How to save on Virgin Media

What is Virgin Media? 

Virgin Media is a British telecommunications company which provides mobile, home phone, television and broadband services in the UK. The biggest Virgin Media competitors are BT and Sky. 

Advantages of choosing Virgin Media 

• Virgin Media is the only broadband provider that has its own fibre broadband network. Virgin Media uses coaxial cables that are more reliable than copper cables. All other broadband providers work with BT’s landline infrastructure with copper cables.
• Virgin Media has some of the best bundles available on the market.
• Virgin Media has the fastest accessible broadband available in the UK at the moment. Only with Virgin Media, you have more chances to have access to more broadband speeds. 
• Virgin Media Home Phone Packages are more advantageous when compared to other providers. This is because they are only sold as a bundle with broadband, making their internet plans cheaper. You get more for less when you choose Virgin Media Home Phone packages.
• Virgin Media Cable TV Packages are also more advantageous when compared to other providers. They all include broadband with a minimum speed of 54Mbps and free calls on the weekends.
• Virgin Media TV is considered the UK’s best non-satellite TV service.
• Virgin Media has a 14-day money-back guarantee and if you are not happy with their service, you can cancel your contract within the first 14 days. 
• Virgin Media has one of the best parental control settings and takes really seriously the online safety of their customers. 
• Virgin Media offers free public wifi to all their customers.
• Virgin Media offers free mobile data on the London Underground to all their customers. 

Disadvantages of choosing Virgin Media 

• Virgin Media is one of the hardest broadband providers to haggle with. They won’t do the best they can to keep you in the house. 
• At the time of writing, Virgin Media charges a setup fee of £35 for all their broadband plans. Most providers don’t have a setup fee. 
• Some customers have reported that Virgin Media engineers were not careful during the installation. Unfortunately, some properties were damaged. 
• Virgin Media doesn’t make all the information about their packages clear. This can lead to confusion and misinformed customers.
• All packages get more expensive after the first contract. Some of them will have an increase of almost £50 per month. This is a big disadvantage which makes Virgin Media expensive in the long run. You will need to haggle or switch, otherwise, it is not a good deal. 
• Virgin Media’s cancellation fee policy is one of the most restrictive. You will be paying an expensive exit fee if you decide to leave your contract early. 
• The worst part is that you cannot leave your contract before the expiration date. Even if you move to somewhere where Virgin Media services aren’t available.

What does Virgin Media offer? 

Virgin Media covers it all. They offer fibre broadband, cable TV and home phones. We will talk more about each of these below. 

Broadband Packages at Virgin Media 

Virgin Media only offers fibre broadband, which is the most modern type of broadband largely available at the moment in the UK. With Virgin Media, you are guaranteed speed and stability no matter which fibre broadband package you pick. 

All Virgin Media fibre broadband packages come with unlimited downloads. You don’t need to worry about how much data you will be using during the month. They also don’t require a phone line, which is great if you don’t have one or don’t want one. 

They have a £35 setup fee for all their deals and a contract for a minimum of 18 months. You will need to be committed for at least a year and a half. 

Virgin Media fibre broadband package options 

At the time of writing, you can get:

M125 Fibre Broadband

• Speed: 132Mbps
• Price: £24 per month
• Contract: 18 months
• Set-up fee: No setup fee

M250 Fibre Broadband

• Speed: 264Mbps
• Price: £27 per month
• Contract: 18 months
• Set-up fee: No setup fee

How fast is Virgin Media broadband?

Virgin's broadband speed is the fastest that’s widely available in the UK at the moment. Check them out below: 

Broadband package	Average download speed	Average upload speed
M100 Fibre Broadband	108 Mbps	10 Mbps
M200 Fibre Broadband	213 Mbps	20 Mbps
M350 Fibre Broadband	364 Mbps	36 Mbps

Gig1 Fibre with Virgin Media: the fastest internet available for domestic use at the moment in the UK

Virgin Media is expanding their offer of Gig1 Fibre, the fastest internet available for domestic use at the moment in the UK. This is only available in some restricted areas. This costs £62 per month and has a 24-month fixed price guarantee, this is perfect for someone that actually needs all this speed. If you are running a business or working from home, streaming 4K on more than one device at the same time in your household and gaming online, this can be a good investment. 

