TalkTalk to get broadband boost

CARPHONE Warehouse, which has emerged as the biggest rival to BT through its TalkTalk residential phone arm, is poised to boost the service by launching a broadband internet service.

Initially aimed at its 500,000 residential customers, TalkTalk Broadband will launch in November and Carphone hopes it will help drive customer numbers to its target of 900,000 by the end of March next year.

Carphone, which has built up TalkTalk with an aggressive pricing policy to undercut BT, is also expected to roll out the fast internet service to its business customers.

The company already runs its own telecoms network through its Opal Telecom subsidiary, helping reduce the start-up cost of the broadband service.

Carphone has secured a big market share in the residential phone market, but now faces increasing competition from rivals who are already introducing broadband services.

Tesco, which already offers fixed and mobile telephony, launched its broadband internet service in August.