Virgin Media Broadband Review

Virgin Media is one of the UK’s largest broadband providers, best known for its ultra-fast internet—particularly in urban areas. If you are thinking about switching, this review will help you decide.

Latest Offers: Free setup. Includes £110 bill credit. Offer ends 27th March.

As part of Virgin Media O2, Virgin Media is a longstanding broadband and TV provider in the UK. Unlike most rivals, it operates on an independent cable network, allowing it to offer faster or unique broadband options in many areas where Openreach-based services fall short.

The downside? Coverage isn’t nationwide. Virgin Media reaches roughly 60–65% of UK households, mostly in cities and larger towns.

We’ll cover everything from speed tiers and real-world reliability to installation, customer service, and how Virgin Media stacks up against competitors like BT and Community Fibre.

Virgin Media Broadband Plans – At a Glance

Known for its high-speed broadband, Virgin Media offers a range of internet-only packages with no TV or phone add-ons. Here’s what you can get:

These speeds reflect average performance during peak hours (typically 8–10pm). Not sure which plan to pick?

Pricing

While Virgin Media isn’t the lowest-priced broadband provider, it offers great value through fast speeds. The current broadband-only options are roughly:

These plans usually come with an 18-month contract, and installation is often free, though sometimes a £35 fee applies.

Additionally, expect an annual price bump of £3.50 per month from April 2026 if included in your contract.

Social Tariffs

For those on benefits like Universal Credit, Virgin provides social tariffs: Essential Broadband at £12.50/month (15Mbps) and Essential Broadband Plus at £20/month (50Mbps).

Installation and Setup

Virgin Media offers two setup options. If your home is already wired for Virgin, you’ll receive a QuickStart self-install pack, which gets you online in about 30 minutes.

For homes without an existing socket, an engineer visit is required. It’s scheduled at your convenience and typically takes 30 minutes to 2 hours.

TV and Phone Bundles

If you’re looking for an all-in-one package, Virgin Media’s bundle deals combine broadband with TV, phone, and mobile services.

Flex TV is Virgin Media’s most flexible TV option with one month rolling contract. It offers over 150+ channels and you can add it to any Virgin broadband plan.

For example, the Bigger Combo Bundle offers over 190 channels alongside M350 broadband, and the Mega Volt Bundle ups the ante with over 230 channels, Gig1 broadband, and an O2 SIM.

Meanwhile, Volt Bundles include O2 mobile service, home phone options, and perks such as Wi-Fi Max. Their TV package even delivers 4K content, a modern TV 360 box, and access to apps like Netflix and Disney+. But if broadband is all you need, these extras may not be cost-effective unless you use them often.

Volt Package

Volt is a joint package from Virgin Media and O2 designed to give more value to customers using both networks. It bundles Virgin broadband with an O2 mobile SIM plan, includes a free speed upgrade on broadband (for example, turning an M125 plan into an M250), and provides an O2 SIM for data, calls, and texts. Free WiFi Pods are also included to boost your home network. This package is best suited for existing Virgin and O2 customers looking for extra value.

Broadband and Phone

This option includes landline service in your broadband plan. Virgin Media offers the inclusive call plan, Weekend Chatter, in a broadband and phone bundle.

Weekend Chatter allows you to call UK landlines for free on Saturdays and Sundays. Numbers starting with 01, 02, and 03 are included, while 0845 and 0870 numbers aren’t. Calling mobile numbers will cost extra.

Additionally, you can upgrade your call plan if needed. Weekend & Evening Chatter includes free unlimited calls to landlines and mobiles on weekdays (7pm to 7am) and weekends. Anytime Chatter includes calls to UK landlines and mobiles at any time. The upgrade will cost £5 – £10 extra.

International Anytime Chatter includes anytime calls to UK landlines and mobiles, plus calls to landline numbers in 50 international destinations. Calling mobile numbers outside the UK will cost extra.

How Reliable Is Virgin Media?

Virgin Media’s speed is solid—but how about uptime? Reviews are mixed. In some regions, users enjoy a fast, reliable connection with few issues. In others, short dropouts and service interruptions are more common.

Regulator data from Ofcom shows Virgin Media has more faults per 1,000 customers than some ISPs—but also one of the fastest response times for fixing them. Bottom line:
Your experience depends on local network quality.

Minimum Guarantied speed

All major UK providers, including Virgin Media, provide estimated speeds for their broadband plans in addition to advertised speeds. The table below shows the minimum guaranteed download speed and expected speed range for various Virgin Media fibre optic broadband options.

Real-World Performance

Virgin Media promises fast speeds—and in many areas, especially cities, it delivers. Ofcom testing has shown that actual performance often matches or even slightly beats the advertised figures.

