PVR or DVR with all its features is the future.
The only solid info I can find is--
"
NTL said it had not ruled out the possibility of offering a PVR but for the moment is concentrating on video-on-demand. "
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4184479.stm
VOD is a complimentary product to PVR not a substitute for it.
The longer ntl keeps us in the dark about pvr, the more customers will leave to the services which have it.