Britain's biggest cable group, Cable and Wireless Communications plc, yesterday unveiled an interactive TV service that throws down the gauntlet to a rival BT and BSkyB joint venture.

CWC is hoping the new "TV Mall" service it is setting up with a batch of partners will allow it to win a share of a market which some analysts say could be worth £7 billion sterling by 2008 for the cable industry alone.

TV Mall will be based on Internet technology and feature high-speed retail, entertainment and information services alongside a 200-channel digital television service CWC plans to launch in the first half of 1999.