Virgin Media M125 + PhoneBroadband Deals

Yes, you'll need your own cordless or corded phone handset to make and receive calls. Virgin Media provides the phone service through your Hub router, which has a phone port where you connect your handset. You can use any standard UK phone - DECT cordless phones are most popular as they let you walk around while talking. Most households have an existing phone handset that will work perfectly. If you need one, basic cordless phones start from around £15-20, with full DECT systems with multiple handsets available from £30-50.

If your call to a UK mobile exceeds 60 minutes, you'll start being charged standard call rates for the additional time (typically around 15p per minute). However, there's a simple workaround - just hang up before 60 minutes and immediately call back. The new call starts another free 60-minute period. There's no limit to how many free calls you can make per day, so you could theoretically talk for hours by reconnecting every 60 minutes. Most people find an hour is plenty for a single call, and the brief reconnection is a small inconvenience for unlimited free mobile calling.

Virgin Media's phone service runs through your Hub router using their cable network. If your broadband is down due to a network issue, your phone service will also be affected. Similarly, during power cuts, the router loses power and phone service stops (unless you have battery backup). However, Virgin's cable network is separate from BT's copper network, so if BT has issues, your Virgin phone will still work. For truly essential backup phone access during outages, keeping a basic mobile phone charged is recommended for emergency use.

International calls are not included in the Anytime Chatter package and are charged at standard Virgin Media rates, which vary by country. For frequent international calling, you might want to consider adding Virgin Media's International Extra bolt-on, which provides inclusive minutes to popular destinations. Alternatively, many people find it more cost-effective to use apps like WhatsApp, FaceTime, or Skype for international calls over your broadband connection, which would be completely free on your unlimited 132Mbps connection.

Yes, 132Mbps is excellent for most households of 2-4 people. The phone service uses minimal bandwidth (around 100kbps per call), so even multiple simultaneous phone calls won't noticeably impact your broadband speed. You can comfortably stream HD content on 3-4 devices, make video calls, browse the internet, and handle light online gaming all while using the landline. For larger households with heavier usage (4K streaming, multiple gamers, heavy work-from-home), consider the M250 + Phone bundle at £32.99/month for double the speed.

Anytime Chatter includes free calls to UK landlines starting with 01, 02, and 03. UK mobile calls (starting with 07) are free for up to 60 minutes per call. Numbers not included are: 0800/0808 (these are free anyway), 0845/0870 numbers (charged at standard rates), premium rate numbers (09xx), international numbers, directory enquiries (118xxx), and some special service numbers. The vast majority of calls households make - to friends, family, businesses, customer service lines, and government services - are covered by the free calling.