Virgin Media Gig1 Broadband Review
Pricing Reality
What you pay now
£30.99/mo
The "Lazy Tax" (Month 25)
£92.00/mo
Get Gig1 if...
- Heavy speed and reliability needs for streaming/gaming
- Bundling TV/mobile saves money (especially with Volt)
- Future-proofing (Gig1/Gig2)
Avoid it if...
- Upload speeds are critical (unless willing to pay £5 extra)
- Price stability matters (Virgin hikes costs annually)
- Community Fibre is available in the area
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What is Virgin Media Gig1? (The blunt version)
Look, Gig1 is basically the "enough" speed for 99% of people. You don't need Gig2 unless you're running a boutique data center or you just want bragging rights on Discord. But there is nuance here that the advert banners typically glaze over.
Gig1 was the UK's first mass-market gigabit cable service, launched before Openreach had even figured out how to get full fibre to most postcodes. It runs primarily on Virgin's hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC) network—a legacy technology that has been turbocharged with DOCSIS 3.1 magic to deliver blistering download speeds.
The headline download speed is 1,136 Mbps. In plain English, that's fast enough to download a 4K movie in about 30 seconds or an 80GB game in under 10 minutes. It is the sort of speed where the progress bar moves faster than you can make a cup of tea. It fundamentally changes how you use the internet; you stop planning downloads and just click "install" whenever you feel like it.
However, there is a technical catch. Because this service often relies on coaxial cable for the final leg into your home (rather than pure glass fibre all the way), the upload speed is capped by widely used standards. The default upload speed is only 104 Mbps.
If you're a YouTuber or you frequently upload 50GB video files to Google Drive, you'll find this a bit sluggish compared to "symmetrical" providers like Community Fibre, Hyperoptic, or the newer generation of Altnets who offer 1Gbps up and down. But for 95% of people—those whose digital lives consist mainly of Zoom calls, online gaming, and 4K streaming—104 Mbps is more than enough headroom. It is still roughly 5-6x faster than the UK average upload speed.
The Tech Behind the Speed: DOCSIS 3.1 vs XGS-PON
It is worth understanding how Virgin delivers this speed, because it affects reliability. Unlike BT's Full Fibre which uses XGS-PON or GPON standards over light, Virgin Gig1 mostly uses DOCSIS 3.1. This allows them to push gigabit speeds over the thick copper cables that have been in UK streets for decades.
The benefit? Rapid rollout and widespread availability (approx 60% of the UK). The downside? It can be slightly more susceptible to "chatter" or jitter compared to pure fibre, and latency (ping) is typically 10-15ms higher than Openreach fibre equivalents. For web browsing, you will never notice. For competitive Counter-Strike at a semi-pro level? You might want to check if CityFibre is available first.
Update: Symmetrical Uploads
Customers can now pay £5 extra to get 1 Gbps uploads as well! That's awesome for streamers and gamers who need to broadcast in high quality.
Virgin Media Gig1 Speed Comparison
Visualizing the difference: Gig1 turns hours of waiting into minutes.
The Hub 5 Router: Wi-Fi 6 Magic
Most ISP routers belong in a bin. Specifically, the old Hub 3 was notorious for overheating and dropping connections (the dreaded "puma chipset" issues). The Hub 5 (included free) is actually decent. It's a game-changer for one massive reason: Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax).
Wi-Fi 6 isn't just about raw speed; it's about congestion management. In a modern home with 20+ devices (smart bulbs, Alexa, three phones, two laptops, a console), older Wi-Fi 5 routers start to panic, queuing data packets like a chaotic post office. The Hub 5 handles these simultaneous requests much more efficiently.
- Wi-Fi 6 Technology
In our testing, we saw wireless speeds of 850Mbps on an iPhone 13 Pro just 5 meters from the router. That is functionally identical to a wired connection for most tasks.
- 1x 2.5Gbps Port
This is a rarity. Most routers—even expensive ones—only have 1Gbps LAN ports. The Hub 5 has one 2.5Gbps port, meaning you can actually pull the full 1,130Mbps speed into a single high-performance PC or NAS drive if you have the right network card.
- Intelligent Mesh Support
The Hub 5 pairs wirelessly with Virgin's WiFi Pods (free for Volt/Gig1 customers in some deals). These aren't just repeaters; they create a seamless mesh network that hands off your device as you walk between rooms.
The Connect App
You also get access to the Connect App, which lets you pause the internet for specific devices (great for dinner time), scan for blackspots in your house, and reboot the router remotely. It's basic, but functional.
What can you do with 1130Mbps?
Most people think 100Mbps is "fast enough." Gig1 isn't just about speed; it's about bandwidth—the size of the pipe entering your home. It means you can do all of these things simultaneously without anyone shouting about lag.
