Virgin Media Broadband Size: L Special Offer Broadband Bundle

Review of Virgin Media Broadband Size: L Special Offer

STOP PRESS! Did you know that Virgin Media is upgrading the speed of its Broadband Size L packages from 4Mb to 10Mb. Upgrades should be completed by September this year.

NOTE: This package is a special offer 'bundle' and may end at any time.

IF you were thinking of just going for the Virgin Media Size L broadband, you'd be a fool not to take up this special offer instead.

The introductory price for this package essentially means you not only get Virgin Media's Phone Size M package for free, you actually save a few pounds a month too. And unlike other rubbish special offers which expire after 3 months, this Virgin Media special introductory offer lasts for the entire first year, which co-incides with the minimum contract period.

It's an offer we'd strongly suggest you take up, especially in light of how good the broadband package itself is.

The Virgin Media Size L broadband offers a cable connection with speeds of up to 10Mb (although this may still be 4Mb if your area hasn't yet been upgraded. Upgrades are to be completed by the end of the summer 2008). It includes a free Virgin cable modem, the excellent PCGuard Total security suite as well as up to 15 email addresses.

In order to get this package at its lowest price, you will have to take Virgin Media's Phone Size M home phone package. This is not a huge sacrifice at all, since the package offers free weekend calls and 3p per minute calls at all other times. Of course, you can always take a better phone package if you want, but this will increase the costs.

While there is a £30 connection charge (which we have to say is not bad at all, considering this is a cable connection), there is no line rental required.

Looking at this Virgin Media package purely in terms of its first year price, we have to say it is extraordinary value for money.

	Virgin Media Broadband Size: L Special Offer is currently offering just £8 p/m for first 3 months (then £16 thereafter) when taken with a Virgin phone package (from £11 per month).

A little more detail

Broadband

			Special Note..	Any good?
Package Name:		Size: L	-
Connection Type:		Cable	-
Max Speed:		4Mb	Rising to 10Mb before the end of the summer
Usage Limit:		Unlimited	Fair use policy applies
Hardware:		Modem	-
Anti-virus Protection:		Yes	Part of PCGuard Total package (which includes PCguard features as well as extra Anti-Spyware, Identify Theft Protection and Parental Control features)
Firewall:		Yes	Part of PCGuard Total package (which includes PCguard features as well as extra Anti-Spyware, Identify Theft Protection and Parental Control features)
E-mail Account:		Yes	Up to 15 email addresses
Webspace Provided:		Yes	55MB of webspace
Domain Included:		No	-
Backup Dialup:		Yes	0845 dial backup
Consoles Supported:		All major consoles supported	-

Home Phone

Package Name:		Size: M
UK Weekend Tariff:		Free to UK landlines
UK Evening Tariff:		3.25p per minute, with 7p connection charge
UK Peak Tariff:		3.25p per minute, with 7p connection charge
International Tariff:		Lower international rates with Talk International (£1.50 per month)

Payment, Installation and Contract

Payment Method(s):		Direct Debit only (other payment methods incur a £5 charge)
Activation Fee:		Free
Installation:		From £30
Minimum Contract:		12 months
Line Rental:		No line rental required
Support:		25p per minute technical support

Actual User Ratings

At a Glance

Our Rating
Max Speed	4Mb
Usage Limit	Unlimited
Monthly Price	£25.00
Set Up Cost	£30.00
Min. Contract	12 months

	Bundle details:
	Phone: Unlimited weekend calls to UK landlines
	TV: Not included
	Mobile: Not included

	It is best suited for:
	Broadband bargain hunters looking for a brilliantly priced, high-speed cable broadband package along with a home phone package

Customer Reviews

Add your own review of Virgin Media broadband...

Remember, the customer reviews below are subjective (and are not the opinions of ChooseISP.co.uk).

John from glasgow writes... 14/05/2008

"Since Virgin have taken over from NTL they've taken a flawfless service and ran it straight in to the ground. I live right beside an exchange so in theory I should be getting fairly close to 4Mb, I'm lucky to get 2 most days. Also lately at any point from 4-12 streaming any type of media results in the connection dropping and sometimes taking 15+ minutes to reconnect. Until they get their act together avoid Virgin."

Martin from London writes... 12/10/2007

"Signed up for Virgin Media XL Broadband 20Mb. I don't even get 1Mb most times, usually lower. The customer service is extremely poor and they are all based in India. There is no email based support, only 25p/min tech number."

Gareth Snow from Worthing writes... 03/10/2007

"We recently had broadband, telephone and also TV installed from Virgin Media and they were excellent. Really good value for money. Also we have Virgin Media's V+ service which is superb!"

S.J. from Manchester writes... 08/09/2007

"When Virgin Media was still Telewest it was great. Now the XL package is £37/month, with fair use policy introduced, the speeds are not consistent and the upload speed is ridiculous for todays isp's. The once free tech help is now 25p/min with 10p connection charge (to India!!). If I had a BT line I would try another broadband provider."

Jason Hines from Epsom writes... 12/08/2007

"So far so very good. I signed up to the VirginMedia 3 for £30 bundle in April and so far have been amazed. I had heard bad stories but took the risk as they offer a moneyback guarantee. Thankfully I never had to use it. I still find it amazing that I get all this for £30. Highly recommended."

Hazel Wykes from Birmingham writes... 11/08/2007

"We thought we'd give Virgin Media a try just to see how it compared but were so dissatified with it, that we changed back to BT. We are now on BT Total Broadband Option 3. Its top class, everything about it is excellent. It beats Virgin Media all round."