Virgin Media

Virgin Media Broadband Review 2023 - Is Virgin Broadband Any Good?

Review article by , last updated

Virgin Media

Final Rating: 4.5 out of 5 4.5 Star Rating

In this review: 1. Introduction 2. Virgin Media Broadband - At a glance 3. Virgin Media Broadband speed performance 4. Virgin Media Broadband only prices (18-month contracts) 5. Virgin Media Broadband & Phone prices (18-month contracts) 6. Virgin Media Broadband & Phone prices (30-day rolling contracts) 7. Comparable services: Virgin Media versus BT Fibre & Sky Fibre 8. Virgin Media home phone review 9. Virgin Media TV review 10. Virgin Media Broadband, Phone & TV packages 11. Virgin Media Broadband package & router details 12. Installation & setup 13. Virgin Media Broadband customer service performance 14. Our final verdict & rating on Virgin Media Broadband

1. Introduction

Virgin Media (owned by Virgin Media O2, a 50/50 joint venture between Liberty Global and Telefonica) is the UK's third largest broadband supplier with around 5.9 million customers. It is the UK's second largest pay TV provider with 3.4 million subscribers and also has 3.1 million mobile customers. The company offers the fastest widely available broadband speeds in the UK, with its top tier Gig1 package delivering average ultrafast download speeds of 1,130Mbps across its network (that's 22 times faster than the national average). But it's not just about speed when you're weighing up switching to a new internet supplier, there's other factors to consider like cost, customer service performance and customer complaints. Read our review below to find out how Virgin Media Broadband really stacks up and whether they're any good. You can then decide whether a Virgin Broadband deal (or a Virgin Broadband, phone & TV bundle) is right for you and if you like, you can start your order from this page.

2. Virgin Media Broadband - At A Glance

  • Average speeds: M50 Broadband 54Mbps, M125 Broadband 132Mbps, M250 Broadband 264Mbps, M350 Broadband 362Mbps, M500 Broadband 516Mbps, Gig1 Broadband 1,130Mbps (now available to 16.1 million UK homes residing within Virgin Media's network)
  • Latest Virgin Media broadband prices & offers (18-month contracts): No setup fee, saving £35, on all speeds. Broadband & phone prices from: £34p/m for M125, £40p/m for M250, £46p/m for M350, £52p/m for M500 & £64p/m for Gig1. Phone line rental plus weekend calls to UK landlines and Virgin mobiles included. Broadband, Phone & TV bundles from £33.99 a month. See virginmedia.com for more
  • Broadband only plans with FREE setup, prices from £28.50p/m for 132Mbps speeds, £32.50p/m for 264Mbps speeds, £36.50p/m for 362Mbps speeds, £40.50p/m for 516Mbps speeds & £47p/m for Gig1 speeds. See virginmedia.com for more
  • Virgin Media O2 VOLT Products & Benefits: Following the merger of Virgin Media and O2 to form Virgin Media O2 (VMO2), customers can now buy Virgin Media and O2 Pay Monthly products together and take advantage of some impressive benefits. For example, take Virgin Media Broadband and an O2 pay monthly SIM together and enjoy a Virgin Media Broadband speed boost to the next speed tier, plus double the data on the O2 Pay Monthly SIM. Wi-Fi Pods are also included at no extra cost if there's any Wi-Fi blackspots at home. VOLT bundles start from £29.99p/m for Virgin Media M200 Broadband, weekend home phone calls to UK landlines and mobiles, plus an O2 10GB SIM. Find out more here.
  • Virgin Mobile Sale for new & existing customers: Get the iPhone 14 with AirPods for £36.50 a month, or the iPhone 13 with AirPods for £32.50p/m. No upfront fee required. Find out more at virginmedia.com/mobile
  • Installation & COVID-19: Self-install your Virgin Media service with QuickStart. All kit delivered to your door for free. Please note QuickStart is only available at addresses that have had Virgin Media services in the past. Virgin Media will let you know if you can self-install before you place your online order
  • Extras Included: FREE Servicing and repairs of Virgin Media kit, Web Safe security, 12 months F-Secure SAFE online security (usually £79.99)
  • Availability: Virgin Media broadband runs on its own cable network and DOCSIS 3 technology (rather than the Openreach network which is used by many ISP's). It covers around 53% of UK homes (16.1 million premises). You can check your postcode on our fibre broadband availability tool
  • Latest Virgin Media Broadband customer complaints data - Q4 2022: 14 complaints per 100,000 customers, above the industry average of 11 complaints per 100,000 (Source: Ofcom Telecoms & Pay TV Complaints Report Q4 2022, published April 27th 2023)
  • Latest Virgin Media Broadband customer satisfaction data 2022: 81% overall satisfaction with the Virgin Broadband service, pretty much in-line with the industry average of 82% (Source: Ofcom Comparing Customer Service Report 2022, published 18th May 2023)

