Virgin Media Gig1 Deal
Gigabit speed for homes that download a lot
Gig1 is Virgin Media's gigabit broadband package, made for homes that stream, game and download heavily. Expect 1,130Mb download and 104Mb upload on average. No phone line is needed.
How we worked it out
| 24 months incl. April rises | £671.76 |
| of which price rises (£4 each April) | £96 |
| Setup | £0 |
| Total you pay | £671.76 |
| ÷ 24 months | £27.99 |
104Mb upload speed on every Gig1 line
Is 1,130Mb download and 104Mb upload a good speed for my use?
Gig1 is for big households and heavy users: five or more people, lots of 4K and frequent large downloads. Set your busiest evening below.
Pick the home most like yours, then change any number
Speeds for each activity are typical figures, added together as if all run at once
Is Virgin Media Gig1 reliable?
Yes for most homes. Gig1 comes with a 565Mb minimum speed guarantee, and evening slowdowns on cable are small. Watch the 104Mb upload if you send big files.
- Most lines get 1,012Mb to 1,139Mb
- Guaranteed not to drop below 565Mb
- Ofcom: cable keeps 94.2% to 97.9% of its top speed at peak time
- Ofcom's lowest result on Virgin Media cable
- Online games work best under 20ms
- Full fibre is quicker, at 5 to 7ms
- Most lines get 98Mb to 105Mb
- Twice the upload of M500
- A tenth of the download speed
Where 104Mb upload falls short, compared with 1Gb symmetrical full fibre
Test Gig1 against your heaviest uses
Speed and latency: Virgin Media's published speed ranges and Ofcom's home broadband performance research on cable.
Router quality: what you get with Virgin Media Gig1
Virgin Media offers the Hub 5 with Gig1. It's a Wi-Fi 6 router with one 2.5Gb Ethernet port, and that port is the only way a wired device can get the full 1,130Mb.
Virgin Media Hub 5
Included with Gig1 at no extra cost
- 2.5Gb Ethernet port, the only port that can carry the full 1,130Mb
- Four antennas on 5GHz for wider Wi-Fi coverage
- Handles dozens of connected devices without slowing
- Modem mode lets you plug in a Wi-Fi 7 router of your own
- Pairs with WiFi Max pods for whole-home Wi-Fi
- The other three ports are 1Gb, so wired devices on them top out at about 940Mb
- No 6GHz band or Wi-Fi 7
- The every-room speed promise needs paid WiFi Max
Over Wi-Fi, phones and laptops won't reach 1,130Mb. A cable to the 2.5Gb port gets closest.
Will one Hub 5 be enough for your home?
Hub 5, WiFi Max or Volt?
| Option | What you get | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Hub 5Included | Wi-Fi 6 router with one 2.5Gb and three 1Gb Ethernet ports. No promise on Wi-Fi speed in each room. | Flats and smaller houses |
| WiFi Max£8 extra per month | Up to three WiFi pods join the Hub 5 to cover the whole home. At least 30Mb promised in every room, or a £100 bill credit. | Homes over two or more floors |
| VoltWith an O2 Pay Monthly plan | Combine Gig1 with O2 Pay Monthly for a broadband speed boost and WiFi Max at no extra cost. | O2 mobile customers |
Customer service: Is Virgin Media any good?
Virgin Media's customer service is average. It gets fewer complaints than Vodafone and BT, but more than Plusnet and Sky.
Ofcom broadband complaints
Complaints for every 100,000 customers · shorter bar is better
Ofcom, January to March 2026
What to expect
- Support by phone, online chat and the My Virgin Media app
- Faults can be checked and reported in the app
- If a fault isn't fixed, you can take your complaint to an independent ombudsman after eight weeks
Complaints data: Ofcom's quarterly telecoms and pay-TV complaints report.
Should you choose Virgin Media Gig1?
Pros
- Good availability
- Gigabit speed
- Wi-Fi 6 router included
- TV bundle options
Cons
- You can get cheaper plans from rivals like Vodafone
- Customer service is not great
Conclusion
Choose Gig1 when you need gigabit speed and can't get a better option, such as Vodafone or Community Fibre. If you want broadband with TV, Virgin Media is the best option.
Alternatives to Virgin Media Gig1
See how Gig1 stacks up against five rival gigabit packages. Choose what matters most to re-order them.
| Download / upload | 1000Mb / 1,000Mb |
| Setup | Free |
| Reward | £70 voucher |
| Monthly price | £20 |
| Real monthly cost | £20.08 |
| Total over 24 months | £482 |
| Download / upload | 910Mb / 105Mb or 910Mb |
| Setup | Free |
| Reward | £170 voucher |
| Monthly price | £26 |
| Real monthly cost | £22.42 |
| Total over 24 months | £538 |
| Download / upload | 900Mb / 115Mb |
| Setup | Free |
| Reward | £150 voucher |
| Monthly price | £26.99 |
| Real monthly cost | £24.74 |
| Total over 24 months | £593.76 |
Compare Gig1 with one package
| Virgin Media Gig1 | Vodafone Full Fibre 910 | |
|---|---|---|
| Avg download | 1130Mb | 910Mb |
| Upload | 104Mb | 105Mb or 910Mb |
| Router | Hub 5 (Wi-Fi 6) | Power Hub (Wi-Fi 6) |
| Ofcom complaints | 6 | 8 |
| Setup | Free | Free |
| Reward | None | £170 voucher |
| Monthly price | £23.99 | £26 |
| Price rise | £4 each April | £3.50 each April |
| Real monthly cost | £27.99 | £22.42 |
| Total over 24 months | £671.76 | £538 |
| Get deal | Get deal |
Prices for new customers in October 2026. Ofcom complaints data covers January to March 2026.
Virgin Media Gig1 FAQs
Is Virgin Media Gig1 really 1Gb?
Yes, and a little more. Virgin Media's average is 1,130Mb, and most lines get between 1,012Mb and 1,139Mb.
What speed is guaranteed on Virgin Media Gig1?
565Mb download. If your line falls below that and Virgin Media can't fix it within 30 days, you can leave without an exit fee.
Why can't my laptop get 1,130Mb on Gig1?
Wi-Fi and standard 1Gb Ethernet ports can't carry that much. Only a device plugged into the Hub 5's 2.5Gb port gets close.
Is Gig1 worth paying more than M500 for?
Yes, if your home often downloads big files or has five or more heavy users. Most smaller homes find M500 enough.
How long does a 100GB game take to download on Gig1?
About 13 minutes at full speed, compared with about 29 minutes on M500.
Can I get Virgin Media Gig1 with TV?
Yes. Virgin Media offers Gig1 in bundles with its Stream and TV 360 services.
Does Virgin Media Gig1 come with a landline?
No, it's broadband only unless you add a home phone. Gig1 doesn't need a phone line to work.
Can I use my own router with Gig1?
Yes. Set the Hub 5 to modem mode and plug your router into it. The Hub 5 still has to stay connected.
Can I get Virgin Media Gig1 at my address?
Only if your home is on Virgin Media's cable network. Use the postcode checker in the deal box to find out.
Is Gig1 good for working from home?
Yes. The 104Mb upload covers several video calls at once. Very large uploads take longer than on full fibre.