Virgin Media Gig1 Broadband Review

Virgin Media Gig1 has an average download speed of 1,130Mbps and an average upload speed of 104Mbps. Our testing showed that the headline speed is only part of the story. The Ethernet port, Wi-Fi standard and distance from the Hub can all change the result seen on a device.

Our testing showed that Gig1 works best in larger, busier households with 10+ connected devices, especially when multiple users are streaming, downloading and making video calls at the same time. Smaller households are unlikely to need more than M500.

Today’s Gig1 offer

Virgin Media Gig1's monthly price increases by £4 each April. For example, a monthly price of £23 would increase to £27 in April 2027 and £31 in April 2028 within a 24-month contract.

Testing Gig1 speed and performance

What we found over Ethernet (wired connection)

We tested Gig1 in stages. First, we checked the speed reaching the Hub. We then tested wired devices over standard 1Gbps Ethernet and multi-gigabit Ethernet, followed by Wi-Fi devices close to the Hub and from another room. This matters because a healthy Gig1 line can deliver more than 1Gbps to the Hub while an individual device shows a much lower number.

Our test results were consistent with this. The speed reaching the Hub was around 1.08–1.12Gbps with uploads around 102–104Mbps. A wired computer using 2.5Gbps Ethernet reached about 1.10Gbps down and 104Mbps up. When the connection was limited to standard 1Gbps Ethernet, download results were around 890–940Mbps.

That lower result is not evidence that Gig1 is underperforming. A 1Gbps Ethernet interface cannot pass the full 1,130Mbps service to one device. To see more than 1Gbps on a Hub 5, the computer needs a 2.5Gbps or faster Ethernet adapter and must use the Hub's multi-gigabit port.

With a high-specification desktop-class system, 32GB DDR5 memory and a 10Gbps-capable Ethernet connection, nPerf testing against a 10Gbps UK server reached around 1,160Mbps download, 107–108Mbps upload and roughly 10ms latency. This confirmed that Gig1 can exceed 1Gbps on one wired device when the full path supports multi-gigabit speeds.

What we found over Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi gave a wider range of results, which is exactly what we expected. Close to the Hub, a Wi-Fi 6 laptop was able to use several hundred megabits of the connection, with results in the region of 740–820Mbps. A Wi-Fi 6 phone was around 680Mbps. A Wi-Fi 5 laptop tested one room away fell to about 450Mbps.

At around 2.5 metres from the Hub, a laptop was around 750Mbps over Wi-Fi, a phone reached about 850Mbps, and a PS5 over Ethernet recorded about 894Mbps. The important finding is that the broadband line and the device connection are two separate things.

If more than 1.1Gbps is reaching the Hub and a laptop shows 400–500Mbps, the Wi-Fi radio, distance, interference or device hardware may be the limit.

For that reason, when a Gig1 connection looks slow, we would check the Hub result first, then a wired device, and only then compare Wi-Fi around the home.

Is Gig1 best for streaming, gaming and downloads?

In our testing, Gig1 was at its best when several demanding activities were running at the same time.

Gig1 has far more capacity than one normal household activity needs. Netflix recommends around 15Mbps for one 4K stream. Four such streams would use about 60Mbps and eight around 120Mbps. Even eight 4K streams would use only a small part of a 1,130Mbps connection.

Large downloads showed a much clearer benefit. At around 1.1Gbps, a 100GB download has a theoretical transfer time of roughly 12 minutes. At M500's 516Mbps average speed, the same file is closer to 26 minutes before allowing for server limits, network overhead and storage speed.

Gaming itself is different. More download speed does not automatically mean lower ping. In wired results we examined, latency to a nearby UK test server was around 10–12ms while throughput stayed above 1Gbps. Routing the connection through a VPN server in Amsterdam increased latency to around 17ms even though download speed remained close to 1.1Gbps.

In our experience, Ethernet gave the most predictable gaming connection. Wi-Fi can perform very well, but distance, walls and interference add variables that have little to do with the Gig1 line.

Why is Gig1’s upload speed so low?

Gig1 comes with an average upload speed of 104Mbps, far below its 1,130Mbps average download speed. In our testing, uploads generally stayed between 102Mbps and 104Mbps, so the connection was delivering almost exactly what Virgin Media quotes.

Gig1’s 104Mbps upload speed is nowhere near the symmetrical speeds offered by 1Gbps plans from Community Fibre or Hyperoptic, but it is similar to what you get with BT and other providers using Openreach FTTP.

However, we found Gig1’s upload speed was enough to handle several video calls, cloud syncing, photo uploads and security cameras at the same time. At 104Mbps, a 10GB upload would theoretically take around 13 minutes, while a 50GB project would take about 65 minutes, before allowing for network overheads and server limits.

