Virgin Mobile Broadband logo

Virgin mobile broadband

Virgin overview

  • Straight forward dongle-only deal with a choice of either 1GB or 3GB download allowance each month.
  • Save 20% on mobile broadband when you buy in a bundle with Virgin cable broadband
  • Advertised speeds of up to 7.2Mb and no connection fee on 18 month contracts.
  • Virgin use the T-Mobile network, so coverage is pretty good across the UK.

Virgin Broadband Genie Road Test results

Virgin Media Road test
Virgin Media TCTX 200S
Downloads
rating -4 stars4 stars
Uploads
rating -4 stars4 stars
Most stable
rating -3 stars3 stars
Coverage
rating -4 stars4 stars
Feelgood factor
rating -3 stars3 stars
Dongle software
rating -3 stars3 stars
Overall rating
rating -4 stars4 stars

May 2011

2011 Awards: Best Downloader runner-up

Not a great trip for Virgin Media, as it slipped from first being 2009 winner, then 2010 runner-up, down to mid-table obscurity in 2011. This equated to a similar slip from its parent network T-Mobile and can't have been helped by the fact it is still using the same dongle as this time last year.

In general, it's fair to say mobile broadband isn't a key area for Virgin, being very much a complimentary service to its cable network, but it's still disappointing to see it standing quite so still. The lack of innovation also spread to the software, which rated very poorly with its competitors. However, despite all this, the TCT X200S didn't perform too badly.

While falling away a little in most categories, Virgin managed to hold onto its runner-up award in the key Best Downloader category, which could well be enough for many to still invest in it. If you're just going to check out web pages, stream music and video and check your emails, downloading is what it's all about. That said, despite pretty good coverage, stability was still a real problem – again not a surprise, as it suffered in this department last year too.

In conclusion, getting on the road with a Virgin dongle was a hit-and-miss experience, but if you're in a good signal area and are mainly happy with downloading and little else, this is still more than a solid choice. We can only a hope for a new dongle (with better stability and new software) next year.

Overall analysis of the Mobile Broadband Genie Road Trip 2011

by Chris Marling May 2011

About Virgin

There's no denying Virgin Media has a great brand, but is it a great mobile broadband product? It was our best in show back in 2009 and we get very few customer complaints about it, compared to its rivals. That said, it’s not like you're spoilt for choice: currently Virgin only has two mobile broadband deals on offer, which probably explains why not many people are heading its way.

While part of the Virgin Media brand (since February 2007), Virgin Mobile isn't actually a mobile network in its own right: it's what is know as a 'mobile virtual network operator', or MVNO - which means it uses another company's network for its mobile phone and mobile broadband service (in this case T-Mobile). In fact, when it launched in 1999, it was the world's first MVNO. Virgin Media was a distant last into the 3G mobile broadband UK market in October 2008. There is currently only a solitary mobile internet contract available, just one lonely dongle, and nothing at all if you're looking for pay as you go mobile broadband. Sorry - no free laptop deals either.

While its mobile broadband product doesn't write many headlines, it wrote a pretty big one in 2009, winning the overall Broadband Genie Road Trip Award ahead of T-Mobile.

It's also worth thinking about Virgin Media's Quadplay offer: the company is now offering cable TV, telephone and fixed-line broadband as well as its mobile phone deals. We guess 'quinplay' doesn't have quite the same ring to it...

Looking for Virgin home broadband?

Virgin customer reviews

Show all 39 Virgin Mobile Broadband reviews»

  • unhappy

    by joe at 09:36 on 29 Jan 2012Report abuse

    virgin media? stay well away!
    i have had the 10mb broadband along with the (L) tv package,and i have had nothing but problems with both ever since it was installed. Right from the beginning, their 'cable pulling' team were completetly imcompetent too the point where i had to more or less do there job for them. 6 weeks i waited for a cable to put it. i lost 5 days of work because of the times they were due to come out and never even turned up, when they did there was always a problem as to why they couldn't do their job. to the point where i went out and done it, yes i pulled the cable through myself, while they stood and watched! when we were connected my internet was so slow it would cut out altogether. my T.V package was no better with the picture pixilating so bad you could almost count them, my on demand never worked. On demand movies would cut outt half way through watching them, costing between £3 and £6 each. Virgins call out engineers are totally useless and have lied to my face on numours times, they have told me they have done things that i know were not true at all. the same engineer done this twice! Vigins customer services are apauling and can not understand a word you say, i have a pay-as-you-go phone and so far have used £110 pounds of credit ringing about my issues. it has got to the point where i just refused to pay my bills untill something was done. when my account when into arreas i was called 8 times in one day and asked when this was going to be paid.never once did someone call me to talk to me about when my problems would be put right. Only yesterday did we have engineer number 14 come round to 'sort' our problems. He chopped a few cables and put them back together and THEN said it might be your modem, but didn't have a modem with him. so i have to ring yet again if the problem continues.