3. Virgin Media Broadband Speed Performance

If broadband speed is your number one priority, then Virgin Fibre Broadband is most likely to be the fastest you can get with packages offering average speeds of 132Mbps (increased from 108Mbps in Nov. 2022), 264Mbps (increased from 213Mbps in Nov. 2022), 362Mbps, 516Mbps and 1,130Mbps (1Gbps).

The advertised download speeds for their Virgin Fibre packages are calculated by taking the median average, or the mid-point between the fastest and slowest speeds for each package at peak times (8-10pm), each month. This is in line with guidance from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

The Ofcom UK Home Broadband Performance Chart Data (measurement period September 2022, published in March 2023) reveals that the average Virgin Broadband speeds advertised are pretty close to their actual real world speeds. The M100 (108Mbps) package was found to have a 24-hour average download speed of 110.78Mbps with a 14.5 milliesecond (ms) latency/ping and the M200 (213Mbps) package was 217.77Mbps with a 15.67ms latency/ping. The M350 (362Mbps) package was 380.56Mbps with a 14.54ms latency/ping and the M500 (516Mbps) package was 533.91Mbps with a 13.72ms latency/ping. Virgin Media's Gig1 (1,130Mbps) package which is the UK's fastest widely available broadband (covering 16.1 million UK premises) had real world 24-hour average speeds of 1138.79Mbps with a 16.01ms latency/ping.

Ookla's latest Speedtest Intelligence data published in October 2022, further supports Virgin Media's broadband speed dominance. The data revealed that during the first half of 2022, Virgin Media was the UK's fastest fixed broadband provider with median download speeds of 116.44Mbps.

Please bear in mind that the actual broadband speed you experience from Virgin Media (or any other provider for that matter) can be lower than what is advertised or estimated during sign-up. Broadband speeds may be affected by things Virgin Media can't control - like the use of Wi-Fi, the device you're using, the wiring in your home and the number of users online and accessing a particular website.


4. Virgin Media Broadband Only Prices - 18-Month Contracts

Looking for broadband only packages without phone line rental or TV? Compare Virgin Media's ultrafast broadband only products below. Pricing applies to new customers only.

Provider Package Details Average Speed* Download Limit Contract Period Costs More Info
Virgin Broadband M125

Average speed*: 132Mb,
Download limit: Unlimited,
£0 setup,
1st year cost £342,
£28.50* per month
4.5 Star Rating
Virgin Media M125 Fibre Broadband
* For 18 months. Virgin Media phone line rental not required. Pricing may change during this 18 month period
132Mb Unlimited 18 months Monthly cost £28.50* 1st year cost: £342.00
£0.00 setup
FREE Setup + Intelligent Wi-Fi

Find out more

FREE Engineer Visits For Any Repairs Or Replacements
Virgin Broadband M250

Average speed*: 264Mb,
Download limit: Unlimited,
£0 setup,
1st year cost £390,
£32.50* per month
4.5 Star Rating
Virgin Media M250 Fibre Broadband
* For 18 months. Virgin Media phone line rental not required. Pricing may change during this 18 month period
264Mb Unlimited 18 months Monthly cost £32.50* 1st year cost: £390.00
£0.00 setup
FREE Setup + Intelligent Wi-Fi

Find out more

FREE Engineer Visits For Any Repairs Or Replacements
Virgin Broadband M350

Average speed*: 362Mb,
Download limit: Unlimited,
£0 setup,
1st year cost £438,
£36.50* per month
4.5 Star Rating
Virgin Media M350 Fibre Broadband
* For 18 months. Virgin Media phone line rental not required. Pricing may change during this 18 month period
362Mb Unlimited 18 months Monthly cost £36.50* 1st year cost: £438.00
£0.00 setup
FREE Setup + Intelligent Wi-Fi

