Virgin Media Gig1 Fibre Broadband Review
Virgin Media Gig1 Fibre broadband is known for its gigabit speeds, making it a top choice for internet users. It offers quick downloading and smooth streaming, which is great for both work and home use.
One important feature of Gig1 is its reliable connection. This means fewer interruptions during important tasks like online meetings or while enjoying your favorite TV shows. Plus, Gig1 is available in more places compared to full fibre services like BT, TalkTalk and Sky , so more people can use it.
Virgin Media also lets you combine your internet with TV and home phone services. This makes managing your home or office easier and could save you money.
Pros
- Gig 1 download speeds are great for 4K streaming, gaming and connecting multiple devices.
- The package includes the latest Hub 5 router to ensure top speeds and increased reliability.
- Guaranteed WiFi speeds including up to 3 WiFi pods
- Virgin Media offers a range of bundle options to help you get other services like TV and mobile SIM with broadband.
Cons
- Gig1 Fibre offers upload speeds of 52Mbps, which is much slower than similar plans from other providers.
- It’s pricier compared to providers like Community Fibre, Vodafone and Hyperoptic.
- Compared to other fibre options, Gig1 is not available in many places.
Speed
Virgin’s gigabit fibre broadband provides you with the fastest available speeds in the UK. Virgin Media Gig1 offers an average download speed of 1130Mbps and an average upload speed of 52Mbps on this gigabit plan.
| Plan | Download speed | Upload speed |
|---|---|---|
| Gig1 | 1130Mbps | 52Mbps |
| Gig2 | 2Gbps | 104Mbps |
Virgin Media Gig1 Fibre Broadband Deals
Virgin Media offers a variety of options when it comes to buying Gig 1 broadband for your home. You can choose from broadband only, broadband & phone or add a TV package to Gig1 broadband.
If you need a comprehensive broadband, phone and TV package, Mega Volt Bundle (formerly, Ultimate Volt) includes Gig1 fibre broadband, anytime home phone calls and over 250 channels including Sky Cinema, BT Sport and Sky Sports. Additionally, the package includes an O2 mobile SIM card, unlimited data and O2 priority benefits.
Price per month. Free setup.
| Plan | Offer | Monthly Price |
|---|---|---|
| Gig1 broadband only | £48 | |
| Gig1 broadband + phone | £58 | |
| Gig1 broadband + phone + TV + SIM | £85 |
Minimum Guaranteed Speed
Virgin Media’s Gig1 Fibre broadband comes with minimum guaranteed speeds. The following are the expected speed ranges and guaranteed minimum speeds for Gig1 customers:
- Expected Speed Range: Download 1092 – 1140 Mbps. Upload 48 – 52 Mbps
- Minimum Guaranteed Download Speed: Download 565 Mbps
Under the terms, if your connection speeds don’t hit those speeds for three consecutive days and the provider doesn’t fix the problem, you can cancel your service without paying an exit fee.
Is Virgin Media Gig1 any good?
In terms of speed and reliability, Gig1 is one of the best options you can consider, although upload speeds aren’t impressive. It offers gigabit internet speeds (1 Gbps+), perfect for ultra HD streaming, gaming, and connecting more than 15 devices simultaneously.
Gig1 is generally not a cheap option compared to other providers. Still you can find the best prices of Gig1 during the promotional periods. For better prices and better value, you can consider Vodafone Full Fibre 900 or other small local providers like Community Fibre and Hyperoptic which are good options if you live in an area covered by their network.
Gig1’s availability is better than any other gigabit service, making it the fastest, widely available fibre broadband in the UK. It’s recommended that you use our postcode checker to search all the fibre broadband plans available in your area before making a decision.
Virgin Media is often complained about for poor customer service. According to the Ofcom report, Virgin Media’s customer service is not the best in the industry, as consumer complaints have been on the rise recently.
Related
Virgin Media Hub 5 (Gig1 router)
Featuring the latest Hub 5 Router with WiFi 6 standard and powerfully optimised Mesh WiFi networking technology, Gig1 ensures you get an unbeatable internet experience.
