Virgin has unveiled the latest product in its home entertainment line-up, the Virgin Stream. This new streaming box can be purchased by customers taking out select broadband contracts with Virgin Media UK and comes as a one-off cost.
Stream can be used for watching linear TV, and for accessing some of the most popular streaming apps like Netflix. Virgin Stream customers can pay for streaming subscriptions in one place and get a 10% discount on their monthly bill for doing so.
If you are interested in getting a new Virgin Stream for your household, then we have all the details. You can find out more about what to expect from the device in our Virgin Stream news story. Alternatively, you can read up on the rival to the Stream, the Sky Stream Puck.
When does Virgin Stream release?
There is not long to wait now, as the Virgin Stream will be available to purchase from tomorrow, 27 April 2022.
How to buy Virgin Stream
The only way to get your hands on Virgin Stream is to take out a broadband or broadband and home phone contract with Virgin Media. The device isn’t available if you include a standard TV package such as Virgin TV 360.
You can do this by signing up for a broadband deal over on the Virgin Media website after 27 April 2022, or by calling the Virgin Media sales team on 0800 052 0422.
If you are an existing Virgin Media customer, you can still buy the Virgin Stream as a standalone product.
Virgin Stream cost breakdown
The Virgin Stream by itself does not require a monthly package, like a standard TV contract. Instead, customers pay a one-off fee of £35 for the Virgin Stream, which will then be delivered.
There should be no installation costs, as it does not require any hard wiring. However, if you are not already a Virgin Media broadband customer, then you will need to take out a new contract.
Virgin Media broadband plans with Stream
The Stream box is available for new and existing customers of broadband contracts and broadband and home phone contracts. The speeds on these packages range from M50 to Gig 1 Fibre.
Virgin’s prices and plans may vary depending on where you live. You may also be able to negotiate a deal if you call up the sales team to take out a package.
At the time of writing, here are the plans that should have the Virgin Stream available to purchase with:
- M50 Fibre Broadband & Talk Weekends – £28 per month for 18 months
- M50 Fibre Broadband – £38 per month for 19 months
- M100 Fibre Broadband – £25 per month for 18 months
- M200 Fibre Broadband – £31 per month for 18 months
- M350 Fibre Broadband – £37 per month for 18 months
- M500 Fibre Broadband – £43 per month for 18 months
- Gig1 Fibre Broadband – £62 per month for 18 months
We don’t yet know whether the Volt packages (those that include an O2 SIM) will also have the Virgin Stream available. We will check when the Stream launches and update this article accordingly.
Subscription costs via Virgin Stream
Stream allows users to subscribe to a selection of platforms in one place. Some are available as a standalone cost (like Disney+), whilst others are bundled together (like Sky Sports).
Here are the subscriptions available on Virgin Stream at launch:
- Netflix – From £6.99 per month
- Disney+ – £7.99 per month
- Sky Sports HD pack (All 8 Sky Sports channels in HD) – £38.75 per month
- Sky Cinema HD pack (All 11 Sky Cinema channels in HD) – £14.99 per month
- Sky Sports HD and Cinema HD pack (The two Sky packs above combined) – £46.25 per month
- BT Sports pack (4 HD BT Sport channels and BT Ultimate Sport in UHD) – £18 per month
- Essential Entertainment (25 HD entertainment channels including Comedy Central, Sky Max and Discovery) – £12 per month
- Kids pack (7 kids channels including Nick HD and Cartoon Network HD) – £4 per month
- Starzplay – £4.99 a month
Even if you don’t add any subscriptions to your monthly bill, you should still be able to watch the linear TV channels, and access free streaming apps such as All 4, the ITV Hub, BBC iPlayer and YouTube.
How to get 10% off your subscriptions with Virgin Stream
If you want to get that coveted discount on your monthly streaming bill, then you will need to pay for your streaming subscription via Virgin Stream, rather than via the platforms directly.
New customers can simply sign up for the apps on the TV interface. However, if you already have a streaming subscription, you may need to contact the third part company to migrate your payment details over. For example, if you already have Netflix, you will need to head to Netflix support and move your billing over to Virgin Stream.
Virgin Stream will use a credits system, and the 10% saving will come back as credits after you are billed, which can then be spent on other streaming services on the platform.
It is worth noting that Amazon Prime Video and BritBox will not be available as Stream subscriptions. You can still sign into these apps on the interface, but they are not eligible for that 10% discount.
We will add more information about redeeming credits once Virgin Stream has released.