Find out more

FREE Engineer Visits For Any Repairs Or Replacements
Virgin Broadband M500

Average speed*: 516Mb,
Download limit: Unlimited,
£0 setup,
1st year cost £486,
£40.50* per month
4.5 Star Rating
Virgin Media M500 Fibre Broadband
* For 18 months. Virgin Media phone line rental not required. Pricing may change during this 18 month period
516Mb Unlimited 18 months Monthly cost £40.50* 1st year cost: £486.00
£0.00 setup
FREE Setup + Intelligent Wi-Fi

Find out more

FREE Engineer Visits For Any Repairs Or Replacements
Virgin Broadband Gig1 Fibre

Average speed*: 1,130Mb,
Download limit: Unlimited,
£0 setup,
1st year cost £564,
£47*
4.5 Star Rating
Virgin Media Gig1 Fibre Broadband
* For 18 months. Virgin Media phone line rental not required. Pricing may change during this 18 month period
1,130Mb Unlimited 18 months Monthly cost £47.00* 1st year cost: £564.00
£0.00 setup
FREE Setup + Fastest Widely Available Broadband Speeds

Find out more

FREE Engineer Visits For Any Repairs Or Replacements

5. Virgin Media Broadband & Phone Prices - 18-Month Contracts

Virgin Media is the UK's fastest widely available broadband provider offering top average ultrafast download speeds of 1,130Mbps across their network with their Gig1 fibre package. Compare Virgin Media broadband & phone deals below. Applies to new customers only.

Provider Package Details Average Speed* Download Limit Contract Period Costs More Info
Virgin Broadband Size L + Virgin Phone Size M + FREE TV & TiVo Box

Average speed*: 132Mb,
Download limit: Unlimited,
£0 setup,
1st year cost £408,
£34*
4.5 Star Rating
Virgin Media M125 Fibre Broadband + Weekend Calls To UK Landlines & Virgin Mobiles
* For 18 months. Includes Virgin Media phone line rental. Pricing may change during this 18 month period
132Mb Unlimited 18 months Monthly cost £34.00* 1st year cost: £408.00
£0.00 setup
FREE Setup + Intelligent Wi-Fi

Find out more

FREE Engineer Visits For Any Repairs Or Replacements
Virgin Broadband Size XL + Virgin Phone Size M + FREE TV

Average speed*: 264Mb,
Download limit: Unlimited,
£0 setup,
1st year cost £480,
£40* per month
4.5 Star Rating
Virgin Media M250 Fibre Broadband + Weekend Calls To UK Landlines & Virgin Mobiles
* For 18 months. Includes Virgin Media phone line rental. Pricing may change during this 18 month period
264Mb Unlimited 18 months Monthly cost £40.00* 1st year cost: £480.00
£0.00 setup
FREE Setup + Intelligent Wi-Fi

Find out more

FREE Engineer Visits For Any Repairs Or Replacements
Virgin Broadband Size XXL + Virgin Phone Size M

Average speed*: 362Mb,
Download limit: Unlimited,
£0 setup,
1st year cost £552,
£46* per month
4.5 Star Rating
Virgin Media M350 Fibre Broadband + Weekend Calls To UK Landlines & Virgin Mobiles
* For 18 months. Includes Virgin Media phone line rental. Pricing may change during this 18 month period
362Mb Unlimited 18 months Monthly cost £46.00* 1st year cost: £552.00
£0.00 setup
FREE Setup + Intelligent Wi-Fi

Find out more

FREE Engineer Visits For Any Repairs Or Replacements
Virgin Broadband M500 + Virgin Phone Size M

Average speed*: 516Mb,
Download limit: Unlimited,
£0 setup,
1st year cost £624,
£52* per month
4.5 Star Rating
Virgin Media M500 Fibre Broadband + Weekend Calls To UK Landlines & Virgin Mobiles
* For 18 months. Includes Virgin Media phone line rental. Pricing may change during this 18 month period
516Mb Unlimited 18 months Monthly cost £52.00* 1st year cost: £624.00
£0.00 setup
FREE Setup + Intelligent Wi-Fi

Find out more

FREE Engineer Visits For Any Repairs Or Replacements
Virgin Broadband Gig1 Fibre

Average speed*: 1,130Mb,
Download limit: Unlimited,
£0 setup,
1st year cost £768,
£64*
4.5 Star Rating
Virgin Media Gig1 Fibre Broadband + Weekend Calls To UK Landlines & Virgin Mobiles
* For 18 months. Includes Virgin Media phone line rental. Pricing may change during this 18 month period
1,130Mb Unlimited 18 months Monthly cost £64.00* 1st year cost: £768.00
£0.00 setup
FREE Setup + Fastest Widely Available Broadband Speeds

