About Virgin Media broadband
Virgin is one of the most exciting broadband providers around. Not only does it offer a wide variety of great value bundles to get all your entertainment needs in one package, but Virgin Media broadband now offers the fastest speeds of any mass-market ISP.
Want to find out what you can get with Virgin broadband and whether it's right for you? Read on to learn all about Virgin Media!
Virgin Broadband packages and speeds
The vast majority of internet service providers run on the BT Openreach network to deliver ADSL and fibre optic broadband connections. These are the broadband packages offered by not just by BT itself but ISPs such as EE, Sky, and TalkTalk.
But Virgin Media operates its own network. No other provider can access it, and Virgin has been able to upgrade speeds at a faster rate than BT so it can now offer faster broadband to more people than any other ISP.
Note that all the deals you'll see here are for new customers only. So if you're new to Virgin, you're certainly in the right place.
Virgin Media currently offers the following home broadband packages:
M50 Broadband
M50 is the entry-level Virgin Media Broadband package. But that doesn’t mean you’ll be stuck with sluggish broadband; it still delivers an average speed of 54Mb, which is nearly five times as fast as standard ADSL broadband.
M100 Broadband
The M100 package provides a speedy 108Mb average download speed. It’s not even Virgin’s top package but is still significantly quicker than the best fibre deals from most other ISPs.
M200 Broadband
M200 delivers an average 213Mb download speed at prices which start from less than £50 per month.
M350 Broadband
M350 has an average download speed of 362Mb. In some parts of the country, this may currently be the fastest broadband service available from Virgin Media.
M500 Broadband
Virgin can also deliver a rapid 516Mb download speed with its M500 package, which is available as either a bundle with TV or as a standalone broadband only deal.
Gig1
Gig 1 Fibre is Virgin’s cutting edge gigabit broadband package. With an average speed of more than 1Gb, it’s a blisteringly fast connection that outpaces almost every other provider. However, availability is very limited right now so only a small number of homes can currently sign up for this next-gen service.
Can I get Virgin Media broadband only deals and broadband without a phone line?
As well as offering very fast broadband, Virgin Media also stands out as one of the few fixed-line broadband providers which can deliver broadband without a phone line.
While you do need a Virgin network cable in your home, you do not have to pay phone line rental to get broadband.
However, Virgin can also offer phone deals, so if you simply want phone and broadband only, that is an option too.
Virgin Media Wi-Fi routers
Virgin provides the Virgin Hub 3 to most new customers. This is an 802.11ac dual-band Wi-Fi router, with support for gigabit wired networking (our introduction to Wi-Fi can get you up to speed about what this means and why it matters).
There is also a newer Hub 4 router. This is provided for free if you have Virgin Gig1 Fibre, and may also be given to some new customers on other packages. It offers faster Wi-Fi, but most importantly it’s capable of supporting the very fast Gig1 service, something the Hub 3 cannot manage.
Can I get Virgin Broadband?
If you’re a new customer looking to switch to Virgin, the first step to finding a Virgin broadband deal is checking availability in your area.
This is important because, sadly, Virgin is not available to everyone. Virgin operates its own network and does not have quite the same reach as ISPs which use the BT Openreach network. Coverage varies all over the country, and even if other homes in the same town can get Virgin services it does not necessarily mean you will too.
To make this easy Broadband Genie has a free postcode checker. Enter your postcode below and we’ll check a national database of exchanges and filter the results by location.
How does Virgin Broadband work?
The Virgin Media network uses a technology known as Hybrid-Fibre Coaxial (HFC). This means the core network is built on fast fibre optic lines to carry a signal to streetside cabinets, and the final connection into homes and businesses is handled with coaxial cable. This is broadly similar to most BT network fibre services (which use a technology called FTTC - Fibre To The Cabinet), except that in BT’s case it is a telephone line used to complete the connection.
The coaxial link is why Virgin Media broadband was, and sometimes still is, called cable broadband. However, Virgin now refers to their service as fibre broadband and that’s mostly how you’ll see it referenced here on Broadband Genie.
Virgin is confident about the reliability of its network; it has an uptime of 99.88% as of December 2020, based on a 12-month average using measurements taken directly from customers.
Virgin Home Phone packages
Virgin Media also offers telephone and broadband bundles. All Virgin phone customers get voicemail, 1471 and 141 services for free, and can choose from a selection of inclusive calling bundles:
Talk Weekends
Unlimited weekend calls to UK landline, Virgin Mobile and 0870 numbers. This is the base package included with some broadband and TV bundles.
