Virgin Media M125 Fibre Broadband Review

Is Virgin Media M125 broadband good? With an average 132Mbps download speed and an average 20Mbps upload speed, it’s one of the best entry-level broadband plans when you look out for consistent speeds at an affordable monthly price.

For extra peace of mind, Virgin also gives you a minimum speed guarantee of 66Mbps for M125, which is really decent for most types of internet usage.

If the faster M250 plan distracts you with its 264Mbps (double M125) for a few more pounds, it’s better to look at how many devices you connect and whether you need a little more bandwidth, then make an informed decision.

Also take a look at the 20Mbps upload speed, which is slower and a common issue with all Virgin Media plans, and decide whether it is sufficient for your upload tasks.

Pros and Cons

Before you go for M125, compare the pros and cons, as this can help you decide whether it’s the best deal for your needs.

Pros

• Affordable fibre plan for households with up to 3 users, while up to 9 devices can be connected.
• 132Mbps speed is really good for usual activities such as HD and 4K streaming and gaming.
• The minimum guaranteed speed, plus the WiFi Max option, helps keep connectivity reliable.
• QuickStart self-install lets you set up broadband yourself without any hassle or waiting for an engineer.

Cons

• Upload speed 20Mbps won’t help you upload large files quickly and can be frustrating.
• Long 24-month contract.
• Out-of-contract price is much higher (this deal shows £68 per month after the offer ends).
• Annual price rise of £4 per month can make it expensive over time.

How reliable is Virgin Media M125, and how fast is it?

M125’s average 132Mbps download speed is a big step up from many Openreach part-fibre (FTTC) connections, which often top out at 80Mbps. By contrast, Virgin Media M125 broadband delivers faster and consistent speeds thanks to its DOCSIS 3.1 cable network.

While it’s slower than many full fibre plans, the average 20Mbps upload speed is enough for video calls, photo uploads and simple tasks, but it can feel limiting if you often upload large files.

Here’s what M125 can do for you:

• Downloading a 10GB file in 10 minutes 6 seconds
• Uploading a 5GB file in 33 minutes 20 seconds

Finding M125 slow and need more speed for more devices? Upgrade to M250 or M350.

Virgin Media M125 broadband only

This is the popular option, though you can add phone and TV with M125. It’s cheaper, often comes with better bill credits, and is suitable if you only want broadband without extras.

It’s a good choice for smaller households that mainly browse, stream, and use video calls, without paying extra each month for services you won’t use.

M125 + Phone

If you still want a home phone, Virgin usually bundles M125 with an Anytime Chatter calls plan.

What Anytime Chatter includes:

• Calls to UK landlines (01, 02 and 03 numbers) at any time
• Calls to UK mobiles at any time

What to know before you choose it:

• The “60-minute rule” applies. Calls are included for the first 60 minutes, then standard per-minute charges apply after that. If you re-dial before 60 minutes, you avoid extra charges for longer calls.
• Calls to premium rate and service numbers (such as 084, 087, 09 and 118 ranges) are charged separately.

Who it’s suitable for:

• Anyone who still uses a landline for family calls, school calls, or personal contacts
• Households that want broadband and a simple calls plan in one bundle

M125 + Flex TV

Flex TV is Virgin’s Stream box service. It gives you live TV channels over broadband, plus catch-up and streaming apps, without locking you into a long TV contract for the TV part.

What Flex tv includes:

• 150+ channels as standard (plus catch-up and on-demand players)
• The Stream box, with extra channel packs and Netflix you can add or remove monthly (for example, sports, movies, and kids packs)
• Streaming apps in one place (subscriptions billed separately where needed)

Who it’s suitable for:

• Anyone who wants basic TV plus streaming, without a long TV commitment
• Homes that want to switch TV add-ons on and off depending on what they watch

Contract and setup

M125 broadband deals come with a 24 month contract, and the current offers include £0 setup. If you add Flex TV, note that it comes with a 30 day rolling contract and a £10 set-up fee.

