Virgin TV Packages

Virgin TV packages offer customers the chance to bundle premium TV content with ultrafast broadband on the Virgin Media network.

It's one of the cheapest ways to watch TNT Sports, and customers get the channels in HD and Ultra HD included as standard.

Virgin TV is a strong contender to Sky TV, although the 360 box supports slightly fewer on-demand apps, and availability is generally more limited.

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At a glance

Special offers

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Who is Virgin TV best suited for?

Virgin TV packages are best suited for a range of households with varying content and home entertainment needs.

The pre-made bundles on offer cater for both sport and movie fans, with low-cost budget options available that offer exceptional value for money in comparison to equivalent broadband-only plans from Virgin.

Virgin TV packages are best suited to people who:

• Want a low-cost way to watch a range of streaming apps on a big screen, as the Big Bundle works out just £1.49 more per month than the equivalent broadband-only plan
• Alternatively, customers who want a lot of content, such as Sky Sports and Sky Cinema, can find excellent value for money in larger plans like the Mega Volt bundle
• Want TNT Sports (was BT Sport) as Virgin offer one of the cheapest ways to watch and include the channels in HD as well as TNT Sports Ultimate in 4K
• Are O2 mobile customers as all Volt bundles offer double data on all household plans, plus an additional 10GB or Unlimited O2 SIM plan
• Live in a Virgin Media enabled area, as customers will need to take a Virgin Media broadband plan to get the TV packages

For those who can get it, Virgin TV packages are a fairly straightforward choice as a service add-on to Virgin broadband.

Here's a quick overview of the main Virgin TV packages:

While there is plenty to choose from with Virgin's pre-made bundles, households on a really tight budget who want the most flexibility could also look to Virgin's newer Stream TV service. It's not a full pay TV plan, but customers can add premium TV packs at very competitive prices and on rolling monthly contracts.

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What do Virgin TV packages offer?

Virgin Media offers a comprehensive TV service that rivals closest competitor Sky on both content and price.

Customers can choose from a number of pre-made bundles based on the Mixit and Maxit TV packages.

Mixit contains around 100 channels, mostly free-to-air, although Virgin Media have been expanding this with deals including adding Pluto TV, as well as number of themed and free ad-supported TV (FAST) channels.

Maxit is a more premium plan with over 190 channels, including Sky entertainment channels like Sky Max and Sky Showcase, and National Geographic and Discovery.

Maxit can be customised with the addition of premium TV packs like Sky Sports, Sky Cinema, TNT Sports, and a kids pack. However, these options have the best value for money in pre-made bundles.

The main Virgin TV bundles are:

• Big Bundle
• Bigger Bundle
• Mega Volt Bundle

Virgin Media has recently updated the names of some bundles, with the Ultimate Volt Bundle becoming the Mega Volt Bundle, and the Bigger Bundle renamed as the Bigger Combo Bundle.

While names have changed, the bundles themselves have largely remained the same, although they did drop TNT Sports from these bundles.

However, to add to the mix, there are also a range of variations on these bundles too, with extra content or boosted broadband speeds and mobile plans available with Volt.

The latest pricing on the most popular Virgin TV bundles is:

There are a few notable points about Virgin Media TV and broadband bundles:

• All bundles come with free calls to UK landlines at the weekend, apart from the Mega Volt which includes anytime calls to landlines and mobiles
• All bundles come with the latest TV 360 box, with multiroom an optional extra although Mega Volt customers get one mini box included for free
• Prices increase at the end of the minimum term, but Virgin will let customers know when their contracts are coming to an end
• Virgin moved to annual price rises in April 2023, so prices are likely to go up by RPI + 3.9% each year

While out of contract prices for Virgin Media TV are high, Ofcom research found Virgin Media customers paid an average of £7.74 less each month for their packages after re-contracting.

So, customers taking Virgin TV packages should always check at the end of their contract and negotiate a cheaper price with Virgin, or consider switching away.