That said, there are occasional reports of slow speeds at peak times and temporary disconnections. These issues tend to be location-specific, depending on how busy your area is and the state of the local infrastructure.

Upload Speeds

Upload speed refers to how quickly you can send data—whether you’re backing up files, uploading photos, or joining a video call. Virgin Media’s upload speeds are significantly lower than their download speeds. For instance, a 250Mbps download plan may offer just 25Mbps for uploads.

That’s enough for web browsing, HD streaming, and standard remote work. But if you’re often uploading videos, backing up data, or live-streaming, the slower upload speeds may become a bottleneck.

Customer Service

Customer service is an area where Virgin Media tends to fall behind. Many surveys show lower satisfaction ratings, particularly around problem resolution and communication. Common frustrations include long phone queues, vague billing details, and unclear fault reporting.

On the upside, once connected with a support team, many users say their problems are handled well.

Need assistance?

Virgin Media Routers

The router you receive depends on your plan:

Specifications: Hub 3 vs Hub 4

• Virgin Media Hub 4 can handle higher speeds than the Hub 3 and also supports Virgin Media’s next-generation DOCSIS 3.1 cable network, allowing it to be included in Gig1 broadband plans.
• Hub 4 can handle 1Gbps+ speeds and provides extended WiFi coverage through its 11 built-in antennas. It also has better firmware to manage and optimise home WiFi speed and connectivity.
• While Hub 3 works just as well as the Hub 4, Hub 4 is specifically designed to deal with slow speeds and network congestion. Additionally, Hub 4 supports WiFi boosters that can be used to improve signal, coverage and eliminate black spots in your home.

The Hub 5, Virgin Media’s most recent router, generally provides solid Wi-Fi performance for standard homes. It supports faster wireless connections and improved coverage compared to earlier models.

Still, some homes—especially those with thick walls or multiple floors—may experience dead spots. Virgin addresses this with its WiFi Max service. For £8 a month, you can receive up to three boosters and a 30Mbps minimum speed guarantee in every room. If that target isn’t met, you’re eligible for a £100 credit.

This service is free for Gig1 and Volt customers.

Virgin TV 360 Box

All Virgin Media TV and broadband plans feature the latest Virgin TV 360 box, which can record 6 shows while watching live TV, and its 1TB of storage can record 500 hours of SD or 100 hours of HD.

The new Virgin TV 360 box is  4K enabled and comes with following features: 

• Easy-to-use streaming and recording controls
• HDR Ready 
• Personal profiles
• Excellent voice search 
• Easy control menu
• Smart Remote lets you browse all Catch Up and On Demand content
• Easily manage all your recordings with Virgin TV Go app.

Virgin Media also offers 4K-enabled Virgin TV mini boxes to watch TV in a different room, and the Mega Volt bundle includes an additional mini box at no extra cost.

Comparing Virgin Media to Other Providers

Virgin Media vs. BT

When pitting Virgin Media against BT, speed is where Virgin shines—especially in its higher-tier plans. BT, on the other hand, offers better nationwide coverage through Openreach, a more stable connection, and slightly superior customer service.

Virgin Media vs. Community Fibre

Both services deliver gigabit speeds, but Community Fibre offers the bonus of symmetrical upload and download speeds and often comes at a lower price. Its catch? It’s only available in select London postcodes.

Virgin Media vs. Sky, TalkTalk, Plusnet

Virgin Media stands out for its top speeds. However, if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option for everyday usage, Sky and TalkTalk might be more attractive. All of these providers share similar reliability, given they run on the Openreach network.

Is Virgin Media Right for You?

Virgin Media is an excellent option if:

It might not be ideal if:

Conclusion

Known for delivering some of the UK’s fastest broadband, Virgin Media’s cable network provides impressive download speeds to millions of households. For anyone who values speed for work, streaming, or gaming, and who lives within the coverage zone, it stands out as an excellent option. That said, its upload speeds lag behind some fibre alternatives, reliability can be inconsistent, and customer service can be hit or miss. Check your postcode with Virgin’s tool and compare the local deals with other providers—if the offer is attractive and your neighbours are satisfied, it might be time to switch.

Related

• Gig1 Broadband
• Gig2 Broadband
• Virgin Media M50 broadband
• Virgin Media M125 Broadband
• Virgin Media M250
• Virgin Media 350 Broadband
• Virgin M500 Review
• Virgin Media broadband, phone and TV
• Virgin Media Mega Volt Bundle
• Virgin Media Bigger Combo Bundle
• Virgin Media Big Bundle
• Virgin Media Student Broadband

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