Virgin Media runs its own network. Where it is available you can get faster downloads than most national rivals, including Gig1 at about 1.13Gbps and Gig2 at 2Gbps in selected areas.
Uploads stay low on cable, the bill jumps after the contract, and it only reaches around three in five UK homes.
Choose Virgin Media if
- you want 125Mbps–1Gbps on Virgin’s own network
- an O2 Pay Monthly account is already in the household, so Volt adds a speed boost and WiFi Max
- 25–52Mbps upload is enough, or you will take Gig1 for 104Mbps
Skip Virgin Media if
- you need upload speed equal to the download speed
- you want Wi-Fi 7 as standard
- you need the cheapest reliable service and Plusnet or an altnet is available
Virgin Media at a glance
| Network | Virgin cable (DOCSIS 3.1) and Virgin/Nexfibre full fibre in selected streets |
| Speeds | 132Mbps (M125 ) to 2Gbps (Gig2 ) |
| Coverage | About 60% of UK premises |
| Router | Hub 5 (Wi-Fi 6), Hub 5x on Gig2 full fibre |
| Contract | Usually 24 months, 30-day options cost more |
| Price rises | £4 a month each April |
| After the term | Out-of-contract prices are much higher |
| Extras | Volt (O2), WiFi Max, Flex / Mega TV, landline |
Virgin is not “full fibre” on every street. Most customers are still on cable. Full fibre changes upload speed, the hub and whether an engineer is needed. The order summary shows which network you are on.
Virgin Media plans
Average speeds are what at least half of customers should see at peak (8–10pm). The guarantee is the minimum to the hub, not to a phone on Wi-Fi.
Prices below are for new customers only. Up to £300 switching credit on selected offers.
| Plan | Average Speed | Deal |
|---|---|---|
| M125 One or two light users 24-month contract | 132Mbps down 20Mbps up | £18.99/month £22.99 from Apr 2027, £26.99 from Apr 2028 Free setup See deal |
| M250 Most families 24-month contract | 264Mbps down 25Mbps up | £18.99/month £22.99 from Apr 2027, £26.99 from Apr 2028 Free setup See deal |
| M350 Only if cheaper than M500 24-month contract | 362Mbps down 36Mbps up | From £28.99/month April rises on checkout Free setup See deal |
| M500 Busy homes 24-month contract | 516Mbps down 52Mbps up | £21.99/month £25.99 from Apr 2027, £29.99 from Apr 2028 Free setup See deal |
| Gig1 Gigabit downloads 24-month contract | 1,130Mbps down 104Mbps up | £23.99/month £27.99 from Apr 2027, £31.99 from Apr 2028 Free setup See deal |
| Gig2 2Gb where built 24-month contract | 2,000–2,130Mbps down 104–2,000Mbps up | Check postcode April rises on checkout Setup confirmed at checkout See deal |
Gig2 is two products: cable Gig2 (about 2,130Mbps down / 104Mbps up) and full-fibre Gig2 (2,000Mbps down / 200Mbps up, with a paid jump to 2,000Mbps up in some areas).
Which plan to take
If two plans cost the same, or there is not much difference, take the faster one. That usually means M250 over M125, and Gig1 over M500 if you want the extra upload (104Mbps vs 52Mbps). Skip M350 when M500 is the better deal in the table.
What you actually pay
Featured broadband deals are for new customers.
- Introductory offer for 24 months, with a £4 rise on 1 April each year.
- Our exclusive offers are often cheaper than virginmedia.com and may include bill credit or a contract buyout that the official site does not show.
- A deal taken in September 2026 includes the April 2027 rise and the April 2028 rise.
- Setup is £0 on the broadband-only exclusive tiles above. Bundles and some full-fibre installs can add charges.
- Switching credit (up to £300 on current promotions) is claimed after you switch, not paid on day one. Read the partner checkout rules.
- At the end of the term the price can more than double if you do nothing.
Add those lines up before you treat £18.99 or £23.99 as the real monthly cost.
Existing customers see different upgrade prices. The public new-customer tile is not the My Virgin Media renewal quote.
Speeds: what you get, what you do not
Downloads on a working Virgin line usually land close to the advertised average. That is why people take it.