Cable TV Packages at Virgin Media 

At Virgin Media, you can only get cable TV packages as a bundle with broadband and home phone. You will have four packages as well to choose from. All of their cable TV packages come with a box set called Virgin TV 360. With this box set, you can transform your TV into a smart TV. You will be able to access many applications such as BBC iPlayer, Youtube, Amazon Prime Video  and Netflix. 

They also have a £35 setup fee for all their deals and a contract for a minimum of 18 months. You will be committed for at least a year and a half. 

Virgin Media cable TV package options 

At the time of writing, you can get: 

Big Bundle 

• Broadband Speed: 264 Mbps
• Channels: 100 +
• Phone: Weekend calls included 
• Virgin TV 360: one unit
• Price: £31 a month
• Contract: 18 months
• Set-up fee: No setup fee

Virgin Media is the only provider that can offer BT and Sky Sports Channels

Virgin Media has a bundle with BT and Sky Sports Channels in 4K. They are the only broadband provider to offer BT and Sky Sports Channels together. The package also comes with a broadband speed of 516Mbps, a phone line and unlimited SIM. 

Home Phone Packages at Virgin Media 

At Virgin Media, you can only get home phone packages in a bundle. You can get all the same broadband packages as above by adding free phone calls on the weekends. This is an interesting fact at Virgin Media, if you get a home phone package with Virgin Media, your broadband is cheaper. So it’s worth it. However, you will only be able to make calls on the weekends. 

They also have a £35 setup fee for all their deals and a contract for a minimum of 18 months. You know you will be committed for at least a year and a half. 

Virgin Media home phone package options 

At the time of writing, you can get: 

M50 Fibre Broadband + Talk Weekends

• Speed: 54Mbps
• Phone: Weekend calls included 
• Price: £28 per month
• Contract: 18 months
• Set-up fee: No setup fee

M125 Fibre Broadband + Talk Weekends 

• Speed: 132Mbps
• Phone: Weekend calls included 
• Price: £26.50 per month
• Contract: 18 months
• Set-up fee: No setup fee

M250 Fibre Broadband + Talk Weekends 

• Speed: 264Mbps
• Phone: Weekend calls included 
• Price: £31.99 per month
• Contract: 18 months
• Set-up fee: No setup fee

M350 Fibre Broadband + Talk Weekends 

• Speed: 362Mbps
• Phone: Weekend calls included 
• Price: £37.99 per month
• Contract: 18 months
• Set-up fee: No setup fee

M500 Fibre Broadband + Talk Weekends 

• Speed: 516Mbps
• Phone: Weekend calls included 
• Price: £43.99 per month
• Contract: 18 months
• Set-up fee: No setup fee

Virgin Media home phone package options with added Oomph 

Gig 1 Fibre Broadband + Talk Weekends +  10GB data SIM

• Speed: 1130Mbps
• Phone: Weekend calls included 
• Mobile:  10GB data SIM
• Price: £49.99 per month
• Contract: 18 months
• Set-up fee: No setup fee

Going contractless with Virgin Media: how does it work? 

Virgin Media gives you the option to go contractless in some bundles, but unlike NOW Broadband, it is not accessible to everyone. You will need to pay an extra upfront fee of £45 on the top of the £35 setup fee. A package that was initially £33 per month with an 18-month contract, goes to £56 per month contractless. 

What is the cheapest way to get Virgin Media?