Find out more

FREE Engineer Visits For Any Repairs Or Replacements

6. Virgin Media Broadband & Phone Prices - 30 Day Rolling Contracts

If you need some flexibility and would rather not commit to a longer contract length, Virgin Media's range of 30-day rolling contract broadband products could be the answer. These one month broadband contracts are perfect for short term or temporary broadband and are available on a range of broadband speeds. They also represent an alternative option for students at University looking for short term internet access.

Provider Package Details Average Speed* Download Limit Contract Period Costs More Info
Virgin Broadband Size L + Virgin Phone Size M

Average speed*: 132Mb,
Download limit: Unlimited,
£80 upfront,
1st year cost £692,
£51*
4.5 Star Rating
Virgin Media M125 Fibre Broadband + Weekend Calls To UK Landlines & Virgin Mobiles
* Rolling 30-day contract, give 30 days notice to cancel. Includes Virgin Media phone line rental. Pricing may change
132Mb Unlimited 30 days Monthly cost £51.00* 1st year cost: £692.00
£80.00 upfront
Upfront Fee Includes £35 Setup Fee + £45 Rolling Contract Fee

Find out more

FREE Engineer Visits For Any Repairs Or Replacements
Virgin Broadband Size L + Virgin Phone Size M

Average speed*: 264Mb,
Download limit: Unlimited,
£80 upfront,
1st year cost £764,
£57*
4.5 Star Rating
Virgin Media M250 Fibre Broadband + Weekend Calls To UK Landlines & Virgin Mobiles
* Rolling 30-day contract, give 30 days notice to cancel. Includes Virgin Media phone line rental. Pricing may change
264Mb Unlimited 30 days Monthly cost £57.00* 1st year cost: £764.00
£80.00 upfront
Upfront Fee Includes £35 Setup Fee + £45 Rolling Contract Fee

Find out more

FREE Engineer Visits For Any Repairs Or Replacements
Virgin Broadband Size L + Virgin Phone Size M

Average speed*: 362Mb,
Download limit: Unlimited,
£80 upfront,
1st year cost £836,
£63*
4.5 Star Rating
Virgin Media M350 Fibre Broadband + Weekend Calls To UK Landlines & Virgin Mobiles
* Rolling 30-day contract, give 30 days notice to cancel. Includes Virgin Media phone line rental. Pricing may change
362Mb Unlimited 30 days Monthly cost £63.00* 1st year cost: £836.00
£80.00 upfront
Upfront Fee Includes £35 Setup Fee + £45 Rolling Contract Fee

Find out more

FREE Engineer Visits For Any Repairs Or Replacements

7. Comparable Services: Virgin Media Broadband Versus BT Fibre & Sky Fibre

Take a look at the table below to compare Virgin Media Broadband speeds and prices versus BT Fibre and Sky Fibre. Want to compare more suppliers? Use our fibre broadband checker to understand how Virgin Media fares against other providers.

Provider Package Details Average Speed* Download Limit Contract Period Costs More Info
Virgin Broadband M125

Average speed*: 132Mb,
Download limit: Unlimited,
£0 setup,
1st year cost £342,
£28.50* per month
4.5 Star Rating
Virgin Media M125 Fibre Broadband
* For 18 months. Virgin Media phone line rental not required. Pricing may change during this 18 month period
132Mb Unlimited 18 months Monthly cost £28.50* 1st year cost: £342.00
£0.00 setup
FREE Setup + Intelligent Wi-Fi

Find out more

FREE Engineer Visits For Any Repairs Or Replacements
Unlimited Sky Broadband Superfast For New Customers

Average Speed*: 59Mb,
Download limit: Unlimited,
£0 setup,
1st year cost £309,
£17*
4.5 Star Rating
Unlimited Sky Broadband Superfast + Unlimited Sky WiFi + Sky Talk Pay As You Go Calls To UK Landlines & Mobiles
* For 6 months, £34p/m after. Includes Sky phone line rental. Pricing may change during this 18 month period
59Mb Unlimited 18 months Monthly cost £17.00* 1st year cost: £309.00
£0.00 setup
HALF PRICE Until The End Of 2023 + FREE McAfee Internet Security Suite

