NTL Broadband is now "richer, faster and better value than BT" - according to those impartial peeps at NTL.

In a statement issued today it reminds us that NTL is increasing the speed of its 512Kbps broadband service to 600Kbps, providing clear water between this service and BT's 512Kbps ADSL service.

It is also at pains to point out that the cost of this speedier service remains unchanged at £24.99 a month - compared to BTOpenworld's 512Kbps service which will set punters back £29.99 a month.

The cableco is also making it easier to connect to the service and reminds us that new broadband punters can sign up and get free installation until the end of December - a saving of £75.

Of course, there's nothing new in this - all this has been trailed elsewhere and is public knowledge.

So if there's nothing new, is this a ploy to try and spoil BT's massive party as it embarks on a monstrous £33m ad campaign to plug broadband?

"No, this isn't a reaction to BT's announcement," said a PR for NTL. "We'd always planned to release this now. "BT will spend a lot on advertising its ADSL service but we still have the cheapest, fastest and highest quality service in the UK."

Cheeky. ®