    I could carry on this post for as long as the page would let me, but to be honest it is making me mad just writing it, i have to ring Virgin up yet again when i have done this and my patince is running a little thin. Anyone who is concidering Virgin should know that the sevices they give you are appauling, the technical department can't understand you and are useless, customer services are even worse and the call out engineers lie to your face.
    i have never been so distgusted with a company the size of vigin in my life.

    To anyone who is reading this and wants to talk about what they have read please reply, to anyone who is thinking of maybe using Virgin media STAY WELL AWAY

  • unhappy

    by Philip at 23:18 on 17 Nov 2011Report abuse

    Don't ever subscribe to a Virgin Mobile dongle. I asked their advice about using their internet service abroad, via laptop, and they told me the dongle was the best and easiest method. I have now been in Spain for 2 weeks and have spent several hours on my own mobile (they say they will phone you back but they don't) and the dongle is still not working! I.ve explained that they are not providing the service so I want to cancel the contract (they made me sign for 18 months) but there would still be a £75 disconnection charge! They do not understand about customer relations. I'm thinking about cancelling my whole contract (TV/Phone/Broadband/Sky sports/Movie Channels) when I get back to uk.

  • unhappy

    by Daniele at 22:54 on 4 Nov 2011Report abuse

    I have been with Virgin Media since 2009, things where not to bad until recently when the connection has become so slow that reminds me of an old 512k, also shortages are now common routine too. Every time I have called the customer support I was bounced from one desk to another with no one that really wanted to help, actually it was even more frustrating speaking over the phone with various help desk representative that do not seem to be from anywhere near....the voice was so low and one channel only, (almost like voip at the beginning), so it was so difficult to understand what the other end was saying. virgin used to be much better, they might have much more subscribers now....also much more troubles as I can read from this web site. Anyway, today, one more time, after spending 2 hours over the phone and again being bounced back and forth from one helper to the other, (bear in mind that every time they switch the call to another help desk representative they put you in hold for no less than 5 minutes and then again the keep you asking all your personal details and passwords and security questions and how do you pay your bill and bla...bla...then finally they tell you that they are not the right help desk and hand the ball to somebody else. I was finally lucky to get the desk to cancel my account....even here I was said that I "can't" cancel because I have signed a contract until next April. Perhaps they did not take in to account that the contract states that I would pay for a service they supposed to provide.....which is not the case since I am not getting the service.

    I am going forward and cancelling anyway, it is not with regret.

  • unhappy

    by Daniele at 22:54 on 4 Nov 2011Report abuse

    I have been with Virgin Media since 2009, things where not to bad until recently when the connection has become so slow that reminds me of an old 512k, also shortages are now common routine too. Every time I have called the customer support I was bounced from one desk to another with no one that really wanted to help, actually it was even more frustrating speaking over the phone with various help desk representative that do not seem to be from anywhere near....the voice was so low and one channel only, (almost like voip at the beginning), so it was so difficult to understand what the other end was saying. virgin used to be much better, they might have much more subscribers now....also much more troubles as I can read from this web site. Anyway, today, one more time, after spending 2 hours over the phone and again being bounced back and forth from one helper to the other, (bear in mind that every time they switch the call to another help desk representative they put you in hold for no less than 5 minutes and then again the keep you asking all your personal details and passwords and security questions and how do you pay your bill and bla...bla...then finally they tell you that they are not the right help desk and hand the ball to somebody else. I was finally lucky to get the desk to cancel my account....even here I was said that I "can't" cancel because I have signed a contract until next April. Perhaps they did not take in to account that the contract states that I would pay for a service they supposed to provide.....which is not the case since I am not getting the service.

    I am going forward and cancelling anyway, it is not with regret.

Add a review

Post a reply to this thread

 

 

Please describe your emotions in making this comment:


Powered by reCAPTCHA

Unless you are a verified user, comments will be moderated before they appear. Comments submitted entirely in capital letters, containing advertising or excessive swearing will be rejected; please try to be polite. The best comments are relevant, factual and balanced; think about all aspects of the package, such as speed, connection quality and customer service. We reserve the right to edit comments.