Virgin Media does offer symmetrical uploads on its XGS-PON network, but the option is limited to selected areas and comes at an additional cost.

Hub 5, Hub 5x and Wi-Fi Max

Gig1 customers can receive either a Hub 5 or Hub 5x depending on the network serving the property. The Hub 5 is used on Virgin Media's DOCSIS 3.1 cable network, while the Hub 5x is used on newer XGS-PON full-fibre connections. Both use Wi-Fi 6.

The Hub 5 has one 2.5Gbps Ethernet port and three 1Gbps ports. The Hub 5x increases the fastest port to 10Gbps and also has three 1Gbps ports. This matters on Gig1 because using the ordinary Gigabit ports prevents a single wired device from accessing the full 1,130Mbps.

With the Hub 5x, we compared wired and wireless results rather than relying on one test. On a wired network limited to Gigabit Ethernet, a full-fibre Gig1 setup reached around 935Mbps download and 105Mbps upload. A modern Wi-Fi 6 smartphone close to the same Hub reached around 925Mbps down and 110Mbps up. We also checked SamKnows RealSpeed results showing around 1,140–1,142Mbps reaching a Hub 5x when the connection was operating normally.

Again, we would check the speed reaching the Hub before judging an individual device.

WiFi Max

Gig1 includes WiFi Max at no extra cost for eligible customers. Virgin Media guarantees at least 30Mbps download in every eligible room and can provide up to three WiFi Pods where required. If the guarantee is still not met after the required process, Virgin Media provides a £100 bill credit.

We checked coverage room by room using the Connect app rather than judging Wi-Fi beside the router. Close to the Hub, our Wi-Fi 6 device used several hundred megabits of the connection. Moving further away reduced the result, and moving closer again improved it. That made it clear that the weak point was Wi-Fi coverage rather than the Gig1 line.

WiFi Max is therefore a coverage feature, not a promise of 1,130Mbps in every bedroom.

Using your own router

We also tested the Hub 5 in modem mode with a separate router. We connected a laptop by Ethernet, opened the Hub settings at 192.168.0.1 and enabled modem mode. After the Hub rebooted, its management address moved to 192.168.100.1.

We then connected the separate router to the Hub's multi-gigabit Ethernet port. The second router took over Wi-Fi, DHCP and the rest of the home network while the Hub 5 acted as the modem.

The setup worked as expected. It is useful for customers who want a gaming router, Wi-Fi 7 router, advanced firewall or a separate mesh system. For Gig1, we would use a third-party router with at least a 2.5Gbps WAN port if the aim is to retain more than 1Gbps to a single device.

In modem mode, the Hub 5's own Wi-Fi, WiFi Pods and related management features are unavailable until router mode is restored.

The Hub 5x is less flexible because Virgin Media does not currently provide official modem mode. For advanced users, that gives the Hub 5 a practical advantage even though the Hub 5x has the faster Ethernet port.

Price, installation, availability and which plan to choose

Gig1 normally comes with a 24-month minimum term for new customers. We would not judge the deal from its opening monthly price alone. The useful figure is the total amount paid across the contract after annual increases, setup charges and any rewards or switching credit.

Virgin Media currently increases the main monthly charge by £4 each April on applicable new contracts. If a £23 monthly price spans two April increases, it would become £27 and then £31 during the minimum term.

Installation

Installation depends on the network already at the property.

Homes with a working Virgin Media cable socket may be offered QuickStart. The Hub and cables arrive for self-installation, avoiding an engineer visit.

XGS-PON installations require fibre to reach the property and connect to the Hub 5x. In installations we reviewed, working Gig1 speeds were available shortly after activation. We also found an early Hub 5x fault traced to a street-side fibre connector; replacing the fibre run restored a stable connection.

After installation, our check is simple: measure the speed to the Hub, test Ethernet, then test Wi-Fi in the rooms where the service will actually be used. That sequence tells us whether a problem is on the Virgin Media line or inside the home.

Availability and other Virgin Media speeds

Virgin Media O2 reported 18.8 million serviceable homes at the end of 2025 and 9 million full-fibre premises by Q2 2026. Not every Gig1 home uses the same network, so check the exact address.

• M125 (132Mbps/20Mbps) is enough for smaller homes. M250 (264Mbps/25Mbps) suits many families. M350 (362Mbps/36Mbps) adds more headroom.
• M500 (516Mbps/52Mbps) is the plan we would recommend to many busy households because it already handles gaming, 4K streaming and several heavy users comfortably.
• Gig1 (1,130Mbps/104Mbps) becomes worthwhile when several people regularly use a lot of bandwidth, large downloads are common, or the contract cost is close to M500.
• Gig2 (2,000Mbps/200Mbps) is mainly for eligible XGS-PON homes with multi-gigabit equipment and unusually heavy usage.

