Virgin Media subscribers will soon be able to download unlimited music and keep it forever.

Virgin Media and Universal Music have joined forces to deliver the world’s first unlimited music download subscription service that allows users to keep tracks forever.

The new digital music service will enable any Virgin Media broadband customer to both stream and download as many music tracks and albums as they want from Universal Music’s entire catalogue for a monthly subscription fee.

Due for launch later this year, Virgin Media is negotiating with other UK major and independent music labels and publishers to ensure the service can offer a complete catalogue by this time.

Unlike with other similar services, users will be able to keep downloaded music permanently and store on any MP3 compatible device. An “entry level” offer will also be available for customers who download music regularly, but may not want an unlimited service.

Neil Berkett, Virgin Media’s CEO, said: “In terms of both convenience and value, our new music service will be superior to anything that’s available online today and provides a fair deal for both consumers and artists.”

“Britain has a world-class reputation for artists and music,” said Lucian Grainge, Chairman and Chief Executive of Universal Music Group International. “Now British consumers will have access to a world-class digital music service. I believe this puts all of us at the forefront of a new era.”

The two companies will also be working together to protect Universal Music’s intellectual property and drive a material reduction in the unauthorised distribution of its repertoire across Virgin Media’s network.

This will involve implementing a range of different strategies to educate file sharers about online piracy and to raise awareness of legal alternatives. They include, as a last resort for persistent offenders, a temporary suspension of internet access. No customers will be permanently disconnected and the process will not depend on network monitoring or interception of customer traffic by Virgin Media.

Virgin Media is the UK’s first quad-play provider of broadband, TV, phone and mobile. The company is the largest residential broadband provider in the UK, using a unique fibre optic cable network to deliver next generation ultrafast internet access of up to 50Mb to just over half of all homes.

Universal Music Group is a unit of Vivendi, a global media and communications company, and is the world’s leading music company with wholly owned record operations or licensees in 77 countries.