Find out more at Sky

Includes Sky Wall To Wall Wi-Fi Guarantee
BT Fibre 2

Average speed*: 67Mb,
Download limit: Unlimited,
£29.99 setup,
1st year cost £413.87,
£31.99* per month
5 Star Rating
BT Fibre 2 Broadband
*For 24 months. No landline phone service included (can be added if required). Annual price increase applies
67Mb Unlimited 24 months Monthly cost £31.99* 1st year cost: £413.87
£29.99 setup
Add BT TV From £20p/m

Find out more at BT

Norton Security + £100 BT Reward Card To Spend

8. Virgin Media Home Phone Review

All of Virgin Media's home phone calling plans are available with their individual broadband or TV packages, as well as with their broadband, TV and phone bundles.

Weekend phone calls to UK landlines, Virgin mobiles and 0870 numbers, plus phone line rental, are included as standard in all Virgin Broadband and phone packages, plus those full bundles including TV aswell.

For an extra £5 a month, inclusive evening and weekend calls to UK landlines, UK mobiles and 0845/0870 numbers can be added, while for an extra £8 a month this changes to anytime calls. Those customers wishing to make anytime calls to overseas countries aswell, can pay £15 a month. Over 50 popular international destinations are included.


9. Virgin Media TV Review

Virgin TV is great entertainment, brilliantly connected. With the Virgin TV 360 box, their range of TV apps and super-fast fibre broadband, customers can experience amazing TV at home, in another room or anywhere on the go where there's suitable Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G or 5G (using the Virgin TV anywhere app).

Virgin TV is comprehensive, bringing the world of TV together in the form of live TV (all the Freeview favourites & Sky TV), catch-up TV, TV box sets, integrated Netflix, Amazon Prime, Sky Sports, BT Sport, Sky Cinema and more. Customers can pick and mix the TV they enjoy, plus watch the latest movies with the Virgin Media store. Further information about watching BT Sport on Virgin can be found here.

The Virgin TV 360 box is 4K-ready for Ultra HD TV viewing, has 1TB (1,000 gigabytes) of storage and can record 6 shows at the same time, while you watch something else you have recorded. It is Virgin Media's smallest, smartest and fastest TV box so far.

10. Compare Virgin Media Broadband, Phone & TV Bundles - From £33.99p/m

Looking to bundle Broadband, phone and TV altogether? Prices start from just £33.99 a month for new customers - with the Virgin TV 360 box now included in all bundles, plus the ability to add 'Personal Picks' like BT Sport on a one-month rolling contract. A 14-day money back guarantee is offered together with free servicing & repairs of equipment. Compare a selection of Virgin Broadband, phone and TV packages for new customers below or find out more at the virginmedia.com website.

Provider Package Details Average Speed* Download Limit Contract Period Costs More Info
Virgin Media Big Bundle

Average speed*: 264Mb,
Download limit: Unlimited,
£0 setup,
1st year cost £407.88,
£33.99* per month
4.5 Star Rating
Big Bundle: Virgin Media M250 Fibre Broadband + Weekend Calls To UK Landlines & Virgin Mobiles + 100 Digital TV Channels + 5 HD Channels + 7 Day Catch-Up TV + TV, Movies & Music On Demand + 1TB 360 TV Box
* For 18 months. Includes Virgin Media phone line rental. Pricing may change during this 18 month period
264Mb Unlimited 18 months Monthly cost £33.99* 1st year cost: £407.88
£0.00 setup
Add Personal Picks Like BT Sport On A One-Month Rolling Contract

Find out more

FREE Setup + FREE Engineer Visits For Any Repairs Or Replacements
Virgin Media Bigger Bundle

Average speed*: 264Mb,
Download limit: Unlimited,
£0 setup,
1st year cost £498,
£41.50* per month
4.5 Star Rating
Bigger Bundle: Virgin Media M250 Fibre Broadband + Weekend Calls To UK Landlines & Virgin Mobiles + 190 Digital TV Channels Incl. Top Sky HD Channels + BT Sport + 47 HD Channels + 7 Day Catch-Up TV + TV, Movies & Music On Demand + 1TB 360 TV Box
* For 18 months. Includes Virgin Media phone line rental. Pricing may change during this 18 month period
264Mb Unlimited 18 months Monthly cost £41.50* 1st year cost: £498.00
£0.00 setup
Includes BT Sport + Top Sky Channels