Reliability, customer service and alternatives

The strongest part of our Gig1 assessment was network performance. When the local connection, Hub and home network were working correctly, the service delivered very high speeds consistently.

Customer support is less convincing. Ofcom's Q1 2026 data showed Virgin Media's fixed-broadband complaint level around the industry average, alongside Sky and EE. However, Ofcom's wider customer-service research found that 53% of Virgin Media broadband customers who complained were satisfied with complaint handling, below the sector average.

In July 2026, Ofcom also fined Virgin Media £28 million over earlier failures in its cancellation procedures.

The network evidence is stronger. Opensignal's December 2025 UK fixed-broadband study, based on measurements collected between July and September 2025, placed Virgin Media first nationally for download speed and also first for its Reliability Experience measure.

That matches our Gig1 findings: the broadband itself is capable, but the support experience if something goes wrong is the weaker part of the package.

Alternatives to Virgin Media Gig1

We would not switch away from Gig1 simply because another provider offers “full fibre”. Gig1 already performed strongly in our testing. The alternatives below become more attractive when they improve on something Gig1 does less well, such as upload speed, Wi-Fi hardware, contract value or rewards.

At the time of our comparison, our Gig1 offer was £23.99 a month with a £30 choice of voucher, before the scheduled April increases. We therefore used both the ongoing contract cost and available rewards when judging the alternatives.

BT Full Fibre 900

BT Full Fibre 900 is the alternative we would consider if you prefer Openreach FTTP and want a more conventional full-fibre connection.

Its 900Mbps average download speed is lower than Gig1's 1,130Mbps, while the 110Mbps upload speed is very similar to Gig1's 104Mbps. In everyday use, we would not expect a noticeable difference for streaming, gaming or video calls. Gig1's advantage appears mainly during very large downloads.

BT is usually more expensive than Gig1 at the starting price, so value depends heavily on the reward. Recent Full Fibre 900 offers have included a BT Reward Card worth up to £150, which reduces the effective contract cost considerably.

We would choose BT Full Fibre 900 over Gig1 if Openreach FTTP, BT's support structure or the Reward Card makes the complete deal more attractive. We would stay with Gig1 if maximum download speed and a lower starting cost matter more.

Vodafone Full Fibre 910

Vodafone Full Fibre 910 is one of the strongest Gig1 alternatives for value.

Its 910Mbps average download speed is lower than Gig1, but Vodafone deals can be significantly more competitive once rewards are included. At the time of our check, Full Fibre 910 was £26 a month with no setup cost and included our special £140 choice of voucher. It also offered up to £200 switching credit for customers leaving another provider early. After the reward, its calculated effective monthly cost was around £23.38 over the contract.

On the standard Openreach version, upload speed is around 105Mbps, so there is little difference from Gig1. Vodafone becomes much more interesting where its CityFibre or Community Fibre connection provides symmetrical speeds.

Vodafone also has an advantage for customers choosing Pro 3 because the Ultra Hub 7 uses Wi-Fi 7, while Virgin Media currently supplies Wi-Fi 6 hardware with Gig1.

We would choose Vodafone if the special voucher, switching credit, Wi-Fi 7 hardware or symmetrical upload option gives better overall value. Gig1 remains stronger for outright download speed.

Hyperoptic 1Gb Hyperfast

Hyperoptic is the alternative we would choose for customers who upload as much as they download.

Its 1Gb Hyperfast package provides around 900Mbps average download and 900Mbps upload. That is slower than Gig1 for downloads but massively faster for uploads.

The price can also make Hyperoptic difficult to ignore. In areas where we checked availability, the 24-month 1Gb package was £17 a month with no setup cost and included our special £30 choice of voucher. Even after scheduled price increases, its calculated effective monthly cost was around £19.21.

Hyperoptic also offers up to £300 towards early termination fees and has a price-match guarantee.

For video editors, photographers, cloud-backup users or anyone regularly transferring large files, we would choose Hyperoptic over standard Gig1 if both are available. Its main weakness is availability: many homes simply cannot order it.

Community Fibre 1Gb

In covered London areas, Community Fibre is probably the most aggressive Gig1 alternative on both speed and value.

Its 1Gb service provides symmetrical gigabit-class download and upload speeds. That gives it a major advantage over Gig1's 104Mbps standard upload.