The Hub 5 Router from Virgin Media uses the advanced WiFi 6 standard to deliver outstanding speeds of over 1.13Gbps even across multiple devices on your home network. With Mesh WiFi networking technology, Virgin’s Hub 5 gives you seamless coverage even in the most demanding of environments, such as large homes or apartments with numerous walls and floors, so you can enjoy your favorite streaming services and online games with ease.
Specification
Hub 5 Router comes with 802.11ax WiFi standard known as WiFi 6, dual bands, 4 gigabit connections and 5 antennae for unbeatable coverage.
Hub 5 is also future-proof as it has three gigabit ethernet connections that can support speeds of 1Gbps+ while a single 2.5GB ethernet connection at the back of the Hub 5 router will even open the door to speeds of over 2.5Gbps allowing for smoother streaming and faster downloads throughout your home network.
Plus, thanks to the latest Mesh technology, you won’t have to worry about dead zones again as your signal will reach every corner of your home (using WiFi pods provided by Virgin Media) – even those places that other WiFi 5 routers might struggle with.
WiFi Pods
Hub 5 router supports mesh WiFi systems, which means you can use extenders called WiFi pods to boost the signal throughout your home for reliable internet speeds.
If you find that your router doesn’t provide high speed in every room, Virgin Media offers up to 3 WiFi pods to help you increase speeds or eliminate WiFi notspots in your home.
WiFi Max
For Gig1 Fibre broadband customers, the WiFi Max add-on service is available to get at least 20Mbps download speed in every room. It costs extra, and if you’re not happy with the result, you can claim £100 bill credit.
WiFi Max service includes up to three WiFi pods, or boosters, that are placed around your home to deliver reliable WiFi by boosting signal, extending coverage and increasing speed.
Virgin Media Hub 4
Previously, Gig 1 customers used to get the Hub 4, which is now the default router on the M500 and other plans. However, in 2023, Hub 5 router has become the standard router with broadband packages that include Gig1 fibre plan.
The Hub 4 is definitely more advanced than the previous Hub 3 model, as it has more channels (32 vs 24) and more antennas (11 vs 5). You can use it as a router or in modem-only mode, or use your own router if it’s faster and more reliable than the Hub 4.
Specification
- 802.11ac WiFi standard
- Dual bands (2.4GHz and 5GHz)
- Intelligent WiFi
- 11 antennas
- DOCSIS 3.1 support
- 32 WiFi channels
Virgin Media Gig1 vs Virgin Media Ultrafast plans
Gig1 is Virgin Media’s fastest plan right now, with other Virgin’s plans lagging behind in speed. For example, Virgin Media’s second-fastest option, the M500 broadband, is half as fast as the Gig1, with a download speed of 516 Mbps.
| Avg. Download Speed | Avg. Upload Speed | |
|---|---|---|
| Gig1 | 1130Mbps | 52Mbps |
| M500 | 516Mbps | 36Mbps |
| M350 | 362Mbps | 36Mbps |
| M250 | 264Mbps | 25Mbps |
| M125 | 132Mbps | 20Mbps |
| M50 | 54Mbps | 52Mbps |
The M125 package offers an average download speed of 132Mbps and an average upload speed of 20Mbps. It’s a basic option suitable for most UK households.
Next is the M250 deal. This package provides a faster average download speed of 264 Mb and an average upload speed of 25 Mb. It’s ideal for large households where more bandwidth for activities like streaming and gaming is required.
The M350 plan offers even faster speeds, with an average download speed of 362 Mb and an average upload speed of 36 Mb. This package is suitable for households with multiple devices and users who need truly ultrafast speeds.
For users who require even higher speeds, the M500 plan offers an average download speed of 516 Mb and an average upload speed of 36 Mb. It’s perfect for many devices connected at the same time or for quick downloads of large files.
How does Virgin Media Gig1 compare to other providers?
Virgin Media remains the UK’s leading provider in terms of speed, as it has a wide range of ultrafast plans and offers more competitive prices compared to other providers.