Talk More Weekends
This adds free weekend calling to any UK mobile numbers, 0870 and 0845 numbers starting within the weekend (all day Saturday and Sunday) periods.
Talk More Evenings and Weekends
UK mobile numbers, 0870 and 0845 numbers starting within the evening (7pm to 7am) and weekend (all day Saturday and Sunday) periods.
Talk More Anytime
Adds anytime calling to UK landline and mobiles and 0845 and 0870 numbers.
Talk More International Anytime
This has the same inclusive calls as Talk More Anytime, with the addition of inclusive calls to landlines in 50+ international locations.
It’s also worth noting that if you don’t need a landline; In addition to offering broadband only packages, Virgin Media is the only nationwide provider to offer broadband without a phone line!
Broadband and TV deals
Virgin TV is one of the leading TV providers in the UK. While known for its comprehensive premium services offering hundreds of channels, Virgin’s range also includes more affordable entry-level bundles. And all Virgin TV deals come with an excellent Virgin 360 smart TV box and loads of extra content.
Here are a few of the packages currently available:
Virgin Media Big Bundle
- 108Mb average download speed
- 100+ channels
- Inclusive weekend calls
Virgin Media Bigger Bundle + Movies
- 108Mb average download speed
- 200+ channels, including BT Sport and Sky Cinema
Virgin Media Ultimate Oomph Bundle
- 516Mb average download speed
- 230+ channels
- Sky Anytime and Virgin TV Anywhere
- Virgin 360 TV box + Mini box
To find out more visit our Virgin TV guide.
What extras can I get with my broadband?
All Virgin Media Broadband deals include a free Wi-Fi router. You’ll also get free access to the London Underground Wi-Fi network.
Virgin Broadband and TV deals include a free Virgin TV 360 box, with recording and integrated catch-up. Some TV packages also include access to a huge library of free on-demand content with thousands of hours of boxsets to binge.
Virgin Broadband: pros and cons
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For full details on Virgin Media and how it compares to other providers, read our Virgin Media review.
Frequently Asked Questions about Virgin Broadband
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How much is Virgin Broadband?
Virgin Broadband starts from just under £30 per month. It is one of the more expensive providers, but you can get much faster speeds than most other ISPs.
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How fast is Virgin internet?
Virgin’s cheapest package provides an average 54Mb download speed, which is around five times as fast as standard ADSL broadband. The top speed available to most homes is currently 516Mb, significantly faster than most other fibre providers.
Virgin does also offer gigabit fibre broadband, but very few homes can get it right now.
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How long are Virgin Broadband contracts?
Most Virgin deals have a 18-month minimum contract term.
If you think you may have to cancel within that minimum time then you should consider a short term contract deal instead, as early cancellation can be expensive.
Virgin does sometimes offer student broadband deals too, which come with a shorter 9-month contract.
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Are there upfront costs?
There is a setup cost for most Virgin packages.
Virgin will occasionally offer free setup deals. There are also regular special offers with bill credits and vouchers which can offset this cost. Visit our Virgin rewards page for the latest news on free gifts and extras.
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How do I switch to Virgin Broadband?
Switching to Virgin Broadband works a little differently to most other broadband providers because it’s not using the Openreach (BT line) network.
With Openreach providers, the new ISP manages the switch and notifies your old provider. But when switching broadband to Virgin, you have to manually cancel your old provider.
Read our guide to switching broadband for more help.
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Can you get mobile broadband from Virgin Media?
Virgin does offer mobile broadband, using its own Virgin Mobile network (an MVNO which runs on the EE network).
Virgin mobile broadband comes with a Wi-Fi dongle, and is available on 30-day or 12-month contracts.
It does not offer home and mobile broadband bundles, but you can get a home broadband bundle with a mobile phone plan.
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Do Virgin Media have good customer service?
Virgin Media gets mixed reviews for its customer service. In our most recent Home Broadband Survey, Virgin had a customer care rating of 74%, which was below average and the second-lowest overall. However, it does have a busy online forum which can provide lots of help and support without waiting in a phone queue.
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How do I contact Virgin?
Call Virgin customer services on 0345 454 1111 (or 150 from a Virgin mobile or home phone).
For more contact information visit our guide to Virgin customer service.
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How do I cancel Virgin Broadband?
To cancel Virgin you should first check your contract end date; if you cancel while still in contract you’ll have to pay an early termination fee.
And unless you no longer need broadband at all, you should check your postcode to see what other deals are available to switch to.
Once you’ve done that, you’ll need to contact Virgin to cancel; read our guide to cancelling Virgin Media for full details.