Find out more

FREE Setup + FREE Engineer Visits For Any Repairs Or Replacements
Virgin Media Bigger Bundle + Sports

Average speed*: 132Mb,
Download limit: Unlimited,
£0 setup,
1st year cost £780,
£65* per month
4.5 Star Rating
Bigger Bundle + Sports: Virgin Media M125 Fibre Broadband + Weekend Calls To UK Landlines & Virgin Mobiles + 195 Digital TV Channels Incl. 16 Sky Channels + All Sky Sports HD Channels + All 4 BT Sport 4K UHD Channels + 47 HD Channels + 7 Day Catch-Up TV + TV, Movies & Music On Demand + 1TB 360 TV Box
* For 18 months. Includes Virgin Media phone line rental. Pricing may change during this 18 month period
132Mb Unlimited 18 months Monthly cost £65.00* 1st year cost: £780.00
£0.00 setup
Includes All Sky Sports HD & BT Sport 4K UHD Channels

Find out more

FREE Setup + FREE Engineer Visits For Any Repairs Or Replacements

11. Virgin Media Broadband & TV Package Details With Router Information

The Virgin Media Big Bundle At £31.99p/m Comprises:

Virgin Media Broadband:

  • Wireless broadband with average download speeds of 264Mbps
  • Unlimited monthly download usage allowance
  • FREE Virgin Media Super Hub 3 dual-band wireless router that supports the 802.11ac standard, together with the older 802.11/b/g/n protocols. The Super Hub 3 performs well giving superfast Wi-Fi speeds and has sufficient range to cover more remote areas of people's homes. It also has 4 ethernet ports which is great for those requiring a wired connection
  • Intelligent WiFi to automatically sort WiFi issues
  • FREE Web Safe internet security, F-Secure SAFE internet security and parental controls
  • FREE servicing and repairs on your broadband and Super Hub router
  • FREE 24/7 technical support

Virgin Phone:

  • Switch to Virgin Media and keep your existing phone number
  • Includes weekend phone calls to UK landlines (01, 02 & 03), Virgin Mobiles and 0870 numbers
  • Each weekend call can last up to 60 minutes, after which call charges apply. Therefore, hang up and re-dial before 60 minutes are up to avoid charges
  • Includes Virgin Media phone line rental

Virgin Mixit TV:

  • Over 100 great digital TV channels including all the major Freeview channels, plus 10 HD channels (incl. BBC HD, BBC One HD, ITV1 HD, Channel4 HD & Channel 5 HD)
  • Options to add Sky Sports, Sky Movies and other channels using Personal Picks on one-month rolling contracts
  • 7-day Catch-Up TV using the BBCiPlayer, ITV Hub, All4 and My5 on your TV
  • Virgin TV On Demand - Choose from a huge library of TV, movies and music to enjoy
  • Virgin TV Anywhere App - Take Virgin TV wherever you go with this app available on the iPhone, iPad and other smartphones/devices
  • FREE 1TB Virgin 360 TV box with pause, rewind & record functionality
  • FREE servicing and repairs
  • TV delivered by fibre optic cables, thus not affected by the weather

Virgin Media Broadband, Phone, TV And Mobile - Take As Much As You Want

Virgin Media was the first company in the UK to deliver a quadruple-play offering of unlimited broadband, revolutionary on demand digital TV, great value landline phone calls and a leading mobile phone service. By carrying all four services together, they can offer you far better value for money compared to you buying them separately, plus there's only one bill. It's up to you though, you can choose one service like Virgin M125 broadband from £28.50 a month, or choose Virgin M250 broadband, weekend phone calls, line rental and Virgin TV for £31.99 per month.

Put simply, you can take as much or as little as you want from Virgin Media, including all Sky channels and BT Sport channels - and it's entirely up to you how you bundle their services together.

12. Installation & Setup

If your home has been connected to the Virgin Broadband network before (in the last 3 years), then you should be able to install the Virgin Media kit (Super Hub 3 router &/or the V6 box) yourself using Virgin Media Quickstart.

If you are switching from BT, Sky or another supplier that uses a different network to Virgin's (e.g. Openreach), then a Virgin Media engineer will need to install a Virgin Media line at your property. You will be responsible for cancelling the services with your existing supplier.