At the time of writing, the cheapest way to get Virgin Media is by signing-up for the M100 Fibre Broadband + Talk Weekends, with a speed of 108Mbps and weekend calls included. You will pay £27.99 per month and an initial fee of £35. 

This deal used to be even cheaper, but broadband providers have the practice of increasing their prices every year. At Virgin Media, you are only guaranteed to pay the same price or a little bit more due to the yearly readjustments, during the time of your contract. 

Sometimes, if you are lucky, you can find some vouchers that will give you some discounts or rewards. To check if you can get a voucher, you can use Latest Deals. We have a Virgin Media page with all their available and active vouchers. 

Click here for Virgin Media’s Latest Deals Page. 

Is it worth getting a broadband deal with Virgin Media?

It will depend on your expectations. Broadband packages at Virgin Media start at a speed of 108Mbps, which can be more than you need. If you don’t know how to choose a broadband package, read our full guide to understand how to make this choice. Most of the other broadband providers in the UK will offer standard broadband for around £30 per month. Their speed ranges from 63Mbps to 67Mbp. This will only work depending on how you are going to use your internet. The more you will use it, the faster your broadband speed needs to be. 

Is it worth getting a Cable TV deal with Virgin Media?

It will depend on how much TV you are going to watch. Virgin Media does offer some of the best deals you can find today. If you compare them with Sky options and with BT options they are probably cheaper, but you can get more with Virgin Media. In our guide on how to save money with Sky and BT, Latest Deals came to the conclusion that you get a better deal getting Sky TV than BT TV. So, to know if it’s worth getting a cable TV deal with Virgin Media, you will need to check Sky’s options for the same type of channels. With a quick research, if you select these same channels (Sky Cinema HD, BT and Sky Sports Channels), you will pay £63 per month at Sky, including Netflix for free. This doesn’t include broadband.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you check for this same selection on BT’s website, you will pay £65 per month. BT TV always includes broadband. 

Is it worth getting a home phone deal with Virgin Media?

It will depend on what you need. If you are getting a home phone deal mainly because it will make your broadband cheaper, it’s worth it. If you are getting a home phone deal mainly because you want to use the phone every day at any time, it’s definitely NOT worth it. Virgin Media only offers home phone deals with weekend calls.

How to save on Virgin Media? 9 tips to haggle with Virgin Media!

There are many ways to save on Virgin Media. We have gathered some tips to haggle with Virgin Media to help you save more money: 

Tip #1 - Check you are watching all the channels you pay for 

Most of the time we are paying more than we can realistically consume. This is very well known in the world of cable TV packages, where you have a ton of channels that you never really watch. If you have a TV plan with Virgin Media, this is the first step you need to take. 

Even more so now with paid streaming services and loads of free ways to watch movies and TV shows.  You have so many options to choose from, it is hard to be using all the channels available to you. Check if you can cancel some of them and get a better deal with Virgin Media. 

Tip #2 - Choose the best time to ask for a better deal 

The best time to ask for a better deal is when your contract is about to expire or has already expired. You will need to be patient! What you can do is to get a shorter contract. At the time of writing, their standard contract is for 18 months. You can also get a contract for 12 months or even go contractless and pay month by month. 

Tip #3 - Do your research to make sure you have the right information to negotiate with

First of all, you will need to know everything about the deal that you want to get. Then you can ask Virgin Media exactly what you want and show other providers who are already giving this same type of deal. Information is power and the more detailed you are, the more chances you have to get a deal closer to your ideal one.

Tip #4 - Always try to get in touch with the customer retention department

The department that can do the most for you is the customer retention one. They are trained to retain unsatisfied customers and will try the best they can to give you all you want. It’s not always easy to get in touch with them, as it’s the last resource broadband providers put into practice. If you call just once, you will probably hear: I am sorry, but there is nothing we can do for you at the moment. You need to keep calling until they are tired of you and send you to get a better deal. 