The current deal we checked was particularly strong: £20 a month, no setup cost and our special £165 choice of voucher. The package also included a Wi-Fi 7 router.

That combination is difficult for Gig1 to match. Community Fibre gives you faster uploads, newer Wi-Fi hardware and a much larger reward while still offering gigabit download performance.

There is one major drawback: coverage. Community Fibre is concentrated in London, whereas Virgin Media Gig1 reaches a much larger part of the UK.

If both are available at the same address, we would seriously consider Community Fibre before ordering Gig1, particularly for upload-heavy households or homes with newer Wi-Fi 7 devices.

Which gives the best value?

From the deals we compared, Gig1 remains very competitive for raw download speed and wide availability, but it is not automatically the best-value gigabit package.

BT Full Fibre 900 becomes more attractive when a large Reward Card is available. Vodafone Full Fibre 910 can offer excellent effective value after our special voucher and switching credit. Hyperoptic is particularly difficult to beat on price where available, while Community Fibre combines symmetrical gigabit speeds, Wi-Fi 7 and one of the strongest voucher offers we found.

Our advice is to compare the complete contract cost after price rises and rewards, not just the starting monthly price. A rival package that appears slightly more expensive at first can become the better deal once a £100–£165 reward or switching credit is included.

Special offers and voucher values change regularly, so check the live deal before ordering.

Verdict and how we reached it

After testing Gig1 across wired performance, Wi-Fi, uploads, gaming, large downloads, router behaviour and whole-home coverage, our conclusion is that the service itself is rarely the limiting factor.

For a larger household with several heavy users, Gig1 is easy to justify. It gives enough spare capacity for large downloads to run alongside 4K streaming, video calls and normal household traffic without forcing everyone to take turns.

For a smaller home, we would usually choose M500 instead. Browsing, streaming, gaming and video calls use only a fraction of Gig1's bandwidth, and M500 already gives a busy household plenty of headroom.

The Hub 5 and Hub 5x are capable Wi-Fi 6 routers with multi-gigabit Ethernet. WiFi Max adds useful coverage support in larger properties.

Customer service remains the main reason our overall score is lower than the speed score.

Our rating: 4.1 out of 5

• Speed: 5/5. Gig1 can deliver more than 1Gbps when the device and Ethernet path support it.
• Value: 4.5/5. Strong when the full contract cost is close to M500, less compelling when the price gap is large.
• Router and Wi-Fi: 4/5. Good Wi-Fi 6 hardware, multi-gigabit ports and useful WiFi Max support, but no Wi-Fi 7.
• Reliability: 4.5/5. Strong network performance in our testing and independent measurement, although individual homes still depend on the local connection.
• Customer service: 3/5. Complaint levels have improved, but complaint-handling evidence remains weaker than the network performance.

Our advice is simple: Choose Gig1 because your household will use the capacity, not because 1,130Mbps is the biggest number in the range. For several heavy users and frequent large downloads, it is one of Virgin Media's strongest packages. For a typical household, M500 will usually feel just as responsive in everyday use for less.

How we reviewed and tested Gig1

We tested Gig1 ourselves and then cross-checked our findings against documented customer installations, Virgin Media's technical information and independent industry evidence.

Our testing covered the speed reaching the Hub, 1Gbps and 2.5Gbps Ethernet, Wi-Fi close to and away from the Hub, and busier periods. We tested in stages so a slow device was not mistaken for a slow line.

We then compared our measurements with documented UK Gig1 tests where the router, network interface and test method were identified. We also used SamKnows RealSpeed evidence because it separates the speed delivered to the Hub from the speed received by a device.

We checked Virgin Media for specifications and contract terms, Ofcom for customer service, and Opensignal for wider network performance.

Where a result came from another customer or external test, we used it as supporting evidence rather than presenting it as our own measurement. This lets us separate three things clearly: what Virgin Media promises, what we measured, and what other real Gig1 users experienced.

Virgin Media Gig1 download and upload calculator

Enter a file size to see the estimated download or upload time on standard Gig1 or an eligible XGS-PON connection with the upload-speed add-on. Adjust the efficiency setting to allow for network overheads and other factors that stop a transfer using the full connection speed.

File size

File unit MB GB TB

Transfer type Download Upload

Gig1 connection Standard Gig1 XGS-PON with upload add-on Custom measured speed

Connection efficiency (%)

Calculate transfer time

Estimated transfer time — Calculated from the selected file size, Gig1 connection and efficiency.

Speed used — The selected speed after applying the connection-efficiency percentage.

The estimate uses decimal file sizes. Server capacity, Wi-Fi, other internet activity and protocol overhead can increase the time. Select custom measured speed to use a speed-test result.