MOBILE phone firm Virgin Mobile is set to celebrate signing its two millionth customer.

The Trowbridge-based company, which Virgin Mobile launched with the aims of putting the customer first and being a breath of fresh air in a confusing field of technology, revolutionised the industry with a number of firsts.

It was the first operator to scrap peak rate calls, and the first to allow customers to either pre-pay or post-pay with no contract to sign.

Sir Richard Branson said: "This is a tremendous achievement for a company which is still less than three years old.

"It makes us the fastest growing mobile start-up ever seen in the UK, and currently among one of the fastest growing mobile businesses in the world."

By June 30 the company had 1,781,082 customers with more than 3,000 people signing up each day.

The company, which hopes to recruit 200 more workers by the end of 2002, is in the process of setting up a pilot scheme with the University of Bath to give students work opportunities.

Jean Walker, of Reed Employment, who coordinates the firm's recruitment, said: "We are exploring a pilot scheme where we get students over for work and are linking with the university for three months.

"We want to support them and they want to get work for the students.

"It is about doing the best for everyone."

Virgin Mobile, which attended the university's freshers fair this week, offers flexible shifts which students can fit round their studies.