Following on from some decent uptake of BlackBerry smartphones on contract deals, Virgin Media is now offering some choice BlackBerry handsets, along with their various BlackBerry services on PAYG.

There'll be a good range of handsets to choose from, including the BlackBerry Curve 8520 and 3G 9300; as well as the BlackBerry Bold 9780, BlackBerry Pearl 3G and BlackBerry Torch 9800. And being the BlackBerry fiends that we are, Pocket-lint has reviewed all five handsets.

You can buy either a £2 weekly or £5 monthly pass in order to activate the full range of BlackBerry data services, which includes up to ten supported email accounts, the incredibly popular BBM (BlackBerry Messenger) as well as Internet browsing and access to apps on BlackBerry App World.

To enable your BlackBerry smartphone on PAYG, all you have to do is text "WEEK" or "MONTH" to 789030 whenever you need to activate the service. Virgin Media has also created a specifically designed app to make it easier for customers to buy the passes and help manage their usage, which will be available for download "in due course".

Graeme Oxby, executive director of Mobile and Home Phone at Virgin Media said: "BlackBerry smartphones have become a firm favourite with Virgin Media families, demonstrating how our customers love the best in connectivity, be it at home or on the go. With a massive uptake in 2010, catalysed by our market-leading ‘unbeatable’ £10 deal, one in three of our contract customers chose a BlackBerry smartphone last year."

For more information on the various Virgin Media PAYG tariffs you can visit virginmedia.com