Virgin Media broadband

Virgin Media is one of the UK’s fastest broadband providers, offering a range of ultra-fast options to UK homes and businesses over its cable-based fibre-optic network.

Overview

• Virgin Media cable broadband uses the DOCSIS 3.1 technology and offers much faster and more reliable speeds, when compared to other providers.
• Virgin Media’s offerings include broadband & phone deals, broadband only plans and triple-play TV packages.
• Virgin Media fibre optic broadband offers average download speeds which range between 54Mbps and 1130Mbps.
• In addition to the standard Hub 3 routers, Virgin Media also offers the more advanced Gigabit Hub 4 and Hub 5 routers for reliable, faster WiFi speeds.
• Virgin Media Big Bundles combine broadband, TV and landline in one package, while new Volt packages include a competitively priced O2 Mobile SIM and speed boost.
• Upload speeds are rather slow compared to download speeds. Again, it lags behind symmetrical providers that offer the same upload speeds as download speeds.
• If you choose bundles, they’re usually expensive deals.

Speeds

Virgin Media fibre optic broadband offers various average download speeds with its plans – 54Mbps, 108Mbps, 213Mbps, 362Mbps, 516Mbps and 1130Mbps. Virgin Media superfast & ultrafast speeds are great for large households with many devices and for streaming HD videos & quicker downloads. 

A 5GB video can be downloaded in 2.5 minutes with a 200Mb connection. A 50GB video game download takes less than 30 minutes.

Download speed

M50 Average Speed  54Mbps

M125 Average Speed 132Mbps

M250 Average Speed 264Mbps

M350 Average Speed 362Mbps

M500 Average Speed 516Mbps

Upload speed

M50 Average Speed 5Mbps

M125 Average Speed 20Mbps

M250 Average Speed 25Mbps

M350 Average Speed 36Mbps

M500 Average Speed 36Mbps

Virgin Media fibre broadband offers truly unlimited data. There is no monthly data cap.

Virgin Media doesn’t apply traffic management rules to its broadband plans, which means it doesn’t slow down speeds during peak hours (8pm-10pm).

Virgin Media Broadband Deals

Virgin Media broadband and phone plans include line rental and Weekend Chatter. You can make unlimited landline calls within the UK on weekends. Free weekend calls also include to O2 numbers. 

Broadband only option allows you to get broadband without landline, call plans and TV. All speeds are available on broadband plans only plans, which are cheaper than broadband and phone bundles.

M125 Fibre Broadband

M125 fibre broadband offers an average download speed of 132Mbps which is really good speed for light to medium users. 

If you are looking for an entry level fibre package, M125 is your best bet for the faster speeds you need for popular online activities like 4K streaming and online gaming.

M250 Fibre Broadband

The download and upload speeds of the M250 are 2x faster than the M125, which means you can connect more devices using M250’s high bandwidth. Higher speeds also mean less lag, so the M250 is a better choice for online gaming and video calling.

M350 Fibre Broadband

M350 fibre broadband has an average download speed of 362 Mbps and an average upload speed of 36 Mbps. This plan is perfect for busy families, 4K online gaming and connecting multiple devices.

M500 Fibre Broadband

M500 broadband offers an average download speed of 516Mbps and an upload speed of 36Mbps. You can connect more than 10 devices simultaneously for high-bandwidth activities.

Gig1 Fibre Broadband

This is Virgin Media’s fastest plan, with an average download speed of 1130Mbps and an average upload speed of 52Mbps.

The Gig1 Fibre package includes gigabit-capable Hub 4 router, delivering ideal speeds and low latency for online gaming and 4K streaming.

Is Virgin Media Broadband any good?

Virgin Media broadband is not cheap, but it offers ultrafast speeds and extras that really offer value for money.

It offers a wide range of speed options – from 54Mbps to 1130Mbps and also offers more triple play TV, broadband and phone bundles than other providers.

Its Hub 3 and Hub 4 are among the most reliable routers, while its free public WiFi allows you to connect and get ultra-fast speeds without the need for expensive mobile data.

Virgin Media service is award-winning and very reliable, as it received good ratings in various customer surveys including Ofcom’s nation-wide surveys.

Reliability

Below is the performance of various Virgin Media broadband packages, according to Ofcom 2021 broadband speed report.

*Actual speeds received during peak times (8-10pm). 

Virgin Media Home Phone

Virgin Media landline offers the following call plans:

• Weekend Chatter –  All broadband and phone bundles include unlimited weekend calls to UK landlines.
• Evening & Weekend Chatter – Evening & weekend calls to landlines and UK mobile numbers
• Anytime Chatter – Anytime calls to landlines and UK mobiles 
• International anytime chatter – Calls to UK landlines & mobiles, landline numbers in 50 international destinations

Virgin Media Broadband and TV

Virgin Media offers a wide range of triple-play bundles which combine TV, broadband and phone into one package.

Virgin Media offers following TV & broadband bundles:

Virgin Media TV 360 Box

Virgin Media TV channels

Virgin Media Volt Bundles

Virgin Media offers Volt Bundles (previously known as Oomph Bundles), which provide customers with additional features and benefits over standard broadband, phone and TV bundles.

