Virgin Media broadband deals

About Virgin Media

Founded by Richard Branson in 1989, Virgin Media is one of the leading providers in the UK broadband market, supplying some of the fastest internet speeds available thanks to its own dedicated cable network.

Its ultrafast broadband connections allow for astonishingly fast downloading and very high-quality gaming and TV streaming.

However, Virgin Media deals don't stop at fast internet speeds. Virgin UK is a 'quad play' provider, which means it also offers home phone, pay-TV and mobile phone services provided in conjuction with O2.

You could there get all the connectivity and entertainment your household could ever need from the same provider for a single, bundled monthly fee. This could end up being cheaper than the amount you currently pay, if you're already getting these services from other providers.

Because of its incredible speeds and premium, content-heavy packages, Virgin Media deals are particularly suited to busy households with a high demand for internet and other telecoms services.

Key features of Virgin Media broadband providers

• Superfast, ultrafast and even gigabit (1Gbps) cable broadband
• Wide range of phone, mobile and TV services
• Free Virgin Media Super Hub Wi-Fi router
• Advanced Virgin TV 360 set-top box with a wide range of blockbuster content, great features and exclusive add-ons
• 18-month contracts

Virgin broadband deals

Virgin Media broadband connections are delivered via its own cable network, which plugs fibre-based 'coaxial' cables straight into people's homes rather than just the local street cabinet.

This means it can offer significantly higher speeds than the typical superfast fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) broadband services that depend on Openreach's network. And that means there are a range of ultrafast packages to choose from.

Virgin Media broadband and phone deals in January 2022

Even the most basic Virgin Media broadband and phone deals offer fast speeds.

They start with average download speeds of 54Mbps, going up to 630Mbps packages for heavier users and even an astonishing 1Gbps in a growing number of UK locations. They also include a Virgin Media home phone line and free weekend calls to UK landlines and Virgin Mobile numbers.

You can add a number of additional extras, including free weekend calls to all mobiles and evening or anytime calls to UK or international numbers, depending on your needs.

Since Virgin Media runs its own infrastructure, your home phone will work through its cable network rather than the usual Openreach copper phone lines.

Virgin Media TV and broadband

Virgin Media offers a range of TV packages that can be added to any broadband deal. These include its Big Bundle, which offers 100+ channels, as well as the Bigger Bundle, which ups the channel count to more than 195, including premium services such as Sky Showcase, Fox and a range of HD services.

In addition to this, you can add movies or sports packages from other providers to your deal, as Virgin Media offers the full range of Sky Cinema channels and a Sports package that gives you access to both Sky Sports and BT Sport.

The latest Virgin TV deals also come with the Virgin TV 360 set-top box, which offers the most advanced entertainment experience from Virgin yet.

As well as the usual pause, rewind and record options, you can also set up profiles to get personalised recommendations for each member of the household and start live broadcasts from the very beginning.

Virgin Media TV, broadband and phone deals

You can also get a bundle deal that includes all of the above, for a Virgin Media broadband, phone and TV deal that covers all of your needs.

Virgin Media broadband only offers

If you're just looking for a fast way to get online, Virgin Media broadband is also available on its own, with no requirement to sign up for a Virgin phone line or TV deal.

However, check the cost of broadband-only compared to broadband with a phone line, as in some areas it might actually work out cheaper to get both.

What are the best Virgin broadband deals?

The best Virgin Media deals are ones that match your needs the closest.

The majority of Virgin Media broadband connections offer much faster speeds than most other fibre broadband providers. So if you intend to join Virgin Media, you should know that its prices can be a little more expensive as a result (depending on the package you choose).

You can choose broadband speeds all the way up to 600Mbps with Virgin Media, and many existing connections are also being upgraded to be capable of gigabit (1Gbps) speeds too. But the monthly price of Virgin Media broadband deals will increase the faster you want your internet speed to be.

That's why it's good to assess your household's internet usage and find a broadband speed that can handle your demand, but isn't significantly higher and more expensive as a result.

Take a look at our guide on broadband speeds to learn what package would be right for you and your household.

Can I get Virgin Media broadband?

While Virgin Media isn't as widely available as fibre broadband services that use Openreach's network, it is still available to around 52% of UK properties.

Use the Uswitch Postcode Checker to see if you can get Virgin Media in your local area.

Virgin Media offers for existing customers

If you're already a customer of Virgin Media and want to upgrade your services, the company has lots of offers and deals available.

You can see what's on offer at the moment by logging into your account on the Virgin Media website.

Virgin contract for new customers

Virgin Media frequently has great deals for new customers, with users often able to get as much as 50% off the monthly cost of their package for the first 12 months.

In addition to this, the provider sometimes runs limited-time flash sales where you can often get free gadgets such as games consoles or TVs, so it pays to keep an eye out for what's on offer at any given time.

Virgin Media student offers

If you're heading off to uni, Virgin Media also offers some dedicated student broadband deals.

These include exclusive 30-day rolling contract offers for its superfast broadband and phone packages that aren't available anywhere else. That's ideal if you're only going to need broadband for a shorter period.

Virgin Media offers for low income households

Virgin Media offers an Essential broadband package to customers who receive Universal Credit or other forms of government financial assistance.

For £15 per month, customers will get a broadband-only connection of 15Mbps on a monthly rolling contract. So you will have the option to leave with just 30 days' notice, rather than having to wait until the end of a fixed-term period.

Take a look at our guide on broadband deals for low income families to browse affordable options for your home internet.

Virgin Media broadband speeds

Because Virgin Media uses its own dedicated fibre network, it's able to offer significantly faster speeds than many other broadband providers. The options available are listed below.

