Virgin Media 2Gbps on cable: is your town on the list?

Written by (LinkedIn) • Reviewed by Adrian James (LinkedIn)

Last reviewed: 5 November 2026

Quick summary: Virgin Media now sells 2Gbps Gig2 over its cable network in 16 named towns and cities, most due in 2027. The price, the upload catch, and what to do.

Virgin Media 2Gbps on cable
Illustration: Virgin Media 2Gbps on cable: is your town on the list

Virgin Media's 2Gbps Gig2 now runs on its cable network too. Here's where, what it costs, the upload catch, and whether to upgrade or look around

Can I get Virgin Media 2Gbps on cable? Yes, in parts of 16 named towns and cities so far, with most of Virgin's cable network due in 2027. Gig2 on cable averages 2,000Mbps down but only 100Mbps up, and costs from £49.99 a month, rising £4 each April. For most homes Gig1 or less is plenty. If you upload a lot, compare full fibre at your address first. Check your postcode, then decide whether to upgrade, re-contract or switch.

What it means for youChecked 5 November 2026

If you're a Virgin cable customer and happy: there's nothing you need to do. Your service carries on, and Gig2 is an optional upgrade, not a replacement.

If you work from home, stream or back up a lot: look at the upload figure before the download. Cable Gig2's 100Mbps upload is the same ballpark as Gig1, so full fibre at your address may suit you better.

If you're near the end of your contract: compare Gig2 with every deal at your address before you sign up for another 24 months.

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Key facts, verified 5 November 2026

  • Virgin Media O2 started selling Gig2 over its cable (hybrid fibre-coaxial) network on 27 October 2026, in 18 locations, 16 of which it named (Virgin Media O2, 27 October 2026).
  • Around 3 million cable homes have been upgraded, and Virgin says Gig2 is due to reach the majority of its network in 2027 (Virgin Media O2, 27 October 2026).
  • Gig2 on cable averages 2,000Mbps download and 100Mbps upload, and symmetrical speeds aren't available on the cable network (Virgin Media O2, 27 October 2026).
  • Gig2 on Virgin's full fibre averages 200Mbps upload, and Gig1 averages 1,130Mbps download and 104Mbps upload (virginmedia.com, checked 5 November 2026).
  • Gig2 costs from £49.99 a month on a 24-month contract, rising to £53.99 from April 2027 and £57.99 from April 2028, with no set-up fee (Virgin Media O2, 27 October 2026).
  • Volt broadband speed boosts don't apply to Gig2 (Virgin Media O2, 27 October 2026).
  • Virgin Media O2 says it will halt investment in further fibre upgrades beyond its existing commitments to partners, and says a low-cost upgrade will bring 2Gbps to most of its cable network in 2027 (Virgin Media O2, 3 November 2026).
  • Virgin guarantees a minimum download speed of 50% of the advertised speed to your Hub, and you may be able to leave without a fee if it isn't fixed within 30 days (virginmedia.com, checked 5 November 2026).
  • Virgin Media had 5,395,800 consumer broadband connections at 30 September 2026 (Virgin Media O2, 3 November 2026).
  • Virgin Media had the fewest broadband complaints of the providers Ofcom names in April to June 2026, at 4 per 100,000 customers (Ofcom, 26 October 2026).

Who this is for: Virgin Media customers who've seen a Gig2 email or advert and wonder whether it's worth it, anyone in one of the named towns weighing up faster broadband, and anyone who works from home and cares about upload. We'll follow Dev, an example built from the calls we take, not a real customer. Dev is on Virgin's Gig1 in Peterborough, works from home two days a week, and has just been offered Gig2.

What has Virgin Media launched?

Direct answer: Gig2, its fastest broadband, over its older cable network for the first time. Until now Gig2 needed Virgin's full fibre. From 27 October 2026 it's on sale in 18 cable locations, covering around 3 million homes, with most of the cable network due in 2027.

Virgin Media O2 announced the launch on 27 October. Its chief technology officer, Jeanie York, called it "an important milestone for our fixed network". Virgin says more than 10 million households can now get Gig2: about 7 million on its newest (XGS-PON) full fibre and about 3 million on cable.

Cable here means Virgin's hybrid fibre-coaxial network: fibre to a cabinet in your street, then a coaxial cable into your home. It's the network most Virgin customers have used for years, and the one Virgin sells Gig1 and its slower speeds on.

For you, it means a faster option without waiting for full fibre to reach your street. It doesn't change your current service, and nobody has to take it.

Which towns can get Gig2 on cable now?

