Virgin Mobile clocked up more than half a million new customers at the end of last year, making it the most successful three months ever for the mobile telco.

Cheap texts and a bundle of other offers have helped increase Virgin Mobile's customer base to more than 3.6 million punters, the company said in a statement.

Said Virgin Mobile's Sir Richard Branson: "This is a glittering result for Virgin Mobile. In the run up to Christmas, more than half a million new customers chose us in the belief that we have the best tariff, the best value, the best marketing and the best customer service in the industry - and they are right!

"We have grown faster than any of our rivals over the past two years, and we have absolutely no intention of slowing down."

The numbers for the last three months of the year are up 37 per cent on Q4 2002 and up by more than 50 per cent on the year.

Today's record figures will, no doubt, provide much welcomed relief for a company embroiled in a messy relationship with joint partner T-Mobile. ®

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