ntl to bundle Napster with 'Broadband Plus'

ntl, Britain's largest cable operator, will bundle a subscription to Napster's online music service in its Broadband Plus package.

The price of normal Broadband Plus will remain at £3.99 per month, while subscribers taking Broadband Plus with Napster will pay £9.95 per month. Napster's standard standalone UK pricing is £9.95 per month.

"We are very proud of this exclusive agreement," said ntl:home managing director Aizad Hussain. "Our customers will have easy access to this high quality music service at an outstanding price. This supports our ongoing drive for new subscriptions and adds significant value to our broadband services."

An "email campaign" will be launched before the bundled service becomes available in July.

"This is a significant deal for Napster because we are partnering with the biggest provider of broadband services in the UK, and ntl's own research has shown that over 75% of broadband customers download music each month," said Napster president Brad Duea. "We are impressed with ntl's track record for driving growth in the UK broadband market and are confident our partnership will further encourage increasing numbers of UK music fans to enjoy the freedom of high speed internet access."