Direct answer: Virgin named 16 of the 18 locations: Bath, Blackburn, Bournemouth, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Harrogate, Ipswich, Lancaster, Manchester, Newcastle, Oxford, Peterborough, Portsmouth, Preston, Southend-on-Sea and York. Virgin says Gig2 is available in selected areas only, so check your postcode.

Virgin's release says Gig2 is "available in selected areas only", so a town on the list doesn't guarantee your street. Its advice is to use its postcode checker to see whether Gig2 has reached you yet.

We have local guides for Bournemouth and Poole, Cambridge, Ipswich, Manchester, Oxford, Peterborough, Preston, Southend-on-Sea and York, which show the other networks you can get there.

How is Gig2 on cable different from Gig2 on full fibre?

Direct answer: Mainly the upload. Both average 2,000Mbps down, but Gig2 on cable averages 100Mbps up, half the 200Mbps on full fibre. Virgin says symmetrical speeds aren't available on its cable network, and its upload boost is for full fibre only.

That's the surprise in the numbers: on cable, Gig2's average upload is a touch lower than Gig1's. You pay more for faster downloads, not faster uploads. For most homes that's fine, because downloads are what streaming, gaming and browsing use.

Upload matters if you send big files, back up photos to the cloud, stream yourself, or run several security cameras. On full fibre, Virgin sells an upload boost for £6 a month that matches your download speed, but it says that's "available only on our full fibre deals".

When we checked Virgin's gigabit page on 5 November, it still described Gig2 as "Powered by our latest full fibre technology" with 200Mbps uploads. So when you're offered Gig2, ask which network it's on, because the upload you'll get depends on it.

What will Gig2 on cable cost?

Direct answer: From £49.99 a month on a 24-month contract, rising to £53.99 in April 2027 and £57.99 in April 2028, with no set-up fee. At that price, starting this month, that's £1,303.76 over the contract, about £54 a month on average.

The rises are fixed in pounds. Virgin says customers who joined or re-contracted after 2 October 2025 see their price go up "by a fixed £4 each April", so you know the cost now. After 24 months a different standard price applies, and Virgin shows it beside each deal.

So, at the new-customer prices on Virgin's broadband page on 5 November, Gig2 costs about £552 more than Gig1 over two years. Virgin's offers vary by address and change often, so check the figures you're shown. The release also confirms the usual 14-day cooling-off period.

Dev worked it out: at new-customer prices, Gig2 would cost about £23 a month more than Gig1, for a download speed his household rarely needs and no better upload for his work calls.

Why is Virgin halting further full fibre upgrades?

Direct answer: Market economics. On 3 November Virgin Media O2 said it will halt investment in further fibre upgrades beyond its existing commitments to partners, saying "market economics do not support three overlapping fibre networks". A low-cost upgrade will bring 2Gbps to most of its cable network in 2027.

The announcement came with Virgin's results for July to September. Virgin says its full fibre footprint has reached 9.4 million premises, including the nexfibre network, and that it will set out its full plan around the time of its full-year results.

For cable customers, Gig2 is now the realistic next step up, rather than a switch to Virgin full fibre. That's good news if you want more download speed, and worth knowing if you were holding on for full fibre's faster uploads.

Our guide Is Virgin Media in trouble? covers the company's finances and job cuts. This guide sticks to what the change means for your broadband.

Am I on Virgin cable or full fibre?

Direct answer: Look at what plugs into your Hub. If a round coaxial cable screws into it, you're on cable, even if there's also a fibre box on the wall. If a thin fibre cable plugs into it, usually a Hub 5x, you're on Virgin full fibre. Not sure? Ask Virgin which network you're on.

A fibre box on the wall on its own doesn't prove you're on full fibre, because some Virgin cable homes have one too. Our guide to what an ONT is explains what these boxes do. If you're on cable today, Gig2 on cable is the upgrade on offer; if you're on Virgin full fibre, Gig2 averages 200Mbps upload and you can add the upload boost.

Do I need 2Gbps?

Direct answer: Probably not. 2Gbps helps busy homes downloading lots at once, like big game updates while others stream in 4K. Most households are well served by Gig1 or less, and if upload matters most to you, cable Gig2 doesn't improve it.

If you're not sure what your household needs, our free tool RightSpeed works it out from what you actually do online. Our guides Is 900Mbps overkill? and how much speed your household really needs explain the thinking.

Find the speed you actually need

RightSpeed asks a few questions about your household and tells you the speed that fits, so you don't pay for more than you'll use.

Try RightSpeed free →

Will my devices actually get 2Gbps?

