Virgin Media Gig1 Fibre Broadband Review

Virgin Media’s Gig1 is an ultra-fast broadband service the provider offers, and it’s widely available across the UK. 

The plan comes with an impressive average download speed of 1130Mbps, excellent option for quick downloads and smooth streaming.

The upload speed, however, is much slower at 104Mbps, which might be disappointing for some users, especially those who frequently upload large files.

Despite the slower upload speed, the price is competitive compared to similar services from other providers. New customers can get Gig1 for £41 per month, but they must commit to an 18-month contract. Once the contract ends, the price rises to £78 per month.

Virgin Media also includes free setup, which would normally cost £35, and provides the advanced WiFi-6 enabled Hub 5 router with 30Mbps WiFi speed guarantee. Additionally, customers have the option to add anytime calls and a TV package on Mega Volt package.

Gigabit plan with 104Mbps upload speed

Gig1 offers lightning fast download speeds of 1130Mbps which is great for  ultra-HD streaming and online gaming. It’s especially good for large households where multiple users are doing these things at the same time.

The estimated download speed for Gig1 is 1136Mbps, with a minimum guaranteed download speed of 565Mbps. If you don’t receive these speeds, you are allowed to cancel the service without any exit fees.

• Expected Speed Range: Download 1092 – 1136 Mbps
• Minimum Guaranteed Download Speed: Download 565 Mbps

In addition, Virgin Media guarantees a minimum WiFi speed of 30Mbps in every room under their free WiFi Max guarantee

Is a 104Mbps upload speed slow for busy households?

Connection speeds could drop, especially if more than 10 people are using the internet connection at the same time for 4K streaming, video conferencing, or heavy online gaming. In these cases, the upload speed might struggle to keep up with the demand.

We believe symmetrical upload speeds (where upload and download speeds are the same) are ideal for heavy internet usage in busy households. If you need symmetrical upload speeds, Virgin Media’s Gig2 plan provides download speeds of 2Gbps with symmetrical upload speeds. However, Gig2 is subject to availability and is a more expensive plan.

Virgin Media Gig1 Fibre Broadband Deals

Virgin Media offers a variety of options  when it comes to buying Gig 1 broadband for your home. You can choose from broadband only, broadband & phone or add a TV package to Gig1 broadband.  

If you need a comprehensive broadband, phone and TV package, Mega Volt Bundle (formerly, Ultimate Volt) includes Gig1 fibre broadband, anytime home phone calls and over 250 channels including Sky Cinema, BT Sport and Sky Sports. Additionally, the package includes an O2 mobile SIM card, unlimited data and O2 priority benefits.

Virgin Media Hub 5 (Gig1 router)

Featuring the latest Hub 5 Router with WiFi 6 standard and powerfully optimised Mesh WiFi networking technology, Gig1 ensures you get an unbeatable internet experience.

The Hub 5 Router from Virgin Media uses the advanced WiFi 6 standard to deliver outstanding speeds of over 1.13Gbps even across multiple devices on your home network. With Mesh WiFi networking technology, Virgin’s Hub 5 gives you seamless coverage even in the most demanding of environments, such as large homes or apartments with numerous walls and floors, so you can enjoy your favorite streaming services and online games with ease.

Specification

Hub 5 Router comes with 802.11ax WiFi standard known as WiFi 6, dual bands, 4 gigabit connections and 5 antennae for unbeatable coverage.

Hub 5 is also future-proof as it has three gigabit ethernet connections that can support speeds of 1Gbps+ while a single 2.5GB ethernet connection at the back of the Hub 5 router will even open the door to speeds of over 2.5Gbps allowing for smoother streaming and faster downloads throughout your home network.

Plus, thanks to the latest Mesh technology, you won’t have to worry about dead zones again as your signal will reach every corner of your home (using WiFi pods provided by Virgin Media) – even those places that other WiFi 5 routers might struggle with.

WiFi Pods

Hub 5 router supports mesh WiFi systems, which means you can use extenders called WiFi pods to boost the signal throughout your home for reliable internet speeds.

