Cable provider ntl has expanded its high-speed Internet access service to cover another 500,000 potential users, the company said on Wednesday. The users are in areas covered by what was formerly Cable & Wireless. Ntl bought the Cable & Wireless cable TV network about a year ago, but was unable to extend broadband services to users in those areas at the time for technical reasons, according to the companies. Engineers have now found a way to work around the problem by running broadband services through the subscribers' existing set-top boxes. The boxes were supplied by Pace Micro and already have broadband cable-modems installed, ntl said. Instead of running a line directly into their PCs from a wall socket, users will be able to run an Ethernet cable into the set-top box. The new service is to be launched in Manchester on Monday, with London and Leeds to follow shortly. Britain is one of the worst-off nations for access to broadband services, according to industry studies, and the government has targeted high-speed Internet connectivity as vital to the UK's competitiveness in the high-tech sector. Over 8,000 people pre-registered even before the marketing campaign has kicked off," said a spokesman for ntl, the larger of Britain's two cable firms. "It shows the almost pent-up demand that's out there." Installation will cost between £17.50 and £100 depending on whether the customer chooses a "do-it-yourself" installation option. The service costs £25 per month. Ntl had 26,800 customers using standalone cable modems as of March. Reuters contributed to this report. Is broadband coming to your neighbourhood? Find out the latest in ZDNet UK's Broadband News Section. Have your say instantly, and see what others have said. Click on the TalkBack button and go to the Telecoms forum. Let the editors know what you think in the Mailroom. And read other letters.