M100 Fibre Broadband

On Uswitch, the slowest Virigin Media deal (which is still nearly double the average UK broadband speed) is its M100 package, with average download speeds of 108Mbps and average upload speeds of 10Mbps.

Virgin says this is best suited for busier households with between five and nine devices in constant use (especially if some of those are streaming video).

M200 Fibre Broadband

For larger homes where ten or more devices will need to connect to the internet at the same time, Virgin's M200 package offers average download speeds of 213Mbps and upload speeds of 20Mbps.

M350 Fibre Broadband

Customers with a very high amount of usage can take advantage of Virgin's M350 fibre broadband package, which offers average download speeds of 362Mbps and upload speeds of 34Mbps.

If you're a in a household of heavy internet users and you all want to stream in 4K on multiple devices and play competitive online games, this is the right package for you.

M500 Fibre Broadband

Finally, users with the most demand can enjoy ultrafast download speeds of up to 516Mbps, with equally impressive upload speeds of 35Mbps, on average.

It’d be pretty difficult to max out this incredibly fast package, but you may feel safer with it if you’re in a home with multiple ‘power-users’, where everyone is playing 4K video games and using large, demanding computer programmes on lots of devices each.

Virgin Media gigabit broadband

Virgin is upgrading its entire network in order to supply gigabit internet (that's 1Gbps, or 1000Mbps) to all of its locations by the end of 2021.

It's almost impossible to breach this speed limit right now, but it's more about future-proofing your home than what you can do with it now. As more home devices use up more internet in the coming decades, gigabit broadband will allow us to use them smoothly and seamlessly.

Run a broadband speed test to see how your current internet speed compares to other broadband connections available in your area.

What's the Virgin Media broadband speed in my area?

The nature of Virgin's cable network means there should be much less variation in the actual speeds households should be able to receive. So if Virgin Media is available in your area, you should usually expect to receive speeds very close to what is advertised.

To see if Virgin Media broadband is available to your home, you can use our Postcode Checker.

Virgin Media installation

New customers will require Virgin Media to send an engineer to install the cable and get everything working. You can arrange this when you place your order.

However, homes that have had Virgin Media installed previously can use the firm's QuickStart self-install, which lets you get started in just a few simple steps.

Is there a Virgin Media installation charge?

Most Virgin Media broadband and TV packages will require an installation fee, which is typically £35.

Virgin Media installation time

If you're able to use the QuickStart option, you'll receive all the equipment you need via courier or click and collect, with QuickStart packs usually sent within three working days for the UK mainland, or within four working days if you live in Northern Ireland.

For engineer visits, you'll be able to choose your date when you place the order, usually within around 14 days. Once at your home, it should take between 30 minutes and two hours to get things up and running.

About your Virgin Media router

Virgin Media's Super Hub wireless router is the fastest and most advanced wireless router on offer from the provider. It's capable of connecting up to 20 devices at once with wireless speeds up to seven times faster than the UK average, depending on your package.

It takes advantage of the 5GHz frequency, which is more advanced and less congested than the 2.5GHz frequencies found on many other providers' included routers. This means you can game, stream and download wirelessly without worrying as much about slowdown.

How to set up your Virgin Media router

If you're using the QuickStart service, your Virgin Media router should be very easy to get up and running, as you'll just need to plug in a few cables. You can find specific steps for each model of router on the Virgin Media website.

Virgin Media internet protection

The provider offers a range of services to help keep your browsing safe, including advanced parental controls and tough anti-virus and anti-malware software.

Virgin Media Switched on Families

The provider's 'Switched on Families' suite of services helps ensure your family is safe online, whether this is at home or when you're out and about.

There's also an interactive guide on its website to help you understand the options available and how best you can protect your kids, whatever age they are and whatever content they want to view.

Virgin Media Web Safe

When you're at home, Virgin Media Web Safe protects any device that's connected to your network.

This can protect you when you're shopping online or using banking services by blocking fake and fraudulent sites, as well as protecting against viruses. It's included for free with all broadband packages.

Virgin Media F-Secure SAFE

F-Secure SAFE services extend protection to up to five devices, including mobile phones, tablets, PCs and Macs to keep you safe from viruses, fraudsters and theft wherever you are.

Virgin Media customers can get this free for the first three months of their contract, after which is costs just £3 a month (or £30 a year).

Virgin Media parental controls

Virgin Media's parental controls can be personalised to your needs, letting you block access to inappropriate websites or categories of content, as well as set limits on your kids’ screen time.

Virgin Media customer service

If you have any questions or issues with Virgin Media, or want to discuss your account, there are several ways you can do this.

Virgin Media customer service reviews

Virgin Media customers generally report above-average levels of satisfaction with the quality of their broadband and customer service, with research from Ofcom in April 2019 finding 85% of customers saying they're satisfied with the overall level of service, compared with 83% for the industry as a whole.

Contact Virgin Media customer service

There are a number of ways to contact Virgin Media customer service. In addition to a wide range of online FAQs, you can get assistance over the phone or via live web chat.

Virgin Media customer service number

Virgin Media customer service can be reached by phone on 0808 168 8217 from any number, of by dialling 1560 on a Virgin Media landline. Customer service agents are available from 8am until 9pm Monday to Friday, between 8am and 8pm on Saturdays, and from 8am until 6pm on Sundays.

Virgin Media customer service live chat

If you're experiencing an issue with your broadband, you can also contact the firm's live chat team Monday to Friday from 7am until 11pm, or 8am until 8pm on weekends. This service can be found on Virgin Media's website.