If you find that your router doesn’t provide high speed in every room, Virgin Media offers up to 3 WiFi pods to help you increase speeds or eliminate WiFi notspots in your home.

WiFi Max

For Gig1 Fibre broadband customers, the WiFi Max add-on service is available to get at least 20Mbps download speed in every room. It costs extra, and if you’re not happy with the result, you can claim £100 bill credit.

WiFi Max service includes up to three WiFi pods, or boosters, that are placed around your home to deliver reliable WiFi by boosting signal, extending coverage and increasing speed.

Is Virgin Media Gig1 any good?

Pros

• Gig 1 download speeds are great for 4K streaming, gaming and connecting multiple devices. 
• The package includes the latest Hub 5 router to ensure top speeds and increased reliability.
• Guaranteed WiFi speeds including up to 3 WiFi pods
• Virgin Media offers a range of bundle options to help you get other services like TV and mobile SIM with broadband.

Cons

• Gig1 Fibre offers upload speeds of 52Mbps, which is much slower than similar plans from other providers.
• It’s pricier compared to providers like Community Fibre, Vodafone and Hyperoptic.
• Compared to other fibre options, Gig1 is not available in many places.

In terms of speed and reliability, Gig1 is one of the best options you can consider, although upload speeds aren’t impressive. It offers gigabit internet speeds (1 Gbps+), perfect for ultra HD streaming, gaming, and connecting more than 15 devices simultaneously.

• With gigabit internet, you can download large files very quickly. It takes about 5-10 minutes to download a 50GB movie or game. More than 5 users in a family can watch 4K video and play online games at the same time.
• Another benefit is that heavy downloads over a 1Gbps connection won’t slow down other devices.
• It helps you make software updates, game updates, etc. faster, even if it’s a lot of GB, and you won’t have to wait that long compared to a typical ultra-fast 200Mb connection.

Gig1 is generally not a cheap option compared to other providers. Still you can find the best prices of Gig1 during the promotional periods. For better prices and better value, you can consider Vodafone Full Fibre 900 or other small local providers like Community Fibre and Hyperoptic which are good options if you live in an area covered by their network.

Gig1’s availability is better than any other gigabit service, making it the fastest, widely available fibre broadband in the UK. It’s recommended that you use our postcode checker to search all the fibre broadband plans available in your area before making a decision.

Virgin Media is often complained about for poor customer service. According to the Ofcom report, Virgin Media’s customer service is not the best in the industry, as consumer complaints have been on the rise recently.

Related

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

Virgin Media Gig1 vs Virgin Media Ultrafast plans

Gig1 is Virgin Media’s fastest plan right now, with other Virgin’s plans lagging behind in speed. For example, Virgin Media’s second-fastest option, the M500 broadband, is half as fast as the Gig1, with a download speed of 516 Mbps.

The M125 package offers an average download speed of 132Mbps and an average upload speed of 20Mbps. It’s a basic option suitable for most UK households.

Next is the M250 deal. This package provides a faster average download speed of 264 Mb and an average upload speed of 25 Mb. It’s ideal for large households where more bandwidth for activities like streaming and gaming is required.

The M350 plan offers even faster speeds, with an average download speed of 362 Mb and an average upload speed of 36 Mb. This package is suitable for households with multiple devices and users who need truly ultrafast speeds.

For users who require even higher speeds, the M500 plan offers an average download speed of 516 Mb and an average upload speed of 36 Mb. It’s perfect for many devices connected at the same time or for quick downloads of large files.

How does Virgin Media Gig1 compare to other providers?

Virgin Media remains the UK’s leading provider in terms of speed, as it has a wide range of ultrafast plans and offers more competitive prices compared to other providers.

Comparing the gigabit broadband plans available in the UK, we found that the Gig 1 offers excellent download speeds, but slower uploads. Also on the price front, some providers like Hyperoptic and Community Fibre offer 1Gb fibre plans at low prices that can save you money.

However, Gig1 is currently available in more areas (over 15 million) than other networks such as Openreach and other smaller full fibre providers. If you live in the Virgin Media’s cable areas that covers 60% of the UK, you’re more likely to get the Gig1 without a problem.

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