Sky considering complaint over VM ads

Sky is considering a formal complaint against Virgin Media's latest advertising campaign.

The satellite giant has asked Virgin Media to withdraw or change an advert, which it says makes "misleading comparisons" between the two company's products.

The Virgin Media ad states: "The cheapest place to get Sky Sports isn't Sky", and quotes its new Sky Sports package, which includes four Sky Sports channels plus other digital channels and its TV on-demand library for £26 per month. The ads also claim that customers would save £70 compared to Sky's offer.

Sky says its minimum price for a package of its four major sports channels would be £34, £3 cheaper than Virgin Media's which requires the customer to be a Virgin Phone subscriber, an £11 per month serive. Sky's package includes subscription-free broadband and free UK evening and weekend calls, and the company claims the equivalent set of products from Virgin would cost £70 a month.

Sky has now written to Virgin Media about its "misleading advertising" requesting it to withdraw or amend the adverts. Sky says it will contact the Advertising Standards Authority and Trading Standards next.