Virgin Media Broadband Review
If you’re looking our for an ultra-fast broadband package with a solid connection, Virgin Media is a great option.
Virgin Media, UK’s third largest broadband provider after BT and Sky, also offers an amazing range of TV packages, as well as Volt bundles that include a 5G SIM and other exclusive benefits.
What does Virgin Media offer?
- Fibre broadband only plans (From £26.50 / month) – No landline is included.
- Fibre broadband and phone bundles (From £28 / month) – Includes home phone and inclusive free calls
- Fibre broadband, phone and TV packages (From £31 / month) – Includes landline, f ee inclusive calls and digital TV.
- Mobile – You can add a mobile call plan.
Pros
- Fastest Gig 2 broadband service (2Gbps) and many speed plans (54Mbps to 2Gbps) available across the UK.
- New Hub 4 and Hub 5 routers give reliable and fast home WiFi.
- Great bundle choices with broadband, TV, landline, and mobile SIM from a top UK provider.
Cons
- Not the cheapest option, as providers like Hyperoptic have lower prices for ultra-fast plans.
- Virgin Media’s network covers 64% of the UK, while BT’s fibre network covers over 90%.
- Slower upload speeds on Virgin Media broadband plans compared to full fibre broadband plans from Hyperoptic and Community Fibre.
Speed
Virgin Media fibre broadband plans come with following average user speeds:
| Plan | Download speed | Upload speed |
|---|---|---|
| M50 | 54Mbps | 5Mbps |
| M125 | 132Mbps | 20Mbps |
| M250 | 264Mbps | 25Mbps |
| M350 | 362Mbps | 36Mbps |
| M500 | 516Mbps | 52Mbps |
| Gig1 | 1130Mbps | 104Mbps |
| Gig2 | 2Gbps | 200Mbps |
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.
| M50 (54Mbps) | 54Mbps | 5Mbps | 27Mbps |
| M125 (132Mbps) | 132 – 136Mbps | 20 – 21Mbps | 66Mbps |
| M250 (264Mbps) | 264 – 273Mbps | 25 – 26Mbps | 132Mbps |
| M350 (362Mbps) | 368 – 382Mbps | 35 – 37Mbps | 181Mbps |
| M500 (516Mbps) | 506- 544Mbps | 35 – 37Mbps | 258Mbps |
| Gig1 (1130Mbps) | 1092 – 1140Mbps | 48 – 52Mbps | 565Mbps |
Features
- Virgin Media broadband comes with totally unlimited data. There’s no data cap or traffic management. You won’t experience speed reductions during peak hours.
- A free Virgin Media Hub 3 or Hub 4 or Hub 5 WiFi router is included with your broadband plan.
- Broadband and phone plans come with weekend calls to UK landlines and mobiles. Broadband-only plans, without a phone line, are also available.
- Volt bundles offer extra benefits compared to regular plans. You get faster speeds at no extra cost, an O2 Mobile SIM with 10 GB of data, unlimited minutes and texts, and free mobile data when there’s a broadband outage.
- Virgin Media has packages for different users. You can also create custom bundles with broadband, phone, and TV services.
- There is an 18-month standard contract, but 30-day rolling contracts are also an option.
- Virgin Media broadband provides free Web Safe online protection. This helps you block unwanted, harmful, or inappropriate website content by managing your settings.
- With F-Secure SAFE, you get an additional layer of protection for devices against viruses, malware, and other online threats.
- Virgin Media WiFi is free for customers. You can register up to 6 devices and access free WiFi at popular locations, including London Underground stations.
Virgin Media 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.
Virgin Media Gig1 Fibre Broadband
Virgin media Gig1 fibre broadband offers the fastest download speed currently available from the provider. Gig1 has an average download speed of up to 1,130 Mbps. That’s 9 times faster than the entry-level M125 Broadband, making it ideal for busy families, online gaming, UHD streaming and other data-intensive tasks.
Gig1 also comes with the advanced Hub 5 router which helps you setup congestion-free Wi-Fi network in your home.
Gig1 is available as broadband only, broadband and phone or TV bundle options. Bundling offers great value for money because you can easily get multiple services at the best price.
Virgin Media broadband and TV
There are three main options for combining Virgin Media TV and broadband into one package – Big, Bigger and Ultimate Volt bundle. You can choose an 18-month standard contract or a 30-day rolling contract.
