Virgin’s broadband deals often stand out as some of the best broadband deals you can get in the UK. 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-down of the top UK internet service providers.
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.
How does Virgin's broadband work?
Via its own independent broadband network, which uses DOCSIS® 3 cable technology. This is capable of providing average download speeds of 2,000Mbps via Virgin's Gig2 package.
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 the market-leading gigabit broadband option we mentioned above.
Today's best Virgin broadband deals
Here's a breakdown of the broadband speeds Virgin currently offers. You can also head further down the page to compare all the latest Virgin broadband deals.
Currently, some of the above deals are available without any setup fees. However, this isn't always the case and Virgin does sometimes have some one-off fees in place. These can cost upwards of £35.
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 is no longer the most complained about broadband, landline and pay-TV provider - it's now second-worst above NOW Broadband - but it does continue to see issues across all these areas from the previous quarter. Customers’ complaints were mainly driven by how their complaints were being handled.
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. What’s more, Ofcom’s separate ‘customer satisfaction survey’ shows that customers have above average levels of satisfaction with the provider.
Virgin Media's broadband tech
As our above deals show, with Virgin’s 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 Virgin Media WiFi Hub or a Virgin Media WiFi Hub 5, which is needed to handle its ultrafast speeds. Both come with intelligent WiFi technology that optimises performance.
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.
Virgin Media's awards and recognition
You might be interested to know that Virgin has in fact won numerous awards for its broadband, particularly around the quality of its services. Three of its most recent accolades are:
- ‘Best in Test’ based on the umlaut Fixed Broadband Benchmark 2023 which compares major UK ISPs.
- The Uswitch ‘Most Popular Broadband Provider’ 2023
- The ‘Best Combined Connectivity Experience’ GWS Award 2023
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:
- 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.
- O2 Travel Inclusive Zone, so you can use your O2 phone or sim in 75 destinations at no extra cost.
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, so you can choose an option that suits your needs. 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 TNT Sport. As you might expect though, the more you want, the more it will cost.
You can learn more about 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 typical packages you’re likely to encounter if you want to go for a Virgin broadband and tv deal:
Big - 100 Channels
Bigger Combo Bundle - 190+ channels
Bigger Combo Bundle + Movies - 200+ channels
Bigger Combo Bundle + Sports - 195+ channels
Biggest Combo Bundle - 210+ channels
Mega Volt Bundle - 230+ 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.
A couple of examples of Virgin broadband and TV deals on offer right now include:
Virgin’s ‘Stream’ service discounts
If you do opt for a Virgin broadband and TV bundle, but choose its ‘Stream’ offering, you can get additional discounts if you add any existing streaming services you might have to this device. For instance, if you have an Amazon Prime account and you were to run this through your ‘Stream’ box, you could get 10% of bill credit for the cost of this service. This credit can then be increased the more services you add on top.
Virgin broadband deals: FAQ
How reliable is Virgin Media’s broadband?
Virgin’s continually expanding independent cable broadband network is one of the most reliable out there, thanks mainly to the durable and dependable technology used in the cables themselves.
However, it isn’t perfect and can suffer from outages - which is par for the course with all providers at some point - but usually it’s quick to respond to any downtime issues and get them resolved.
One issue you might have though is whether or not you can actually get it. The UK network coverage for Virgin is around 60% - much less than Openreach’s 97% - but as we mentioned above, this continues to grow each year. You can check about your network coverage with Virgin here.
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 upfront for Virgin broadband?
Sometimes but not always. This is because Virgin occasionally runs promotions where it cancels its setup costs (this is the case right now).
But, when Virgin 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.
So why choose Virgin Media?
Hopefully all of the above will have given you some additional insights into why Virgin Media is one of the UK’s most popular broadband providers and why it currently has millions of customers across the country. However, if you’re still on the fence, here’s a quick summary of why it’s such a top choice:
- It’s currently the fastest (widely available) provider for average download speeds
- It offers an excellent TV service without the need for a satellite
- It’s won numerous awards for its services
- You can bolt on additional TV channels and phone options
- The partnership it has with O2 offers a variety of top perks and benefits
- It’s customer services are decent
- You can regularly find some top deals and promotions that make it more affordable
Switch to Virgin Media today
Think partnering with Virgin Media might be the best step for you? Well, check out the widget back at the top of this page and we'll show you all of the best Virgin Media broadband deals available. Alternatively, if you'd like to compare Virgin's offers to the others available in your location, head over to our best broadband deals guide.
Compare Virgin Media broadband deals
