Virgin Media Gig1 gives you an average download speed of 1,130Mbps, more than twice as fast as M500. A 100GB game can download in about 12 minutes at full speed. It is ideal for homes that regularly download large files, stream 4K content on several screens and have multiple heavy internet users.
The standard upload speed is 104Mbps, which is great for cloud backups, video uploads and live streaming. In selected full fibre areas, you can also pay extra for symmetrical speeds, giving you equally fast downloads and uploads.
Key facts
| Detail | Virgin Media Gig1 |
|---|---|
| Average download speed | 1,130Mbps |
| Average upload speed | 104Mbps |
| Minimum guaranteed download speed | 565Mbps |
| Network | Virgin Media cable or XGS-PON full fibre |
| Latency | 14.8ms median in Ofcom’s March 2023 cable tests |
| Router | Hub 5 or Hub 5x (Wi-Fi 6) |
| Annual price increase | £4 each April |
| WiFi Max | Included at no extra cost |
| Add-ons | Virgin Phone, Virgin TV, Flex TV, Volt benefits |
Minimum speed guarantee
Virgin Media Gig1 comes with a minimum guaranteed download speed of 565Mbps to your Hub. This is the speed of the broadband connection entering your home, not the speed received by a phone or laptop over Wi-Fi.
If the speed falls below 565Mbps for three consecutive days, you can report the fault to Virgin Media. If it cannot restore the guaranteed speed within 30 days, you may leave without an early disconnection fee.
Price rises
Virgin Media increases your monthly broadband bill by £4 on 1 April each year. After two April increases, you will be paying £8 more per month than when you started your contract.
Find out how other providers compare in our broadband price rises guide.
Router
Gig1 comes with either the Hub 5 or Hub 5x, depending on the network at your address. Both support Wi-Fi 6 and have seven internal antennas.
The Hub 5 is supplied on Virgin Media’s cable network and has a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port. Hub 5x is used on its XGS-PON full fibre network and includes a 10Gbps Ethernet port.
To get more than 1Gbps on a single wired device, you need a compatible computer with a 2.5Gbps or faster Ethernet connection. Devices with standard Gigabit Ethernet ports will usually reach a maximum of about 940Mbps. Wi-Fi speeds also vary depending on your device, distance from the router and walls.
Another advantage of Gig1 is that WiFi Max comes included at no extra cost. Virgin Media can provide up to three WiFi Pods if required and guarantees at least 30Mbps in every room or a £100 bill credit, subject to its conditions.
Our Virgin Media Hub 4, Hub 5 and Hub 5x guide explains their specifications, wireless performance and modem mode support.
Home phone
You can take Gig1 without a home phone or add Virgin Phone if it is available at your address. The service uses your broadband connection for calls, so a separate traditional telephone line is not required.
Virgin Media offers different calling plans, including Anytime Chatter for people who frequently call UK landlines and mobiles. You can normally keep your existing phone number when transferring from another provider.
Gig1 + Virgin Media TV
Gig1 has far more bandwidth than you need for ordinary television streaming. For example, four simultaneous 4K streams using 25Mbps each would consume only 100Mbps, leaving plenty of speed for downloads, gaming and other activities.
You can combine Gig1 with Virgin Media’s Entertainment, Cinema, Sport or Sport + Cinema TV bundles, which offer over 200 channels.
The Max Volt bundle includes Gig1 broadband, over 230 TV channels, Sky Sports HD, Sky Cinema HD, kids’ channels, Netflix Standard with Ads and an O2 mobile SIM. Current TV bundles use the Stream box, which supports 4K viewing and catch-up TV but cannot record programmes.
If you only occasionally watch premium channels, Virgin Media Flex TV may be a better option. It includes over 150 channels, with optional sports, cinema and entertainment subscriptions that you can add or remove on a rolling basis.
Gig1 + Volt
Virgin Media Gig1 Volt combines Gig1 broadband with an eligible O2 Pay Monthly mobile plan. It offers average download speeds of 1,130Mbps and upload speeds of 104Mbps, along with extra O2 mobile benefits. Gig1 already includes WiFi Max, and Volt does not increase its broadband speed further.
Find out more about the benefits in our Virgin Media Volt guide.
Virgin Media Gig1 for gaming
Virgin Media Gig1 is ideal for serious gamers who frequently download large games and updates. At 1,130Mbps, a 100GB game takes approximately 12 minutes to download, while a 50GB update takes about 6 minutes under ideal conditions.
Ofcom measured median latency of 14.8ms for Virgin Media’s Gig1 cable service in March 2023. This is good for online multiplayer gaming, including fast-paced games where quick responses matter. Actual in-game ping depends on the server, network conditions and your connection.
Gig1 can easily support several gaming consoles and PCs playing online simultaneously. Its 104Mbps upload speed is also excellent for broadcasting gameplay on Twitch or YouTube.
For the best gaming connection, use Ethernet instead of Wi-Fi wherever possible.
Alternatives to consider
- Virgin Media M500 offers 516Mbps downloads and 52Mbps uploads. It is fast enough for most large households, and the lower monthly cost may make it a better choice if you rarely download very large files.
- BT Full Fibre 900 provides 900Mbps downloads and 110Mbps uploads over the Openreach full fibre network. It is worth considering if you want a fast connection with lower latency than Virgin Media’s cable service.
- Community Fibre offers symmetrical full fibre broadband in covered areas of London and nearby locations. Its 1Gbps plan is especially attractive if you regularly upload large videos or back up files to the cloud.
- Virgin Media Gig2 delivers 2Gbps downloads in selected full fibre areas. If it is available at your address, check the price difference and whether your devices can take advantage of the extra speed. See our Virgin Media broadband comparison for available plans.