The Big Bundle is ideal for those looking for a mix of basic TV channels and weekend calls. The Bigger Combo Bundle caters to customers who desire a more comprehensive TV channel lineup, weekend calls, and BT Sport 4K. The Mega Volt Bundle (ultimate volt bundle) is perfect for users who want the best of everything, including gigabit internet, an extensive TV channel selection, Sky Cinema and Sports channels in HD, BT Sport 4K, and unlimited anytime calls.
Big Bundle
- Mixit TV – With 109 channels, this package offers a solid mix of Freeview channels.
- M125 broadband – Enjoy fast internet speeds of up to 132Mbps, perfect for browsing, streaming, and more.
- Weekend Chatter – Make free calls to UK landlines on weekends (Saturday and Sunday).
Bigger Bundle
- Maxit TV – Get access to an impressive 211 channels, including premium ones like BT Sport 4K.
- M350 broadband: Experience ultrafast internet speeds of 362Mbps, suitable for heavy internet users, gamers, and large households.
- Weekend Chatter – Enjoy free weekend calls to UK landlines, just like the Big Bundle.
- BT Sport 4K – Watch your favorite sports in stunning 4K quality.
Ultimate Volt Bundle
- Gig1 fibre broadband – Get lightning-fast internet speeds of up to 1130Mbps, perfect for ultra-heavy internet usage, multiple devices, and seamless 4K streaming.
- Maxit TV – Enjoy over 190 channels, including premium ones, to keep you entertained.
- Sky Sports – Access to Sky Sport channels.
- Sky Cinema HD: Watch your favorite films in high-definition quality.
- BT Sport 4K – Experience sports events in incredible 4K resolution.
- Anytime Chatter – Make unlimited calls to UK landlines and mobiles at any time.
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
Reviews
Virgin Media WiFi Routers
There are two recent versions of the Virgin Media Super Hub routers – the Hub 3 and the Hub 4, but both use the next-generation WiFi-ac standard and Intelligent WiFi technology to optimise WiFi and deliver faster speeds to every connected device
Specifications
| Feature | Hub 3 | Hub 4 |
|---|---|---|
| WiFi standard | 802.11ac | 802.11ac |
| WiFi bands / channels |
Dual band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) |
Dual band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) |
| Gigabit connections | 4 | 4 |
| Speed | up to 1Gbps | 1Gbps+ |
| Intelligent WiFi | yes | yes |
| Smart channel selection | yes | yes |
| Number of antennae | 5 | 11 |
| Security | WEP/WPA/WPA2 | WEP/WPA/WPA2 |
| Cost | Free | Free with Gig1 |
- 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.
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 TV Mini Boxes
Virgin Media TV lets you buy a 4K-enabled Virgin TV mini box to watch TV in a different room, while the Ultimate Volt bundle (currently, known as Mega Volt bundle) includes an additional mini box at no extra cost.
How to switch to Virgin Media
- After completing the signup process, you will be informed of the installation date.
- Contact your current provider and cancel an existing service that will run until the end of the cancellation period (up to 1 month).
- At the same time, your broadband will be installed at your location. You can choose QuickStart Self Install or Engineer install, which may take a few hours
I think that paying £61 a month for just Broadband is completely over the top especially when the bloody superhub keeps going off air for hours at a time. Terrible service. My friend who pays £61 a month to Sky for that price has a good Broadband, television, home phone and loads of channels on Sky TV all for the same price I pay for just Virgin Media Broadband. Horrendous service and even more horrendous firm. I think I shall look elsewhere for Broadband provider, I am sure much cheaper than Virgin.
Virgin Media’s products are good, more expensive than other providers but their Customer Support is appalling and next to useless the majority of times. Call centres based in India really do not help either, and being passed from 1 person or Department another, going through all the information time and time again is soul destroying. Good products ruined by the worst customer support out there. No one in their right mind could recommend Virgin Media.
The speed provided by Virgin Media is very good. It is also reliable most of the time. I joined VM a year ago because they offer a wide range of TV, phone and internet services.
Virgin Media’s prices are slightly above the UK average, but still within a reasonable range. Their M100 plan costs £25 a month and a basic TV and broadband package costs £33 a month, which is still affordable and competitive with other providers on the market. If you choose to upgrade your package to a next level, you will not be charged more than you should. Overall, the VM offers reliable broadband service and is an attractive option for many households that require ultrafast internet.
Virgin Media upload speeds are pathetic. I get less than 2Mbps all the time.
M100 is my plan which is working well when it comes to download speeds. I get 85.9Mbps download which is pretty good.
I have tried to manipulate the router in many ways but the upload speeds remain under 2Mbps. I don’t know what is causing this issue. Called VM technical support and their advice is useless, now waiting for VM men to check and fix the issue.