Whether you're using Quickstart self-install or a Virgin Media engineer, a £35 broadband setup fee is usually required.

With regards to switch-over timescales, Ofcom's Comparing Service Quality Report (last published in May 2022), shows that the average number of days it takes Virgin Media to deliver a broadband service (from order to delivery) is 4, which is significantly less than the industry average of 12 days.


13. Virgin Media Broadband Customer Service Performance, Support, Satisfaction, Complaints & Phone Numbers

The Virgin Media Customer Service team can be contacted by phoning 150 from a Virgin Media phone line or mobile, or on 0345 454 1111 from any other phone. Opening times are 8am-9pm Monday to Friday, 8am-8pm on Saturday and 8am-6pm on Sunday.

According to the Ofcom Comparing Customer Service Report 2022 (published in May 2023), the Virgin Media customer service call waiting time is on average 3 minutes 7 seconds, which is slower than the industry average call waiting time of 2 minutes 37 seconds.

The latest Customer complaints data does not fair much better with Virgin Broadband showing 14 complaints per 100,000 customers in Ofcom's Q4 2022 Telecoms & Pay TV Complaints Report (published in April 2023). This is higher than the industry average of 11 complaints per 100,000, but a marked improvement on Virgin Media's previous quarterly performance.

In Ofcom's Customer Satisfaction Tracker 2022, the overall customer satisfaction with the Virgin Broadband service was found to be 81%, which is in-line with the industry average of 82%. Specifically, there was an 82% Satisfaction score with the speed of Virgin Broadband's service, which was higher than the industry average of 80%.

It's also worth noting that there's a comprehensive range of Help guides and diagnostic tools on the Virgin Media website which may help you solve some of the more common problems and issues yourself.

14. Our Final Verdict & Rating On Virgin Media Broadband

Virgin Media Broadband Review - Our Final Comment And Rating
Final Rating - 4.5 out of 5
It's great to see Richard Branson cement Virgin's brand and its ethos into the broadband sector. In a relatively short period of time the ex ntl Telewest firm, often plagued by its very poor customer service and cable footprint, has been reignited by the Virgin way of thinking. There's been significant investment and training in customer service, with customer satisfaction levels scoring better at 78% - though Ofcom complaint levels are still a little higher than the industry average.

When it comes to broadband speeds, Virgin Media is the fastest widely available broadband covering around 53% of UK homes with top tier average speeds of 1,130Mbps. It's not cheap though, so expect to pay a little bit more for their ultrafast speeds and look out for their special offers and sale periods where prices can be reduced.

Note, new customers ordering selected Virgin Media broadband only packages online at the virginmedia.com website can currently take advantage of a FREE setup offer. Prices start from £28.50 a month for average 132Mbps speeds, while top speeds of 1,130Mbps are available for £45 a month.

Latest Virgin Media Broadband Reviews & Ratings By Customers

If you're unsure as to some of the terms used on this page, please read our beginner's guide to broadband or our guide to switching supplier.

Important note

We are not Virgin Media. We do not provide broadband, phone or TV connections ourselves. Should you have a problem with your Virgin Media order or connection, we advise you to contact Virgin Media directly.

We specialise in offering you independent advice, reviews and tools that should help you choose the right broadband provider and package for you. We provide this impartial service to you for free, whilst being paid a small commission from each ISP we generate a new customer for - so we are like an Independent Financial Advisor. You do not pay any extra for your chosen broadband package by signing up through this site.

About The Author, Steve Tattersall

Steve Tattersall Steve Tattersall is a broadband technology writer with 20 years experience within the Internet industry. Based in Hampshire, England, he founded the BBC recognised broadband information site, BroadbandInternetUk.com, in 2004 and is currently the Director Of Marketing & Operations. During this time he has helped thousands of people across the UK with their Internet requirements by compiling a comprehensive range of broadband information, comparison tools and guides, all delivered on BroadbandInternetUk.com. A graduate of Buckinghamshire New University (Brunel Business School) with a first class honours degree in Business, Steve has first hand experience of working for a broadband provider, having had a previous career at the broadband supplier NTL. Following its merger with rival Telewest, NTL is now known as Virgin Media, one of the UK's leading broadband, phone & TV providers. If you would like to contact Steve, please visit the contact us page or follow him on Twitter. You can also find out more about BroadbandInternetUk.com on our about us page.

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