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Virgin TV packages

Virgin Media has created a range of pre-made bundles that combine Freeview content with different tiers of pay TV options - depending on what customers want to watch and pay for.

Here's a closer look at the packages on offer.

Big Bundle

The Big Bundle is the cheapest way to combine Virgin TV, broadband and phone services.

However, it's also really good value for money as it only costs £1.49 more per month than the broadband-only version of M250.

It includes:

• Mixit TV with 100+ free-to-air channels
• Virgin 360 box
• M250 broadband with 264Mb average speeds
• Weekend chatter with free calls to UK landlines at the weekend

While there are no premium TV channels included in the basic Big Bundle, the Virgin 360 box offers support for a range of on-demand apps including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Paramount+, and Apple TV+.

Customers will be able to access all the channels they would generally find on Freeview such as the BBC and ITV suites and more specialised free channels such as Dave HD, Really, and Inside Crime.

As well as adding 7 extra HD channels to the Mixit TV package in the Big Bundle, including Film4 HD and E4 HD, Virgin Media have also been adding more streamed linear TV channels.

A deal with Pluto TV, as well as other free ad-supported TV channels, has seen the Virgin Media TV guide updated to include new dedicated channels such as Great British Menu, Tastemade, The Chat Show Channel, Fear Factor, and Wipeout Xtra.

There is one additional options to consider when looking at the Big Bundle:

• Big Volt Bundle - Boosts the broadband speed to M350 and adds an O2 SIM with 10GB of data and unlimited minutes/texts

The Big Bundle can be taken with Volt as the Big Volt Bundle. This boosts broadband speeds from M250 to M350, as well as including a 10GB O2 mobile SIM, and other Volt benefits such as a WiFi guarantee with three WiFi Pods and double data on O2 plans.

As the table below shows, the Big Volt Bundle is seriously worth considering as the extra benefits included outweigh the extra monthly cost.

These are the current prices for the Big Bundle options:

There's more information on the Virgin Media Big Bundle and what it offers in our dedicated guide.

Bigger Bundle

The Bigger Bundle is a step up from the Big Bundle, offering an extra 90 premium channels with the option to bundle Sky Cinema or Sky Sports.

It includes:

• Maxit TV with over 190 channels
• Virgin 360 box
• M250 broadband with 264Mb average speeds
• Weekend chatter with free calls to UK landlines at the weekend

The Bigger Bundle includes all the channels in the Big Bundle mentioned above as well as some extra options covering entertainment, lifestyle and sport such as:

• Sky entertainment channels, as well as documentary channels like National Geographic and the suite of Discovery channels
• Eurosport 1 & 2 - Sports coverage including superbikes, golf, cycling, motocross and climbing
• Sky Sports Mix and Sky Sports News - Shows a selection of Sky Sports content including the occasional Premier League match
• TLC - Lifestyle and reality content such as Say Yes to the Dress, The Bad Skin Clinic and Cake Boss

These additional channels mean the Bigger Bundle is a more comprehensive TV package that covers drama, documentaries, lifestyle and sport.

It'll be most suitable for households that want a wider range of content, even though it doesn't include the premium Sky sport and movies channels - for those, customers will need to upgrade or opt for one of the following bundles:

• Bigger Volt Bundle - Boosts the broadband speed to M500 and adds an O2 SIM with 10GB of data and unlimited minutes/texts
• Bigger Bundle + Movies - Adds Sky Cinema channels in HD
• Bigger Bundle + Sports - Adds Sky Sports channels in HD
• Bigger Volt Bundle + Movies - Sky Cinema plus M350 broadband
• Bigger Volt Bundle + Sports - Sky Sports plus M500 broadband

The Movie and Sports options allow customers to add one of the major draws of pay TV - access to the latest blockbusters and live sporting events. They're ideal for households that want one or the other rather than both.