Direct answer: One device on its own rarely will. A standard gigabit Ethernet port tops out at 1Gbps, so to go faster a computer needs a faster port and a cable to a matching port on the Hub. Over Wi-Fi, speeds are usually lower still.

The 2,000Mbps figure is an average to the Hub, shared by everything in your home. It's the total that matters when several people are online, not the speed one phone or laptop sees.

Virgin's gigabit page says Gig1 and Gig2 deals come with the WiFi Hub 5, though that page describes Gig2 on full fibre and the cable launch release doesn't name a Hub. The Hub 5 has one 2.5Gbps port and three 1Gbps ports, so only one wired device could go beyond a gigabit. Our guide to routers by provider compares the ports on each provider's router.

Virgin's gigabit page says Gig2 includes its WiFi Guarantee: at least 30Mbps in every room or a one-off £100 credit, in eligible areas. For better Wi-Fi, our guides to mesh and extenders and Wi-Fi 7 routers can help.

I'm already with Virgin: how do I upgrade, and what should I ask?

Direct answer: Check your postcode on Virgin's site or ask Virgin directly. Before you agree, ask whether the upgrade starts a new 24-month contract, what you'll pay now and after it ends, which network and Hub you'll get, and what you'll lose from your current deal.

Virgin hasn't published how upgrades work for existing customers, so get the answers in writing before you agree. If you're out of contract, our guide to Virgin Media retention deals shows how to get the best price.

Virgin's minimum download speed guarantee is 50% of the advertised speed to your Hub, which is about 1,000Mbps on Gig2 by our calculation. If you fall below it for three days in a row and Virgin can't fix it within 30 days, you may be able to leave without an early disconnection fee.

What else might I get at my address?

Direct answer: Depending on your street, full fibre from Openreach-based providers, CityFibre-based providers or a local network, some with faster uploads. Elsewhere, EE sells 2.3Gbps on Openreach's newest full fibre around Guildford and Woking. Your postcode decides what's possible.

EE launched its 2.3Gbps and 8Gbps tiers on 31 July 2026, from £54.99 and £74.99 a month, in Guildford, Woking and the surrounding areas, as Openreach rolls out its newest full fibre. It's a sign of where the market is heading, though EE hasn't said how many homes can get it yet.

Our guides to multi-gig broadband and Sky's 1.6Gbps full fibre compare the faster tiers in more detail. If upload is your priority, our guide to symmetrical upload explains when it's worth paying for.

Should I upgrade, re-contract or switch?

Direct answer: Upgrade if your household downloads a lot and Gig2 is available to you. Re-contract if you're happy with Virgin and a cheaper speed covers what you do. Switch if upload matters and full fibre at your address gives you more for the money.

Staying with Virgin can be a sound choice. It had the fewest broadband complaints of the providers Ofcom names in April to June 2026, at 4 per 100,000 customers, as our complaints guide shows.

Dev chose to stay on Gig1 and compare full fibre in Peterborough when his contract ends, because his work calls need upload more than his family needs 2Gbps downloads. Your answer may be different, and that's the point of checking.

If you do switch, your new provider arranges it through One Touch Switch. Our guide to testing whether it's your line or your Wi-Fi helps you check what you're getting now.

What should I do now?

Direct answer: Check whether Gig2 has reached your postcode, then decide what your household needs: more download, more upload, or a lower bill. Compare Gig2 with every deal at your address before you commit to another 24 months.

Today: check your postcode

See whether Gig2 is available, and whether your address is on cable or full fibre.

This week: work out your need

Use RightSpeed, or test your current speed wired and on Wi-Fi.

Before you commit: compare

Put Gig2 next to every deal at your address, with uploads and the 24-month cost.

Later: watch for more towns

Virgin says most of its cable network should have Gig2 during 2027. We'll update this page.

Ready to compare Gig2 with everything at your address?

See every speed and price that reaches your postcode, with upload speeds and the full contract cost, then choose with confidence.

  • ✓Every provider at your postcode, side by side
  • ✓The full contract cost shown upfront
  • ✓Your new provider handles the switch
Compare deals now →Run a speed test

Prefer to talk it through? Call us on 0330 122 1223

In summary

  • Virgin Media now sells Gig2 over its cable network, in 18 locations so far, 16 of them named, and plans to reach most of the cable network in 2027.
  • Gig2 on cable averages 2,000Mbps down but only 100Mbps up, half Gig2 on full fibre and just under Gig1.
  • It costs from £49.99 a month, rising £4 each April: £1,303.76 over 24 months at that price if you start this month.
  • Virgin says it will halt further fibre upgrades beyond existing commitments, so for cable homes Gig2 is the likely next step up.
  • Most homes don't need 2Gbps. If upload matters, compare full fibre at your address before you upgrade.

