CableVision has been given permission to provide customers with high speed connections to their Internet service providers (ISPs), the company revealed yesterday.

This allows the television company to offer a similar high speed link to ISPs such as DSL.

And CableVision is hoping that it will eventually get a full Internet licence to provide "end-to-end" services to its customers, said general manager Jeremy Elmas yesterday.

Mr. Elmas predicted that if given the licence, the company could slash the cost of high speed Internet connections by half.

"We could cut high speed rates in half, but we can't do it because of a moratorium on licences," said Mr. Elmas.

"CableVision's network would allow it to offer higher connection speeds than are currently available to residential customers."

When asked if he thought the company would get an internet licence, Mr. Elmas said: "I'm not going to stand here and say we've had a sterling past.

"It's a 'show me' mode. (The Ministry of Telecommunications has) given us one to see how we get on."

He made the announcement as he revealed that CableVision's digital services, which have been tested on customers in St. George's and St. David's since last year, are now available in Pembroke.

The company is planning to offer the full digital service - which provides better quality pictures and sound - of 150 channels across the Island by the end of the year.

The company said the roll-out of the digital service was knocked off course last year by Hurricane Fabian.

Among the services the company will be able to offer will be two-way services such as interactive games similar to Nintendo, and internet and email services through the television.

The new digital line-up will include 14 pay-per-view channels, and 45 channels of commercial-free CD quality music.

The digital service will give customers a pin number which will allow parents to block off certain channels from children, or ensure the television is off at particular hours to ensure students do homework.

CableVision operations manager Alan Smith said: "We are delighted that customers are now reaping the true benefits of our investment in the new cable system.

"We were set back by several months by the hurricane as we mobilised our personnel on those repairs, but we are increasing the resources directed to our digital roll-out.

"In fact, in order to keep up with the overwhelming customer response, we have been hiring additional technicians and installers to help us get more customers connected faster."