers of our top basic TV tier “XL” with our V+ DVR and Channel 4 HD will be available to all digital TV subscribers along with BBC HD. We plan to launch more HD channels with a focus on content which most benefits from being shown in HD. In addition, recent proposals from Ofcom, the UK telecoms and media regulator, would enable us to offer our customers certain Sky Sports HD and Sky Movies HD channels, which BSkyB would be obliged to provide at a regulated wholesale price. The detail of this proposal is now under consultation.

Consumer Operations Statistics (‘000s):

                       Q2 2009  Q1 2009  Q2 2008
                       -------  -------  -------
Consumer RGUs
 Television            3,672.0  3,651.6  3,538.8 
  Digital TV           3,543.3  3,510.4  3,353.5 

Net Consumer RGU adds
 Television               20.4     30.6     24.8
  Digital TV              32.9     41.4     42.1

More: Earnings Releases