Virgin Media (NSDQ: VMED) has shelved plans for it nationwide IPTV service, at least until 2009, the company announced today. As recently as this summer, it said the rollout date would be 2008, but now it says it may be 2009 before it can replicate its full range of services—TV, broadband, phone and mobile—for the half of the population that live outside its cable footprint.

Acting CEO Neil Berkett decided that high-speed broadband is his “hero product” with which to do battle with BT, (NYSE: BT) Carphone Warehouse and Sky. BrandRepublic: The company also needs to spend time experimenting with the service, which is delivered via copper wires, to see if it can match the transmission quality over its own cables. The move is a blow to Virgin’s plans to promote its brand across the UK in its ongoing war with BSkyB.

• Virgin Media to launch off-net IPTV service