4K Streaming
40+ simultaneous streams
Modern Game (80GB)
~10 minutes download
4K Movie (100GB)
~12 minutes download
Photo Backup
~7 seconds for 1GB
Smart Home
100+ devices supported
Connected Devices
50+ active devices
Home Office
15+ users video conferencing
Server Hosting
Enterprise-grade capability
Gaming on Gig1
If you are a gamer, you know the pain of massive updates. Call of Duty patches can be 50GB+. On a standard 60Mbps connection, that's a "play tomorrow" situation. On Gig1, it's a "play closer, make a coffee, play now" situation.
However, a word of caution on latency. Because most Virgin connections are HFC (copper hybrid), your ping might sit around 20-30ms. If you are extremely competitive (e.g. playing Valorant at a high rank), a pure fibre connection like BT Full Fibre or Hyperoptic might shave 5-10ms off that time. For 99.9% of gamers, Gig1 is overkill in the best way possible.
Installation: What Happens on the Day?
Unlike switch broadband providers (switching from Sky to BT, for example), moving to Virgin Media usually requires physical work. They don't use the Openreach phone socket; they use their own thicker coaxial cable.
1. Pre-Installation (The Brown Box)
A few days before your activation, engineers may visit to run a cable from the street cabinet to the outside wall of your house. They'll install a small brown box (Omnibox) on your external wall. You don't usually need to be home for this.
2. The Big Day
On your installation date, an engineer (usually from a partner firm like Kelly Communications, though sometimes direct Virgin staff) will drill a small hole through your wall to bring the cable inside. They will install a white wall socket and connect the Hub 5.
The Catch: Customer Service WoesCrucial info
Here is the reality check. Ofcom data shows Virgin Media consistently gets more complaints than the industry average. If everything works, it's brilliant. If something breaks, be prepared for hold music.
It is a tale of two companies: the network engineering side (which builds incredible infrastructure) and the customer support side (which often seems to be fighting a losing battle). The complaints generally aren't about the speed—they are about the administration.
Price Hikes
£5-8/month increases mid-contract are standard.
The contract usually includes a CPI + 3.9% clause, meaning your bill goes up every April regardless of the initial deal.
Cancellation
Wait times can be 30min+ when trying to leave.
They make it hard to say goodbye. You often have to speak to "retentions" who will throw deals at you to stay.
Reliability
Local network faults can take days to fix.
Because it is a physical cable network, street cabinet damage affects whole streets at once.
The verdict: If hassle-free support is the #1 priority, consider Plusnet or BT – but expect much slower speeds for the same price. Virgin is for people who prioritize raw performance over chatting with support. We recommend setting a calendar reminder for 18 months time; when your contract ends, call them immediately to haggle, or your price will double.
Price Comparison: How Gig1 Stacks Up
Performance
- Average download:1,136 Mbps
- Average upload:104 Mbps*
- Latency:10-20ms typical
- Router:Hub 5 (WiFi 6)
*Upgradeable to 1Gbps symmetrical for £5/month in FTTP areas
Contract & Pricing
- Contract:18-24 months
- Current price:From £30.99/mo
- Annual increase:Fixed £4/month
- Out-of-contract:£92/month
- Coverage:~60% UK homes
| Provider | Download | Upload | Price/Month | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin Gig1 | 1,130 Mbps | 104 Mbps | £30.99 | 18 months |
| BT Full Fibre | 900 Mbps | 110 Mbps | £49.99 | 24 months |
| Community Fibre | 3,000 Mbps | 3,000 Mbps | £49.00 | 24 months |
| Sky Ultrafast | 500 Mbps | 60 Mbps | £44.00 | 24 months |
Best value? Gig1 undercuts BT while offering faster downloads. But in London, Community Fibre’s 3Gbps plan (£49) smokes Virgin on speed. However, their coverage is much smaller.
Final Thoughts: Is Virgin Gig1 Worth It?
In 2026, gigabit internet is starting to feel less like a luxury and more like a utility. Files are getting bigger, web pages are heavier, and we are streaming more than ever. Virgin Media's Gig1 is the most accessible way to future-proof your home.
It is the sports car of broadband – exhilarating speed (1,130Mbps!) but watch for potholes (customer service). The Hub 5 router and Wi-Fi 6 support make it a dream for gamers and 4K streamers, though upload speeds feel stuck in the slow lane (104Mbps) unless you pay extra.
At £30.99/month (current promotional pricing), it represents staggering value. You are paying pennies per megabit. When you compare this to BT Full Fibre 900 (often £45+) or Sky Ultrafast Plus (500Mbps for £35), Virgin is aggressively undercutting the market to keep its crown.
Should you buy it?
- YES if you have a household of 4+ people.
- YES if you download large games (PS5/Xbox/PC).
- NO if you are a professional Twitch streamer (unless you get the upload add-on).
- NO if you live alone and only browse Facebook (save your money with M125).
Our take: Go Gig1 if the household craves speed or has many users. Just remember to negotiate hard when your contract ends.