Virgin media is losing the low payers

Virgin Media has lost 19,500 customers in the past three months as chief executive Neil Berkett admitted there is "a sniff of consumer downturn".

But he said the loss of customers was planned as the group concentrates on higher-paying punters who use at least two of its four services - TV, broadband fixed and mobile phones.

The group made an operating loss of £333 million, down from a £3 million profit, but this was after it was forced to write off £366 million on Virgin Mobile, which it bought for £962 million two years ago.

Since then the value of pay-as-you-go mobile companies has plummeted.