Virgin’s broadband deals often stand out as some of the best broadband deals you can get in the UK. But with everything from a big selection of speeds, to its own reliable network and of course its broadband and TV bundles, it’s not difficult to see why it’s such a top-notch choice.
It's also fair to point out that one of Virgin’s biggest appeals is that it offers ultrafast broadband speeds. As such this makes it an especially tempting option, particularly for those of us working from home and requiring secure and dependable connections.
Virgin Media also regularly features in our run downs of the top UK internet service providers, but to see what it can offer for you in your area, be sure to enter your postcode into our widget below.
Alternatively, to learn more about this popular ISP, you can read through the rest of our guide to learn more about Virgin broadband, its service and what options you have with it.
Virgin's broadband speeds and packages:
Via its own broadband network, which uses DOCSIS® 3 cable technology, it has the fastest average download speeds of all the UK’s ISPs of 630Mbps.
Virgin says using this particular network tech which ‘runs from the cabinet to your home’ is what helps its customers to retain the fast speeds it offers, no matter how far their respective properties might be from their nearest cabinet. In addition to this, it also means that Virgin can offer a wide choice of speeds, from slower connections through to its market-leading 1130Mbps option.
Here's a breakdown of the broadband speeds Virgin currently offers:
What types of broadband bundles does Virgin offer?
Alongside the above 'broadband-only' products, Virgin's bundle deals can range in terms of the options you have to choose from, these include:
- Broadband and phone - specific fibre broadband and phone service deals.
- Broadband and TV - different TV service and entertainment packages can be paired with your broadband.
- Broadband and mobile - Virgin has a special partnership with O2 and pushes sim packages with its broadband that come with additional 'Volt' perks and benefits.
- Broadband, phone and TV - deals that are 'all-in-one' for this trio of services.
- Broadband for low-income households - special, cheaper rates on broadband are available if you meet certain low-income criteria.
Virgin Media: broadband customer services
Although Virgin Media has some great speeds, you should note it has faced some criticism for the quality of its customer services.
Ofcom's latest complaints data shows Virgin has slightly above the industry average in terms of customer issues, it also scored worst of all the major providers for its Pay-TV complaints.
Despite this, where it does do well in this area is with the fact it has multi-channel communications. In other words, Virgin can be reached online, over the phone and via email.
Virgin Media's broadband tech
With its broadband you can get an excellent selection of routers - plus lots of other performance boosting tech.
Depending on which speed you opt for with Virgin Media, you'll receive either its 'WiFi Hub 3' (for its slower to mid speeds) or its 'WiFi Hub 4 or 5, which is needed to handle its ultrafast speeds.
Whichever you get you'll also get everything from antivirus, to parental controls and browser protection. In addition, the Hubs can optimise your connection automatically to help improve the performance they offer.
Lastly, Virgin has speed guarantees and on some packages will give you free WiFi boosters to ensure there's top coverage throughout your home or business.
Volt: bundling O2 with Virgin
As we’ve mentioned above, Virgin offers something called ‘Volt’ - which is its joint venture with O2 that can offer certain customers exclusive benefits.
Whether you’re a new or existing customer to either Virgin or O2, if you sign up for both - essentially combining these services - you can get access to some or all of the following:
- Discounts on broadband costs, smartphones, tablets and other tech.
- Double data on some pay monthly O2 plans.
- Free ‘supercharge’ broadband speed boosts (a popular choice here is upgrading the M350 to the M500).
- Free WiFi pods if you need to boost the signal in your home.
- Free data roaming.
- Additional discounts for sign-ups to new plans.
- Additional discounts for TV bundles.
These are subject to your eligibility, but the simple truth here is that if you’re already an O2 customer and are considering switching to Virgin, these are some top benefits you wouldn’t get elsewhere.
Virgin broadband deals: TV add-ons
Virgin is now a rival for the likes of Sky when it comes to its TV and broadband offering. While Sky may have previously been the go-to for such bundles, Virgin now has lots of choice and opportunities for customers to access packages which can suit different viewing tastes and preferences.
To get you up to speed, below we’ve answered some of the most common questions consumers tend to ask about Virgin’s TV add-ons.
What TV options does Virgin offer?
Virgin categorises the TV channels it offers into different package options, these are: Player, Mix, Full House, Mixit and Maxit. On top of this you can also get a number of ‘premium channels’, plus the chance to include what it calls your ‘personal picks’.
Each package offers a choice of TV channels that range from a basic selection of a few, up to several hundred, including things like Sky Cinema and BT Sport. As you might expect though, the more you want, the more it will cost.
That said, it is worth noting that Virgin regularly has TV deals and promotions. In fact, in early 2023, Virgin TV gave an upgrade to customers on its ‘Player’ and ‘Mixit’ packages, giving them extra channels for free. You can learn more about this and see the current Virgin TV channel list here.
What broadband and TV bundles does Virgin offer?
Although Virgin has the TV channel packages we’ve just named above, it also puts these into different TV bundles. Below are the three typical packages you’re likely to encounter if you want to go for a Virgin broadband and tv deal:
Biggest TV - 204 Channels
Big - 100 Channels
Ultimate Volt - 225 Channels
Bigger + Movies - 196 Channels
Bigger - 177 Channels
Big + Drama & Docs - 141 Channels
Bigger + Sports - 185 Channels
Whatever bundle you decide on, you’ll likely get a Virgin TV 360 box with it. These smart TV boxes allow you to pause, rewind and record what you watch and you can access different streaming apps. You may also be offered its new streaming TV service – aptly named ‘Stream’ – where you can select and watch one of their TV bundles all via your broadband.
Virgin broadband deals: Additional questions and FAQ
Can I get a phone line with Virgin Media broadband?
You can indeed - and the good news is that you can keep the phone number you previously had.
The starting cost is roughly the same as a Virgin broadband only plan for the first 12 months, and then goes up after the first year. That includes unlimited weekend calls to landlines and numbers on Virgin Mobile.
After that, you can start adding extra talk time to your plan. A little extra a month gets you Talk More Weekends, which adds all UK mobiles to your allowance. Talk More Evenings and Weekends allows calls to any UK number after 7pm on weekday evenings, while Talk More Anytime gives you as many calls as you like at any time of day.
Got friends or family abroad? A further upgrade allows calls to 30 international locations - including Australia, Canada and the USA - as part of the Talk More International Anytime plan.
Do I have to pay anything up front for Virgin broadband?
Sometimes but not always. This is because Virgin does occasionally do promotions and offers where it has no setup costs. But when it does have these fees in place, how much they are can also depend on the type of broadband you want and whether you want to add a TV bundle.
As such you can get one-off upfront costs of anything from around £15 to upwards of £35.
How long will my Virgin Media contract be?
The typical Virgin contract will tie you in for 18 months. However, every so often a 12-month contract will pop up and you can sometimes have the option to go on to rolling 30-day contracts.
How do I contact the Virgin Media helpline?
You can call 0345 454 1111 to speak to one of Virgin's customer advisers, or 150 from a Virgin phone. But that's only Monday until Friday, 8am until 9pm and Saturday until Sunday, 8am until 6pm - outside of those times you'll have to rely on the company's online support pages.
How do I switch to Virgin Media?
Virgin Media has a simple, four-step process for switching its official guidance is:
1. Check your postcode: to see what deals you can get.
2. Sign up today: and we’ll confirm your installation date within 48 hours.
3. Contact your provider: so that they can cancel your contract.
4. Our WiFi Hub arrives: just plug it straight in or we can set it up for you.
