Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Media on Thursday announced that it has started using telegraph poles instead of underground cabling to deliver 50Mbps broadband services on a trial basis. The test run has started in the Berkshire town of Woolhampton.

Earlier, the company had said that at some point of time during the year it would offer 100 Mbps products. The trial for the same is now expected to begin this month and continue for nearly six months.

Though all broadband providers in the country, including BT and Fibrecity, are using underground fibre-optic cables at present, there has been a lot of research going on to find an alternative viable solution.

Meanwhile, as an alternate to laying underground cables Fibrecity has attempted to use ducts such as sewers to set up its cables. The companies believe that use of some existing infrastructure like overhead poles and or the ducts would help them in reducing their cost.

"This unique trial will allow us to understand the possibilities of aerial deployment and may provide an exciting new way to extend next generation broadband services," said Neil Berkett, the Chief Executive of Virgin media.