Sky Cinema includes all the current Sky movie channels in HD including specific drama, animation, action channels and other specialised channels. There are also over 1000 on-demand titles to watch too.

Meanwhile, Sky Sports includes all Sky Sports channels including Sky Sports Premier League, Sky Sports Arena and other dedicated channels for golf, F1 and cricket.

The Bigger Bundle + Sports now includes the Sky Sports pack in full 1080p HD as standard. Eurosport is also in HD too. Customers can also choose to add the TNT Sports pack in HD and UHD as well.

Here are those Bigger Bundle packages:

Read our full review of the Virgin Media Bigger Bundle for more details.

Biggest Bundle

The Biggest Bundle is the latest bundle from Virgin, first unveiled in March 2022. However, it can be an odd choice as it often costs more than the Mega Volt Bundle below, but includes less services.

This bundle includes:

• Maxit TV with over 210 channels including Sky Sports in SD and Sky Cinema in HD
• Netflix Standard
• Virgin 360 box
• M125 broadband with 132Mb average speeds
• Weekend chatter with free calls to UK landlines at the weekend

As well as the rest of the content we've discussed above such as Sky Sports and Sky Cinema, the Biggest Bundle offers Netflix Standard, which allows Netflix to be watched on two screens at once in HD.

As with the other Virgin TV packages, it's also possible to take the Biggest Bundle with Volt:

• Biggest TV Volt Bundle - Boosts the broadband to M250 and adds an O2 SIM with 10GB of data and unlimited minutes/texts

As we've mentioned however, while the Biggest Bundle is Virgin's newest package, it doesn't necessarily offer the best value for money and customers will usually be better off opting for the Mega Volt Bundle instead.

Mega Volt Bundle

The Mega Volt Bundle was initially launched as the Ultimate Oomph bundle in April 2019 and later rebranded to Ultimate Volt following the merger of Virgin Media and O2 services.

In September 2023 the Ultimate Volt was renamed again to the Mega Volt Bundle, although the services included largely remain the same.

Mega Volt includes:

• Maxit TV with over 230 channels including Sky entertainment
• Sky Sports in HD
• Sky Cinema in HD
• Netflix Standard
• Virgin 360 box
• M500 broadband with 516Mb average speeds
• Anytime Chatter with free calls to UK landlines and mobiles at anytime

In terms of TV content, Mega Volt includes all there is available on Virgin Media including entertainment, drama, documentaries and lifestyle channels as well as Sky Cinema and Sky Sports - all in full 1080p HD.

It also brings Kids channels in a Virgin bundle for the first time, with 12 children's channels included such as Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Cartoonito and Boomerang (although there are a few +1 channels included here too).

So, Mega Volt is designed as the most comprehensive bundle for families and offers all the premium channels that Virgin can provide.

Here's how much it costs:

As well as the comprehensive TV content, a major attraction of Mega Volt is the 516Mb broadband found in M500.

This is now available nationwide wherever there is a Virgin Media connection, so customers who can get Virgin TV and broadband will be able to get this fastest comprehensive bundle.

We've got a full review of Mega Volt (was Ultimate Volt) for anyone interested in this package.

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Virgin 360 box

Virgin TV's latest set-top box is the Virgin TV 360. This was launched in November 2020 for new and upgrading customers, and all customers have been able to request an upgrade since March 2021.

Virgin's packages previously came with the Virgin TV V6 box, but this has now been superseded by the Virgin TV 360.

The new box has the same technical specifications as the V6, but it is designed to be a home entertainment hub that allows customers to:

• Record on the 1TB hard disk recorder
• Pause and rewind live content
• Access on-demand content through integrated apps
• Watch catch-up apps
• Manage their TV using the voice activated remote
• Create Personal Profiles for personalised viewing

The Virgin TV 360 box is a modern set-top box that doesn't just focus on linear TV but also ensures customers can access all the streaming apps they're interested in.