M125 Router

The router can be the best and worst part of your broadband connection. A good hub can keep Wi-Fi consistent across your home, while an older hub or poor placement can make the connection feel slow even when your line speed is fast.

M125 comes with a Virgin Media Hub 3 or Hub 4, depending on your area. Both are dual-band Wi-Fi 5 routers (2.4GHz and 5GHz) with Intelligent WiFi features that can move devices to the better band and use less congested channels. You also get four gigabit Ethernet ports for wired connections.

What this means day to day

• Use 5GHz for faster Wi-Fi in the same room as the hub (great for streaming and gaming)
• Use 2.4GHz when you need Wi-Fi to travel further through walls
• Use Ethernet for a games console, work PC, or streaming box if you want the most consistent connection

If you have Wi-Fi weak spots, start with hub placement before anything else. Put it in an open, central spot and keep it away from the floor and behind the TV. If that still doesn’t sort it, WiFi Max is the add-on to look at, as it includes Wi-Fi Pods if needed and comes with a Wi-Fi guarantee.

Can I get Hub 5 with M125?

Yes, you can get Hub 5 with M125, but it depends.

Virgin Media O2 has started offering free Hub 5 upgrades to selected customers who currently have Hub 3 or Hub 4, so an M125 customer may get Hub 5 if Virgin selects their account for an upgrade.

However, Hub 5 isn’t guaranteed as standard with M125. If you’re signing up as a new customer and want Hub 5 included, Gig1 is the package that comes with it.

Is Virgin Media M125 broadband any good?

M125 is one of the first choices for 100Mbps+ fibre plans with good value and pricing. The checklist below can help you decide whether to choose it or go for an alternative.

• In our opinion, M125 is most suitable for households with 1 to 3 users, not homes with lots of users online at the same time.
• For day-to-day use, M125 is great for browsing, streaming and shopping online on multiple devices, but video calls, HD and 4K streaming, and gaming are best kept to a few devices at once.
• For anyone who wants it simple, it’s a straightforward broadband-only deal without lots of add-ons, apart from optional phone and Flex TV.
• Overall, it’s a great option for smaller homes and students.

However, M125 may not be the best broadband option for you if you need faster upload speed than 20Mbps or you want full fibre (FTTP), which can deliver higher upload speeds and, on some plans, upload speed the same as the download speed.

Alternatives to M125 broadband

M125 may not be enough when:

• You live in a household of 5+ active users
• Several people stream, game or work from home simultaneously
• You need higher upload speed for cloud backups, large file uploads or frequent Zoom calls
• You’re a competitive gamer and want the lowest possible latency.

If M125 feels limiting for your home broadband tasks, you have two main alternatives: upgrade within Virgin Media, or switch to a full fibre provider.

Upgrade to faster Virgin Media packages

If you like Virgin’s service and you just need more bandwidth for more devices, upgrading is the simplest option.

• M250 broadband is the first upgrade if your home regularly has several devices streaming and downloading at the same time.
• M350 broadband and above are better if you want more breathing space at peak times, especially for larger households.

Switch to full fibre plans from other providers

The best advantage is that full fibre packages often come with better upload speeds, and some providers offer upload speed the same as the download speed.

• Community Fibre 150Mbps – Symmetrical speed, lower latency
• BT Full Fibre 150 – Average 145Mbps down / 10Mbps up
• Vodafone Full Fibre 150 – Symmetrical upload if on CityFibre
• Plusnet Full Fibre 145 – Often cheaper in Openreach areas

Virgin Media Broadband – General Overview

Virgin Media is the UK’s largest cable broadband network, reaching over 18 million premises. Its services are mainly delivered over a hybrid fibre-coax network, with full fibre (FTTP) available in selected areas.

Virgin has the following advantages:

• Wide national coverage (64% of the UK)
• A wide range of speed plans, up to 2Gbps
• The option to get broadband and TV packages (Stream, TV 360) and a landline

However, some limitations include:

• Upload speeds are much lower than download speeds
• No full fibre-style packages with upload speed the same as the download speed
• Out-of-contract prices can jump, plus mid-contract price rises
• Mixed customer reviews

FAQ