Virgin Media TV and broadband provider review

Virgin Media is the main pay-TV competitor to Sky, and offers both standalone TV packages and flexible packages for cable TV, broadband, phone and mobile services. It offers a wide range of entertainment channels, from sports including Premier League matches to the latest blockbusters from Sky Movies, plus catch-up and on-demand TV content.

With a great choice of TV, and superfast broadband, can Virgin Media give Sky a run for its money?

Use Which? Switch Broadband to find the best Virgin Media TV and broadband deals.

Virgin TV and  broadband review

Below, you'll find a range of information about Virgin Media's TV and broadband service. Which? members can also read our full review, including:

• A full breakdown of how its customers rated it for key factors, such as the TV shows it offers
• Quotes from real Virgin TV and broadband customers on their experiences
• Our assessment of the equipment on offer from Virgin
• And get access to our Virgin Media TV and broadband satisfaction survey results.

If you're already a member, log in now, or join Which? today.

We'll tell you exactly what you need to know about all the UK's broadband and pay-TV providers, and will help you avoid signing up for a deal you'll come to regret. If you'd prefer a cheaper option without a TV service, then you can find your ideal package by comparing all the latest broadband reviews.

Our latest survey

Our results are based on our regular broadband and pay TV survey. Each year, we talk to customers to find out what they think of the service they receive. This means we're best placed to help you to choose the right service for you.

In January 2021, we surveyed 3,039 members of the public and asked them about their experiences with their broadband and pay TV provider. We report on all providers that have at least 40 respondents.

Virgin Media TV and broadband deals

Virgin's TV and broadband service is supplied through its cable network, so you need to live in a Virgin cabled area to get it at home (although, once signed up you can also access it on the go over wi-fi, even abroad in the EU, via Virgin's TV Go app).

Virgin's service isn't as widely available as those who use BT's phone network, but its network is much faster, offering average broadband speeds up to 516Mbps (the average speed of BT's widely available deals tops out at 67Mbps). In some parts of Virgin Media's network, it's possible to access gigabit speeds (1100Mbps), too.

You can take out separate TV, broadband and home phone deals, or bundle them all together, either by building your own package or opting for one of Virgin's own deals. It has seven available bundles. Big, Big + Drama, Bigger, Bigger + Movies, Bigger + Sports and Bigger Volt include average speeds ranging from up to 54Mbps to 362Mbps, and from 110 channels to 210. They usually work out cheaper than creating your own package.

It's seventh bundle, Ultimate Volt, includes gigabit broadband (average speed 1100Mbps), 230 channels, landline and mobile Sim. 

Virgin Media offers a similar selection of TV channels to Sky TV. You can also add the likes of Sky Movies and Sports to your Virgin Media package for a fee, although you can't watch Sky Atlantic.

Not interested in subscribing to a TV deal? Find out how satisfied Virgin Media's broadband customers are in our Virgin Media broadband review.

Supplied Virgin Media equipment

Until recently, most TV customers received Virgin's V6 PCR. The device supports 4K content (although there's still not much 4K content to watch) and can record six channels at once.

However, Virgin has started offering its new Virgin TV 360 box to new customers. This is also 4K ready and allows you to watch television in multiple rooms for an extra fee. It also allows users to set profiles, so they can set favourite channels and carry on watching shows where they left off.