Virgin Media vs BT, Sky and TalkTalk: gigabit from £29.99 and fixed £4 price rises

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Virgin Media lists its Gig1 gigabit broadband from £29.99 a month for new customers, and if you sign up today the price goes up by a fixed £4 each April, so you can work out your bill for the whole contract. Virgin runs its own cable and fibre network, which is why it can offer gigabit speeds across much of the area it covers, and it bundles in TV, home phone and, through its link with O2, mobile.

We've compared Virgin Media with BT, Sky and TalkTalk on speed, price rises, set-up costs, bundles and switching, using each provider's own website. Prices are for new customers, depend on your address and can change, so check your postcode before you decide.

Speed: gigabit on its top deals

Virgin's main broadband deals range from M125, with average download speeds of 132Mbps, to Gig1 at 1,130Mbps on average, which it calls its most widely available gigabit speed. In its full fibre areas there's also Gig2, averaging 2,000Mbps. All Virgin broadband is unlimited, with no monthly data cap.

• Sky: Full Fibre speeds go up to 5Gbps, but Sky says its fastest Gigafast+ tiers reach 14% of UK homes. Its Full Fibre is available to 79%.
• TalkTalk: Full Fibre plans go up to 900Mbps.

Virgin's catch is coverage. Its services only work in Virgin Media network areas, so some homes can't get it at all.

Price rises you can work out in advance

Since January 2025, Ofcom has required providers to set out any mid-contract price rises in pounds and pence when you sign up. Here's what each provider says:

• Virgin Media: if you join today, the monthly price of your main services goes up by a fixed £4 each April. This applies to the discounted price and to the standard price after any offer ends.
• TalkTalk: a flat £4 each April for new customers. Its £25-a-month plan shows the rises up front: £29 from April 2027, then £33 from April 2028.
• BT: its terms say the monthly price of broadband plans goes up by £4 on 31 March each year.
• Sky: says prices may change during the 24-month minimum term. Its broadband page didn't show the amount when we checked, so look for it in the price breakdown before you order. Once the minimum term ends, your price becomes what you were paying plus £5.

On in-contract rises, then, Virgin is level with BT and TalkTalk. The bigger number is the starting price. Virgin currently lists Gig1 Fibre Broadband from £29.99 a month on a 24-month contract, then £86 a month after that. Add the £4 April rises and Gig1 taken out now would cost £33.99 from April 2027 and £37.99 from April 2028. M125 starts from £23.99 a month for 24 months, then £62.

Set-up costs

Virgin says there are no mandatory set-up fees on its bundles, broadband and phone, or broadband-only deals. Most homes that have had Virgin before can use its QuickStart self-install kit. If you're eligible for QuickStart but book an engineer anyway, you'll pay £30.

TalkTalk's current plan also shows no set-up fee. Sky says a £9.95 router delivery fee plus a £10 activation fee may apply.

Bundles: Netflix, Sky channels and O2 perks

All Virgin's new TV bundles include Netflix Standard with Ads at no extra cost, and so do its M500 and Gig1 broadband-only deals. Its TV packages include Sky channels such as Sky Atlantic, and you can add Sky Sports, Sky Cinema or TNT Sports. If you'd rather not be tied in for TV, Flex is a rolling 30-day TV service on top of a 24-month broadband contract.

If you're with O2, or happy to move your mobile there, Volt adds extra benefits at no extra cost:

• Faster broadband: a speed boost to the next available level, up to 1Gbps.
• Double data: on eligible O2 Pay Monthly plans in your household.
• WiFi guarantee: at least 30Mbps in every room, or £100 credit, with up to three WiFi Pods if you need them.

Virgin and O2 contracts and bills stay separate. The WiFi guarantee is also included with Gig1 and Gig2, or costs £8 a month on other speeds from M50 up.

Switching without calling your old provider

All four providers use One Touch Switch. Virgin asks for your current provider's name and the account holder's surname at checkout, then arranges the switch so your old service ends as the new one starts. You don't have to give 30 days' notice. Your old provider will still tell you about any early exit fees before you agree to switch.

Extra perks

Virgin broadband customers aged 16 and over can use Priority from O2, a rewards app with offers and experiences, at no extra cost. Virgin also accepts Apple Pay and Google Pay at checkout, and it runs a refer-a-friend scheme where you can each get up to £50.

Where the others have the edge

• Coverage: Sky Full Fibre reaches 79% of UK homes, and its part-fibre service reaches 95%. Virgin only works in its own network areas.
• Top speeds and uploads: Sky's Gigafast+ goes up to 5Gbps, with upload speeds to match. Virgin Gig1 averages 104Mbps upload, and its £6-a-month upload boost only works on full fibre.
• Help with exit fees: Sky offers up to £200 towards the fees your old provider charges when you leave. We didn't see a similar offer from Virgin.
• Fixed prices: TalkTalk sells Fixed Price Plus plans that lock your broadband price for the whole contract, for a few pounds extra a month.

Who Virgin Media suits best

Virgin Media is a strong choice if it's available at your address and you want gigabit speeds from £29.99 a month, especially if you'd use the included Netflix or a TV bundle with Sky channels. Households with O2 mobiles get more from it, thanks to the Volt speed boost and double data.

Your questions answered

Can I get Virgin Media at my address?

Only if you're in a Virgin Media network area. Enter your postcode on Virgin's website to see which speeds and prices you can get.

How much will my Virgin Media bill go up?

For contracts taken out from 2 October 2025, the monthly price of your main services goes up by £4 each April. Add-ons don't count towards this rise.

Do I have to take a landline?

No. Virgin sells broadband on its own and broadband with TV, without a home phone.

Ways to save at Virgin Media

• Compare Volt: check whether a Volt deal with an O2 SIM works out cheaper than broadband on its own.
• Social tariff: if you claim Universal Credit or certain other benefits, ask about Virgin's social tariff broadband, which starts from £12.50 a month.
• Students: with an ac.uk email address you can get 12-month deals.

We've picked out Virgin Media's six best deals this week, and you'll find every current offer on our Virgin Media voucher codes page. You can also browse Virgin's broadband deals and TV and broadband bundles on its own website.

Sources: Virgin Media broadband deals, Virgin Media gigabit broadband, Virgin Media annual price change, Virgin Media switching, Virgin Media Volt, Virgin Media TV and broadband, Sky Broadband, TalkTalk broadband, TalkTalk annual price change, BT broadband deals

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