Tip #5 - The best way to communicate with them is with a smile on your face 

We know it’s not easy, but you will need to keep it cool and smiley. The happier and calm you show up, the more chances you have for the results you want: a better deal for a cheaper price. Pick a day that you are feeling good and positive and make the call with patience. It will work out! 

Tip #6 - Pick the best phrases to use when communicating with them 

Adding to your positive energy, make sure you pick the best phrases when communicating with them. You can use phrases like: 

• I have a budget and the maximum I can afford is £x per month. 
• This other provider can give me this same deal for less. 
• I will need some time to think about this. 
• That’s still a lot of money. 
• Is there anything you can do?

 You can even rehearse before making a phone call to make sure you get the right tone. 

Tip #7 - Keep in mind all the issues you had with Virgin Media when negotiating with them 

The stressful issues you've had in the past are going to do you good now. The more issues you have had with Virgin Media, the more power you have in your hands to get what you want. Make sure you take note of them with relevant details. These are the points in your favour. 

Tip #8 - If they can’t give you a discount on your current plan, ask for free extras 

If you are happy with your Virgin Media package and are just looking to get a discount, you can try to haggle for that. Sometimes it works, but most of  the time it doesn't. So, what can you do next? You can ask for free extras. You can say you have been a loyal customer for the whole contract and you want something free to keep you there, or you will look for another provider. It’s very likely you will get something. 

Tip #9 - Don’t accept the first offer 

If you can, don’t accept the first offer. Usually, if they are offering something, they can offer you more. If you have time and energy, try to negotiate for a little longer and see if you can get something more! 

How do I cancel and leave Virgin Media? 

Cancelling Virgin Media is pretty easy. You just need to call them on 0345 454 1111. They already alert you about four important things you need to know before leaving them: 

1. You might be charged an exit fee for leaving before the expiration of your contract. If you have a month to month based deal, you don’t need to worry about this. 
2. You may also need to return your Virgin Media Kit. 
3. You will lose all access to your Virgin Media email address. That’s why we recommend getting a Gmail. 
4. You might also receive a refund if you paid for your deal upfront. 

Keeping these four things in mind will make your cancellation process much easier. 

How do I reduce my Virgin Media bill? 

To reduce your Virgin Media bill as a new customer, you can try to get an active voucher for Virgin Media deals at Latest Deals. 

To reduce your Virgin Media bill as an existing customer, you will need to either cancel some of the services you are consuming now or try to haggle for a discount on your package. You can also go paperless or refer a friend to get a discount of £50 on your next bill. 

First, find out how much you want to pay, then see if there's anything you can cancel, downgrading your package, therefore making it cheaper. Compare online what you can get online within this budget, and see if Virgin Media covers it or if it’s worth making the switch. 

How do I contact Virgin Media? 

Virgin Media is an accessible company to get in touch with. They have many different communication channels.

• Virgin Media Contact Us Page Link: Just access this link and you will be able to contact Virgin Media for different queries, such as joining, new customers, bills and payments, upgrades and offers, getting an issue fixed, appointments, changing address, leaving, and complaints. 

• Virgin Media Phone Number: 0800 064 3836

• Virgin Media Online Chat Link: Just access Virgin Media.com and click on the balloon icon. A new window will open with the messenger. 

When does my Virgin Media contract end? What should I do then? 

At the time of writing, Virgin Media has a minimum of 18-month contracts. So you know you will be tied to them for at least one year and a half. 

Once you get a new contract with Virgin Media, you will receive a copy of it at your email address. You will then know the exact date when it started and when it will be finished. 

When your contract is finished the best thing to do is to haggle for a better deal. Use the 9 tips we gave you above.

Are you tired of Virgin Media? What to do if you want to switch providers? 

Your contract has expired and you have tried to haggle without success. Now it’s time to switch providers. All you need to do is pick a new provider and place your order. Then you need to cancel your Virgin Media Plan. Done, you have made the switch. It’s simpler than you think! 

FAQ