Virgin Media M500 Fibre Broadband Review

One of the fastest fibre broadband options, Virgin Media M500 provides busy homes with reliable connectivity and speeds when multiple devices need to be connected simultaneously for 4K streaming, video calling and online gaming.

Pros

• Virgin Media M500 is a top-of-the-line ultrafast service with the option to bundle broadband with landline and Virgin TV.
• The overall cost of M500 is quite competitive compared to BT, TalkTalk and Sky’s G.fast and full fibre broadband (FTTP) plans.
• M500 download speeds are perfect for ultra HD streaming, quick downloads, playing games online and uploads, even when connecting multiple devices in different rooms.

Cons

• A major downside to Virgin Media’s fibre broadband is that it doesn’t offer a symmetrical connection, and its upload speeds are much slower compared to download speeds.
• Virgin Media fibre broadband availability is limited, covering only 60% of the UK.

Free extras included

Speed

The average download speed for the Virgin Media M500 fibre broadband is 516 Mbps. It also offers a decent upload speed of 52 Mbps.

Average download speed: 516Mbps
Average upload speed: 52Mps
Expected Speed Range: Download 506 – 544 Mbps. Upload 35 – 37 Mbps
Minimum Guaranteed Download Speed: Download 258 Mbps

Compared to Virgin’s entry-level M50 fibre plan (average download speed of 54Mbps), M500 downloads nearly 10 times faster, and the plan is affordable and has a variety of options.

If you’re connecting a few devices to use the broadband for purposes like streaming and online gaming, then an upload speed of 36Mbps is not bad for those activities.

Virgin Media M500 Fibre Broadband Deals

• M500 broadband and phone package comes with Talk Weekends which includes  unlimited weekend calls to UK landlines and UK mobile numbers.
• M500 broadband and TV bundles allow you to add Big / Bigger TV bundle and TV add-ons such as Sky Cinema and Sky Sports. 
• Virgin Media M500 Volt bundles include O2 SIM with 10GB monthly data, exclusive discounts and O2 Priority benefits.
• M500 broadband only plan comes without landline.

M500 vs Gig1

M500 and Gig1 are two different ultrafast broadband options. Gig1 offers an average download speed of 1130Mbps. This is 2 times faster than M500’s speed. The upload speed of Gig1 is also faster. It has 52Mbps, while M500 only offers 36Mbps.

There is a difference in price too. Gig1 is more expensive than M500. However, it’s better for households with many devices. It provides improved gaming and ultra HD streaming experiences, even with multiple devices connected.

In short, if you need a faster connection and can afford it, Gig1 is a better option. But if you’re looking for a cheaper plan, M500 will still offer ultrafast speeds.

M500 with TV

Combining broadband and TV in one package is a great option as it saves you money, time and hassle. Virgin Media offers you a variety of TV packages and channels to choose from.

With M500, you can choose the perfect TV package. If you just want a few channels or premium channels like Sky Sports and Sky Cinema, you can simply choose the option that suits you and save money easily by bundling everything into one package.

Features

• The Virgin Media TV 360 box is included in the TV package. You can record multiple channels while watching live TV. It comes with 1TB of storage.
• The Big bundle offers over 100 TV channels, and you can subscribe to add-ons to watch more channels.
• Bigger bundles let you watch over 190 channels, including premium entertainment and BT Sports.
• Add-ons such as Sky Cinema and Sky Sport are available as additional monthly subscriptions.

Browse

• Virgin Media Broadband Review
• Virgin Media Gig1 Broadband
• Virgin Media M50 broadband
• Gig2 Fibre Broadband
• Virgin Media M125 Broadband
• Virgin Media M250
• Virgin Media 350 Broadband
• Virgin Media broadband, phone and TV
• Virgin Media Ultimate Volt Bundle
• Virgin Media Bigger Bundle
• Virgin Media Student Broadband

M500 Router

Virgin Media Hub 3 router is included with the M500 Broadband, but you can upgrade to the latest Hub 4 router if you wish. Hub 3 router can connect up to 20 devices simultaneously, delivering reliable, ultrafast speeds anywhere in the home. This WiFi ac router features dual-band and 5 antennas to ensure a stable connection.

Virgin Media Hub 4 upgrade

Hub 4 router is the next version of the Hub 3, and it handles network congestion better than the Hub 3, but for the speed of the M500, the Hub is an excellent router.

Compare specs

• Both Hub 3 and Hub 4 are dual band WiFi 5 routers.
• The similar features include 802.11ac standard, 4 gigabit connections and WPA2, WPA, and WEP security.
• The Hub 3 can handle speeds up to 1.6Gbps. The Hub 4 is faster, with a maximum speed of 2.2Gbps.

With the Virgin Media Connect app, you can make sure your devices in different rooms get faster speeds, or you can use boosters to easily fix WiFi black spots.

Therefore, upgrading to Hub 4 is not recommended unless network congestion is a problem in your area. Also note that currently only Gig1 customers receive Hub 4 as their default router as they need a gigabit router like the Hub4 which can handle 1Gbps+ speeds better than the Hub 3.

Reliability

The latest home broadband performance report published by regulator Ofcom in 2022 showed Virgin Media M500 delivered an average speed of 540Mbps. This speed was measured over a 24-hour period.

In comparison, the 500Mb full fibre service by Openreach based providers was slower. TalkTalk Fibre 500, for example, only delivered an average speed of 451Mbps.

Virgin Media TV vs Sky TV

Virgin Media and Sky TV both offer tons of channels, great TV boxes and great content, including entertainment, Sky Sports, BT Sport and a wide range of on-demand content and catch-up services.

However, the Virgin Media TV and broadband packages are slightly cheaper than the Sky offering, and its ultra-fast internet service lets you watch TV and online video over broadband, while Sky TV is satellite-based, except for the new Sky Glass TV, which comes with a broadband connection option.

Customer Service

According to Ofcom’s May 2022 Customer Service Report, 79% of Virgin Media’s broadband customers are satisfied with the speed, compared to an overall satisfaction rate of 78%. The average wait time for a call is 3.45 minutes, compared to the industry average of 2.16 minutes.

However, Virgin Media customers were the least satisfied with their home phone service (69%) among landline providers. The landline customers also had the worst call wait time at 3.45 minutes.

How to fix speed issues?

Is your Virgin Media M500 broadband connection slow? Can’t reach full speed or expected speed range? Here are simple steps to fix issues that are causing slow internet speeds.

Run a speed test
First, run a speed test to find out the download, upload speeds and ping of your current connection. This will tell you what is causing the slowdown issue and whether the slowness is caused by the Virgin Media M500 router or some other technical factor.

Check connecting cables
The first step in troubleshooting slow WiFi is to check the quality of your connection.

• Make sure all cables are properly connected.
• Make sure your router isn’t too far away from your device.
• Make sure there is no interference from electronic devices.
• To improve WiFi signal, there are a couple of solutions. Place your router closer to the area where you need better coverage. If that doesn’t work, consider using a WiFi extender to boost the signal.
• To improve lag issues, another option is to use a network cable. Plug it into the Ethernet port on your device to get a faster, more stable connection.
• If your connection speeds drop, there’s a simple solution. Turn off your hub and wait for a few minutes. Then, restart it. Doing this might help speed up your internet connection again.

Check router configuration and settings
Check your router configuration and settings. Incorrect router settings can slow down your Virgin Media M500. Check if your router is configured correctly. If you can’t do it yourself, please contact technical support. Virgin Media’s technical support team can advise you on how to resolve the issue or send an engineer to resolve the issue or replace the Hub if needed.

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