The 100% speed increase will mean an MP3 music track could be downloaded in around two seconds* and will make the XL broadband service the fastest (widely available) home internet connection in Britain.

Bandwidth boosting will take place from May and will coincide with a small price increase on the fastest broadband service, from £35 to £37 per month. Upstream speed will also be increased, to 768Kb, and all Virgin broadband services will continue to offer unlimited downloads and an online security package.

Ernie Cormier, chief commercial officer of Virgin Media, said: "We want to make entertainment and communications the simple and exciting world it should be, but our technology also means we can offer an ultra-fast broadband service that our competitors can't match.

"For internet savvy customers who want the best broadband money can buy, our XL service is perfect for speedy downloading and uploading - whether it's music, videos, podcasts or blogs."