Cable operator Telewest has signed up a further 15 high street names to provide products on its new interactive TV service.

The company has its regional headquarters in Basildon where several hundred people are employed in its call centre. It plans to have the home shopping and information service on stream by the end of March.

The 15 companies include Argos, British Airways, Woolworths and Yellow Pages.

It comes after Telewest last month signed up an initial 14 companies, including Abbey National, Thomas Cook and WHSmith.

Tony Illsley, chief executive, said: ''I am delighted to welcome these great brand names to our forthcoming interactive TV service.''

Rival interactive TV service Open - owned by a consortium including BSkyB and launched in October - also has a number of high street names on board.

Telewest's interactive service is expected to encourage new subscribers to sign up with the operator. It has 1.4 million subscribers to its TV, telephone and internet services.

The group, the UK's second largest cable operator after Cable & Wireless Communications, is discussing a merger with programme provider Flextech.

Telewest spokesman Stephen Powers said: "We are in the middle of a discussion about a merger with Flextech. There will be some news before the end of the month."

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