Cable giant Virgin Media UK has confirmed that its forthcoming Spotify based multi-platform music streaming service, which is "due to launch in the coming months" (original launch news), will cost "significantly less than" Spotify's own independent £9.99 Premium package.

Virgin's CEO, Neil Berkett, made the remarks while talking to investment analysts yesterday. It's already understood that the service will be made available to customers through a mix of special offers, such as a bundled solution for customers with Virgin Mobiles and or broadband.

Berkett also admitted that the reason the "[Music Rights Holders] did it" was because Virgin Media has also promised to be "more forceful when it comes to piracy. It’s the right thing to do to create digital confidence from our suppliers and customers. I’d like to do the same thing in movies but somebody has control of the rights window," he added while referring to Sky's monopoly over premium Movies' (competition authorities are due to rule on that soon).

Sadly Berkett did not elaborate upon what "forceful" actually meant, although once the details have been ironed out they're likely to get behind plans for a voluntary block of the top 100 worst piracy websites. However, Virgin Media will still need to tread carefully, with its latest quarterly results reporting a loss of -18,100 "lower-value single or dual-play" broadband customers to BT and Sky's gain.