BBCi is to launch a new portal aimed at the UK's growing numbers of broadband users, according to a report in today's Media Guardian.

A broadband content section from BBCi will be available on the portals of operators such as ntl:home Broadband, Telewest Broadband blueyonder, Freeserve and AOL. It will initially contain short packages optimised for broadband connections from BBC News, BBC Sport and BBC Weather, although future plans may include expansion into the BBC's Entertainment shows.

The BBC said it was all about driving up broadband takeup - certainly a hot topic at the moment: "I believe that in creating the BBCi Broadband console, with best of breed content, the BBC can help create a truly broadband Britain", Angel Gambino from BBCi told the MG.

If the new services are popular, they may expand onto other ISP portals by the end of 2002.