Comparing the gigabit broadband plans available in the UK, we found that the Gig 1 offers excellent download speeds, but slower uploads. Also on the price front, some providers like Hyperoptic and Community Fibre offer 1Gb fibre plans at low prices that can save you money.
| Provider | Speed | Availability | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin Media Gig1 | 1130Mbps / 52Mbps |
15.5 million premises | £45 |
| Community Fibre | 920Mbps / 920Mbps |
London | £27 |
| Hyperoptic | 900Mbps / 900Mbps |
Selected cities | £33 |
| EE | 900Mbps / 48Mbps |
8 million premises | £50 |
| Sky | 900Mbps / 100Mbps |
8 million premises | £52 |
| Vodafone | 900Mbps / 900Mbps |
8 million+ premises | £35 |
| BT | 900Mbps / 110Mbps |
8 million premises | £55.99 |
| KCOM | 900Mbps / 50Mbps |
50000 premises | £49 |
| GNetwork | 900Mbps / 900Mbps |
London | £48 |
However, Gig1 is currently available in more areas (over 15 million) than other networks such as Openreach and other smaller full fibre providers. If you live in the Virgin Media’s cable areas that covers 60% of the UK, you’re more likely to get the Gig1 without a problem.
Benefits of 1Gb speeds
- With gigabit internet, you can download large files very quickly. It takes about 5-10 minutes to download a 50GB movie or game. More than 5 users in a family can watch 4K video and play online games at the same time.
- Another benefit is that heavy downloads over a 1Gbps connection won’t slow down other devices.
- It helps you make software updates, game updates, etc. faster, even if it’s a lot of GB, and you won’t have to wait that long compared to a typical ultra-fast 200Mb connection.
Need for faster upload speeds
Despite the amazing download speeds offered by Virgin Media Gig1 Fibre, the 52Mbps upload speed is still noticeably slower than that of competitors which offer an upload speed of 1000 Mbps or higher.
In addition, full fibre providers such as Hyperoptic and Community Fibre offer symmetrical connections, with upload speeds as fast as download speeds. Vodafone Full Fibre 900 also offers upload speeds of up to 900 Mbit/s in some areas which is served by its partner CityFibre.
This notable difference in upload speeds can mean a lot to gamers or anyone who frequently transfers large files, as they can benefit from the faster speeds offered by other providers. Some users may also experience lag when playing online games, as higher latency is usually associated with slower upload speeds
Asymmetrical speeds
While Virgin’s next-generation cable network offers gigabit download speeds, it doesn’t offer the symmetric upload speeds that some FTTP services like Hyperoptic offer. Symmetric services usually offer the same upload speed as download speed. Virgin Media Gig1 broadband is delivered over a hybrid fibre coax and fibre network using advanced DOCSIS 3.1 technology.
Providers which offer symmetrical upload speeds on gigabit packages:
- Hyperoptic
- Community Fibre
- Truespeed
- G Network
Some providers offer faster upload speeds than Gig 1, albeit not symmetrically, for example:
Customer Reviews
-
Upgraded from 500mbps to 1gbps package
Pointless and expensive. I used to get 565mbps most of the time on my first plan, the M500, on the 1gb plan I get 625mbps.
Asked Virgin, all they said was it was within parameters as the only “guarantee” was it wouldn’t fall below 600mbps
-
I have been with Virgin Media for over 5 years as I am writing this review. I upgraded from M350 to a Gig1 last year. Since then, the speed has been higher than before. My average download speed during evenings is 945 Mbit/s. I had some issues with the hub 4 at first, but the problem was fixed after an engineer visit and a line check. I had to contact the support team twice and the staff were professional and helpful. I am very satisfied with my interaction with customer service. Amazing, reliable speeds and impeccable service.
-
I’ve been using Gig1 for six months. The speeds aren’t as fast as they claim, but that’s okay, I get 800Mbps+ down and 42Mbps up. We are four users and can watch Netflix, YouTube and online TV without any problems. WiFi gets slow sometimes, I usually try to optimize WiFi by relocating the router or relocating the antenna before calling them. WiFi can be slow due to interference from objects, microwave ovens and thick walls. In this case, stay close to the router while working on your laptop or mobile device. I recommend solving the problem yourself before contacting customer service. It’s a good idea to understand how issues beyond the provider’s control, such as network congestion and peak periods, can affect speeds at different times.
-
The service is not even worth it and the speed is not always reliable. I’ve never seen such an expensive plan, out of reach for budget-conscious users.
If you want to save money, find the best supplier for your budget. Customer service is the worst in the UK, completely unresponsive and frustrating, giving the same answer over and over won’t solve your problem.
Have Your Say