Alex's closing thought

It's good to see Virgin giving millions of cable homes a faster option without digging up the street. But a bigger download number isn't the right buy for everyone. If you work from home or upload a lot, the 100Mbps upload is the figure to look at, and full fibre at your address may serve you better. If you just want everything to stream smoothly, Gig1 or less is usually plenty. If you'd like help weighing it up for your address, ring us. We'll check what you can get and what it would really cost.

Keep going: more on Virgin Media and faster broadband

Know a Virgin Media customer weighing up Gig2?

Send them this. It shows where Gig2 on cable is available, what it costs and the upload catch.

Cite this page

You're welcome to quote or link to this guide. Please credit BroadbandSwitch.uk and link to this page.

In a sentence: Virgin Media began selling its 2Gbps Gig2 over its cable network on 27 October 2026 in 18 locations, averaging 2,000Mbps download but 100Mbps upload, from £49.99 a month rising £4 each April, with most of the cable network due to get it in 2027.

Martin-Smith, A. J. (2026, November 5). Virgin Media 2Gbps on cable: is your town on the list? BroadbandSwitch.uk. https://broadbandswitch.uk/insights/virgin-media-gig2-2gbps-cable-upgrade/

Frequently asked questions

Can I get Virgin Media 2Gbps without full fibre?

Yes, in upgraded parts of Virgin's cable network. Virgin started selling Gig2 over cable on 27 October 2026 in 18 locations, covering around 3 million homes, and says most of its cable network should have it in 2027.

Which towns have Virgin Gig2 on cable?

Virgin has named Bath, Blackburn, Bournemouth, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Harrogate, Ipswich, Lancaster, Manchester, Newcastle, Oxford, Peterborough, Portsmouth, Preston, Southend-on-Sea and York. It says 18 locations in all, and that Gig2 is available in selected areas only, so check your postcode.

How much is Virgin Media Gig2?

From £49.99 a month on a 24-month contract, rising to £53.99 from April 2027 and £57.99 from April 2028, with no set-up fee. At that price, that's £1,303.76 over the contract if you start in November 2026.

What upload speed does Gig2 on cable get?

100Mbps on average. Gig2 on Virgin's full fibre averages 200Mbps, and Gig1 averages 104Mbps.

Can I get symmetrical upload on Virgin cable?

No. Virgin says symmetrical speeds aren't available on its cable network. Its upload boost, which matches your download for £6 a month, is for full fibre deals only.

Is Virgin Media still upgrading homes to full fibre?

Only where it has already committed. On 3 November 2026 it said it will halt investment in further fibre upgrades beyond its existing commitments to partners, and that a low-cost upgrade will bring 2Gbps to most of its cable network in 2027.

Do Volt speed boosts work with Gig2?

No. Virgin says Volt broadband speed boost benefits don't apply to Gig2.

What speed is guaranteed on Gig2?

Virgin guarantees a minimum download speed of 50% of the advertised speed to your Hub, about 1,000Mbps on Gig2. If it falls below that for three days in a row and isn't fixed within 30 days, you may be able to leave without a fee.

Will I get 2Gbps over Wi-Fi?

Unlikely on a single device. The 2,000Mbps is shared across your home. Over Wi-Fi a single device rarely gets past 1Gbps. The most reliable way is a wired connection to a port faster than a gigabit.

Does upgrading to Gig2 start a new contract?

Virgin hasn't published upgrade terms for existing customers. Ask whether it starts a new 24-month term, and get the price in writing before you agree.

Is Gig2 worth it for a family?

For most families, no. Gig1 or a slower speed handles streaming, gaming and video calls comfortably. Gig2 helps busy homes downloading lots at once.

Can I cancel Gig2 if I change my mind?

Yes, within 14 days. Virgin's release says the 14-day cooling-off period and other cancellation rights apply.

References

Written by Dr Alex J. Martin-Smith, Founder of BroadbandSwitch.uk (LinkedIn). Reviewed by Adrian James, Broadband Editor at BroadbandSwitch.uk (LinkedIn). Published 5 November 2026. Dev is an example built from the calls we take, not a real customer. We'll update this page as Virgin names more Gig2 cable towns and publishes upgrade terms for existing customers. BroadbandSwitch.uk is an independent comparison site and is not a broadband provider. This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Corrections are logged publicly.

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