Virgin Media sneak in a VIP

Credit: Jevanto Productions/Shutterstock.com

The VIP package looks to be Virgin's response to the launch of Sky Q: the TV part of the deal offers their TV XL channel pack plus the premium Sky channels in HD, the provider's best (1TB) Tivo box, and a V HD box allowing customers to watch their package in another room.

That's alongside their up to 200Mb broadband, where available.

The bundle costs £75 a month for the first 12 months, then £99 a month, on an 18-month contract - before line rental, which costs £17.99.

The Very Important Package

The VIP bundle looks at first glance like a direct replacement of the old Big Daddy deal, which Virgin retired when they introduced the Big Fun bundle last year.

But the new deal is cheaper even before we throw in that second set top box.

	Package	Broadband	TV	Calls	Package price	Total monthly price
	Virgin Media VIP Bundle	362Mb average	240+ channels (66 HD, including Sky Movies, Sky Sports, and BT Sport)	M	£99 for 12 mths, then £139	£99 for 12 mths, then £139

By comparison, the old Big Daddy bundle cost £104.50 per month before line rental - and the second box would only be available to people signing up for a Virgin multiroom subscription (more details here), at a cost of at least £6.50 a month on top of that.

As mentioned above, the inclusion of that second box, alongside Virgin's best Tivo box, makes the VIP deal look suspiciously like direct competition for the new Sky Q packages being offered by Virgin's biggest rival - albeit with much faster broadband.

All this - and Netflix too

The introduction of the VIP deal takes the number of Big Bundles available from Virgin up to five - seven, if we include the Big Kahuna offshoots.

Ignoring those for now, that gives us a range of triple play deals that run from simply having all the basics (if we can call 50Mb broadband basic) up to an all-you-can-eat entertainment pack.

	Package	Broadband	TV	Calls	Package price	Total monthly price
	Virgin Media M50 Fibre Broadband	54Mb average	60 channels (10 HD) and Tivo	M	£38	£38
	Virgin Media Mix Bundle	108Mb average	130 channels (11 HD) and Tivo	M	£45 for 12 mths, then £58	£45 for 12 mths, then £58
	Virgin Media Fun Bundle	Up to 100Mb	170 channels (11 HD) and Tivo	M	£30 for 12 mths, then £38	£49 for 12 mths, then £57
	Virgin Media Big bundle + Drama pick	108Mb average	230 channels (47 HD) and Tivo	M	£40 for 18 mths, then £63	£40
	Virgin Media VIP Bundle	362Mb average	240+ channels (66 HD) and 1TB Tivo	M	£99 for 12 mths, then £139	£99 for 12 mths, then £139

And to make them even more entertaining still, people buying one of the Big Bundles - including Big Kahuna Sports or Big Kahuna Movies - will also get six months of Netflix free of charge.

That's based on using the £44.94 gift voucher for the standard Netflix subscription, which offers SD and HD content on up to two screens at the same time; they can also use the credit to cover the cost of one of the other two Netflix packages.

Those with the four screen / UHD subscription will get five months free, while those with the one screen / SD Basic subscription will get a good seven months of Daredevil, House of Cards, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and more, without paying a penny.

Existing Netflix subscribers can take advantage of the deal too - their account will be credited with £44.94, giving them something of a payment holiday.

Don't want TV?

Finally, for those who aren't interested in Virgin Media's TV, the ISP appear to have decided that their existing introductory offers for people taking just their broadband and phone services weren't tempting enough.

Not only have they brought in lower promotional prices, but they're offering them for 12 months - up from six months, just a few days ago.

That has the following effect on the cost of broadband and phone bundles:

	Package	Speed	Usage	Price	Line Rental
	M200 Fibre Broadband + Talk Weekends	213Mb average	Unlimited	£40 for 18 mths, then £57	£0.00
	M350 Fibre Broadband + Talk Weekends	362Mb average	Unlimited	£46 for 18 mths, then £63	£0.00
	M50 Fibre Broadband (30-day contract)	54Mb average	Unlimited	£38	£0.00

The caveat is that the contracts are 18 months long - and Virgin reserve the right to change the prices they charge during that time. They now make this detail much clearer, having had their wrists slapped last August for failing to warn customers this could be the case.

The good news, however, is that under Ofcom rules, they have to give us plenty of warning if they do decide to change the base prices - and then give anyone unhappy with those changes 30 days to leave without penalty.