Even if customers don't take Netflix in one of the bundles we've discussed above, there are free catch-up apps like ITV Hub and UKTV Play and other paid services like Amazon Prime Video and Disney+.

So, it works as effectively alongside the Big Bundle with limited TV content as it does alongside the Ultimate Volt bundle with the maximum amount of premium content available.

We've got a full review of Virgin TV 360 exploring the capabilities of Virgin's latest set-top box and some of the quirks it has too.

Multiroom

Virgin offer UHD multiroom delivered via Mini boxes.

As we mentioned above, Ultimate Volt customers will receive a Mini box as standard, but all customers can add up to two Mini boxes to their contract.

The cost of the first Mini Box will be £10 per month while the second costs an additional £5 per month.

Learn more about multiroom services on different platforms.

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Virgin TV Go app

Virgin revamped their Virgin TV Go app to coincide with the launch of Virgin TV 360.

TV Go allows live access to up to more than 100 live channels (if a customer is subscribed to them), along with:

• The ability to watch box sets while on the move
• The ability to download some shows to watch offline (Bigger Bundle or Ultimate Oomph customers only)
• The ability to create a watchlist of on-demand shows

Five devices can be registered on a household's Virgin TV Go account, although only two of them can be watched at once.

Virgin TV Go can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.

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Virgin TV Stream

There's another option that suits customers who don't want the full Virgin TV experience: Virgin TV Stream.

Stream was unveiled in April 2022 as a way for Virgin Media customers to watch their subscription services through a smaller TV box.

The box costs £35 upfront and there are no ongoing charges.

It offers:

• Freeview channels in HD
• Integrated billing on some streaming apps like Netflix and Disney+
• Access to other free and paid streaming apps and catch-up services
• Voice Search and Control

Stream is an alternative to the full Virgin TV packages we've discussed above as it doesn't require an ongoing subscription for the box itself. It's a useful alternative for customers who like streaming services and want a central set-top box with voice control and a slick interface to navigate from.

Read more in our review of Virgin Stream TV.

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Can I get Virgin Media TV?

Before getting too excited by this Virgin Media TV review, check to see if Virgin Media is available in the local area. At present around 50% of UK premises are covered by the network, almost all of which are in urban areas. Use our postcode checker below to find out if your area is covered:

Virgin Media's current "Project Lightning" expansion means more streets are being added every week - but those who don't live in or near a major urban centre either need to register their interest and hope for the best or look elsewhere for TV services in their area.

Unfortunately, Virgin no longer give customers the option of registering interest for services to come to their area, but they do allow them to sign up for email alerts if/when it's going to happen. To be fair, most customers would notice the Virgin engineers digging up their street anyway!

These are the kinds of gaps in the network that Project Lightning, as the broader expansion plan is known, was originally launched to address - so it's worth getting together with similarly afflicted neighbours and taking action to request service.

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Verdict: Are Virgin TV packages any good?

While Virgin Media offer less premium channels than Sky, they do offer a broad selection that caters to all preferences - families, movie lovers and sports fans.

The new Virgin TV 360 box brings together all Virgin's TV content alongside catch-up services and apps, allowing customers to access them all in one place.

This move forward is definitely tempting for potential Virgin Media customers, especially when you throw in the ability to sign up to Netflix and handle the subscription through the platform too.

Different bundles offer different things, but Virgin TV more generally offers:

• Tiers of bundles that will appeal to most households
• Premium bundles with cinema and sports channels
• A quality set-top box that puts catch-up and streaming at the heart of the TV experience

On the downside, the cost of the most expensive Mega Volt bundle may be off-putting to some customers, and the pricing of the Biggest Bundle makes it perversely cheaper to take more services instead.

The deciding factor - for those who can get it - may be the ultrafast broadband. Virgin Media's download speeds are way beyond the competition, and far more reasonably priced than BT's offerings.

After reading this Virgin TV review, anyone who is still undecided might want to take a look at the pros and cons of Virgin versus their competitors Sky.