• Like the previous Oomph bundle, the Volt bundle offers a mobile SIM (O2 network) and a free speed boost.
• Volt plans also come with extra perks – discounts, double mobile data, super wifi, free roaming abroad, and more.

Simply put, the Volt product is a bundle of Virgin Media fibre broadband, home phone, TV and O2 monthly SIM card in a single product.

Benefits

• Free speed boost – Get faster speeds at no extra cost
• O2 mobile 5G SIM with 10GB data / unlimited data
• The free Plume WiFi pods (up to three) will fix wifi blackspot issues in your home providing faster, more reliable WiFi in every room.
• O2 Travel Inclusive Zone – Free roaming in 75 destinations.

When you bundle your O2 Pay monthly plan with Virgin Media fibre broadband (Volt bundle), you’ll get additional benefits:

• You get double data on your O2 mobile account (pay monthly)
• Get discounted phone, tablet and O2 SIM purchases with a custom O2 plan
• Discount with Virgin Media Volt plan (without Volt, same speed plan may cost more)

Big Volt bundle 

Big Volt bundle offers twice as fast a broadband connection as the Big bundle. 

• M100 / M200 fibre broadband 
• 10GB O2 SIM 
• Drama and Movies add-ons 
• Talk Weekend

Bigger Volt bundle 

• M200 fibre broadband (213Mbps /  20Mbps) or 
  M500 broadband (516Mbps /  36Mbps)
• 10GB O2 SIM 
• Drama, Sports and Movies add-ons 
• Talk Weekend 

Ultimate Volt bundle

Ultimate Volt bundle includes fastest Gig1 fibre broadband and all the premium TV channels

• Gig1 fibre broadband (1130Mbps /  52Mbps)
• Unlimited O2 SIM 
• Drama and Movies add-ons 
• Talk More Anytime
• 360 mini box for multiroom TV 

Virgin Media TV apps

Virgin Media Routers

Virgin Media Hub 3 is the standard supplied with its ultrafast broadband plans. Hub 3 WiFi router comes with Intelligent WiFi feature to ensure faster, more reliable wireless speeds on multiple devices all around the home.

Gig1 plan (1130Mbps), however, includes the faster Hub 4 router as standard equipment while the latest Hub 5 is also available for upgrade.

With the Connect App and boosters, the WiFi connections can be easily managed for optimum performance.

Virgin Media offers following WiFi routers with its broadband packages:

• Virgin Media Hub 3 – Included in Virgin Media M series ultrafast broadband plans like M125, M250, M350, M500 and M600 (108Mbps – 630Mbps speeds)
• Virgin Media Hub 4 – Included in Gig1 package (1Gbps+ speeds)
• Virgin Media Hub 5 – Available for upgrade (2.5Gbps speeds) 

Hub 3 and Hub 4 Specifications

Virgin Media Hub 5 Router

Virgin Media Hub 5 is the latest WiFi router specially designed for Gig1 fibre broadband to provide users with the best performance.

It features a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port for ultra-fast connections and the latest Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) technology to dramatically boost WiFi performance during times of network congestion (peak times).

The new Hub 5 is especially well-suited to meet the demands of next-gen consoles and the latest smartphones.

Existing customers can upgrade to new Hub 5 routers for free in stages. According to Virgin Media, customers who receive an email invitation can choose to receive a new router or have it installed by a technician.

Hub 5 specifications

• Model: Sagemcom F3896LG-VMB
• Broadcom 3390S chip
• Built-in modem supports DOCSIS3.1/3.0
• 802.11ax WiFi 6 standard
• Dual band router (2.4Ghz and 5Ghz bands)
• Four gigabit Ethernet ports (1×2.5Gbps, 3x1Gbps)
• Maximum speeds – 2.5Gbps
• 2 phone ports
• Number of antennas –  5
• WPA3 security
• 1 x coax connector
• Cost: Free upgrade with Virgin Media broadband

Virgin Media Customer Service

According to the annual Ofcom 2022 report on broadband customer satisfaction, 78% of Virgin Media broadband customers are happy with its service quality.

As the table below shows, Virgin Media lags its rivals in broadband and phone customer service.

• Satisfied Virgin Media broadband customers – 78% (ranks last among major providers)
• Satisfied Virgin Media phone customers – 69% (ranks last)
• Number of complaints per 100k customers – 78 (ranks last)
• Average call waiting time – 3.45 minutes

You can read the full report

Customer support

• By online (Available 24/7, 365 days a year) – Visit  Virgin Media Community
• Contact on Phone (Monday to Friday 8am – 9pm. Saturdays 8am – 8pm, Sundays 8am – 6pm) 
• Local: 0345 454 1111  or call 150 from Virgin Media phone or mobile

Latest deals

Related

• Virgin Media M50 broadband
• Virgin Media M125 Broadband Review
• Virgin Media M250 broadband review
• Virgin Media M350 broadband review
• Virgin Media M500 broadband review
• Virgin Media Gig1 broadband review
• Virgin Media Bigger Bundle Review

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• italk
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