Sports clips will also be available on the new service

Sky by Broadband provides 200 films free to digital subscribers, although they must have a broadband connection and a PC using Microsoft Windows XP.

The company says it hopes to supply more than 1,000 films from Sky Movies' back catalogue through broadband.

Sky Sports subscribers will also be able to download sports clips through the broadband service.

The company also announced the launch of Sky by Mobile, which will provide news and sport to digital customers' mobile phones. A service is already up and running for customers on Vodafone's 3G network.

Richard Freudenstein, of Sky, said the new services were part of a "continuing stream of innovations".

"Families' entertainment needs are changing fast and audiences increasingly expect to be able to access content whenever and wherever they want," he said.

Sky digital customers subscribed to at least two "premium" channels will be able to register for film downloads at the Sky by Broadband website.