Three limits matter more than the name on the box:
- Upload. Cable M125–M500 sits at 20–52Mbps. Fine for video calls. Slow for daily cloud backups or creator uploads. Gig1’s 104Mbps is the first Virgin tier where upload feels clearly better. Symmetrical speed exists only on some full-fibre addresses, usually as an extra.
- The guarantee. Virgin’s minimum download to the hub is often about half the average (66Mbps on M125, 132Mbps on M250, 565Mbps on Gig1). If the wired speed to the hub stays below that figure and is not fixed, you can leave.
- Wi-Fi. Hub 5 is Wi-Fi 6. It will not put Gig1 or Gig2 into every room. WiFi Max adds pods and promises 30Mbps in each room, or £100 credit — not 500Mbps or 1Gbps throughout the house.
Peak-time cable can vary more than Openreach full fibre. It is still usually fast enough. Slow Wi-Fi is the common complaint, not a 50Mbps line.
Availability
Check the address. A neighbour on Virgin does not mean your block is.
Where it is live, Virgin is often the fastest national option. Where it is not, BT, EE, Sky, Plusnet and the local altnet are the market. There is no Openreach fallback under the Virgin brand.
Social tariffs exist if you qualify: Essential Broadband (15Mbps) and Essential Broadband Plus (54Mbps).
Customer service and leaving
Speed is not the weak point. Leaving and billing are what people search for.
- Which? 2026 customer score: 59%, joint-low among the big four with TalkTalk.
- Ofcom broadband complaints, Jan–Mar 2026: 6 per 100,000, the industry average. Virgin was the only major brand whose rate rose that quarter.
- July 2026: Ofcom fined Virgin Media £28 million for making it hard to cancel between 2022 and 2024. That case is closed; it is why “can I leave Virgin?” still ranks.
To leave: 14-day cooling-off on a new order, then 30 days’ notice, then an early-exit charge if you are inside the minimum term. One Touch Switch works for most moves to another provider. Get the leaving figure in writing.
Volt, TV and phone
None of these is required for broadband.
- Volt is for O2 mobile customers. It can include WiFi Max and other extras. Worth it only if the O2 account is staying.
- Flex TV is a rolling add-on. Mega TV is the fuller package. Price the bundle over 24 months; TV is where the bill grows.
- A Virgin landline is optional. Digital voice needs power at the hub.
Virgin Media vs BT or an altnet
Same download band, different network.
| Virgin | BT / EE / Plusnet | Altnet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Network | Own cable or own FTTP | Openreach FTTP | Own FTTP |
| Downloads | Often faster at the same price | Capped at 900Mbps on BT (EE 1.6Gb) | 1Gb+ common |
| Uploads | Weak on cable | Higher than cable M125–M350; still not symmetric | Often symmetric |
| Coverage | ~60% | Most of the UK on some BT product | Cities / build areas |
| After-contract price | Sharp rise | Also rises, usually less brutal on day 25 | Varies |
Take Virgin when the street has it and the download price is right. Take Plusnet or EE when you want the same Openreach fibre with a simpler bill or a better hub. Take Community Fibre, Hyperoptic or YouFibre when they are on the building and you care about upload.
Virgin Media FAQs
Is Virgin Media any good?
Yes for speed where it is available. No if you need nationwide coverage, strong uploads on a cheap plan, or an easy exit.
Is Virgin Media full fibre?
Only on streets that have been upgraded, including some Nexfibre builds. Most customers are on cable. Both can be fast. They are not the same product.
Does the price rise during the contract?
Yes. Current standard terms add £4 a month each April. Two rises can fall inside a 24-month deal.
Why is my speed lower on Wi-Fi than Virgin advertised?
The advertised average and the guarantee are measured to the hub. Test with Ethernet. If the wired result is near the average, the line is fine.
Can I keep Virgin if I move house?
Only if Virgin serves the new address. If it does not, you can be charged to leave the old contract. Ask before you exchange.
Take Virgin Media when the address checker says it serves your street, and when a faster plan costs the same as a slower one — or not much more. If Virgin is not available, look elsewhere. If the contract has ended and the price has jumped, switch or sign a new deal.
