Virgin Media Ireland

What Virgin Media Ireland does

Virgin Media Ireland Limited is a Dublin-based, privately held quad-play telecommunications provider and wholly-owned subsidiary of Liberty Global, formerly operating as UPC Ireland before rebrand. The company delivers residential broadband at four speed tiers (500Mb, 1Gb, 2Gb, and a market-pioneering 5Gbps service launched in early 2026), Virgin TV with 100+ HD channels and integrated Netflix/Prime Video/YouTube/Disney+ streaming, SIM-only and device mobile plans, and home phone with international call packs.

The company controls an end-to-end hybrid fibre-coaxial network transitioning to XGS-PON full fibre under a €200m transformation program that reached over 70% completion by end of 2025. It serves residential consumers as the primary segment, supplemented by SMB, enterprise and public-sector customers (dedicated internet access, metro Ethernet, IP transit, SIP trunking, DDoS protection, cloud WiFi), property developers (new-build fibre via the New Developments Team), and wholesale partners SIRO and National Broadband Ireland. Distribution combines the virginmedia.ie storefront, the My Virgin Media app, telesales, field agents and a physical retail network.

Revenue reached €366.7m in 2024 against an operating loss of €17.5m (improved 39% year-over-year), down from €379.9m in 2023 as residential and advertising streams declined. The company monetises through monthly subscriptions on 12- and 24-month contracts (€35–€100/month broadband tiers, €15/month SIM-only 'For Life' with permanent price-lock, €10–€34/month TV add-ons), advertising on Virgin Media Television free-to-air sports rights (Nations Championship, Champions League), and wholesale network licensing. Strategic priorities centre on completing the XGS-PON rollout, scaling the 5Gbps tier toward a 10Gbps roadmap, and growing mobile as a stated growth engine.

Name

Virgin Media Ireland

Legal name

Virgin Media Ireland Limited

Website

https://virginmedia.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Virgin Media Ireland is a Liberty Global subsidiary providing quad-play fibre broadband (up to 5Gbps), TV, mobile and home phone services to Irish residential and business customers via an owned XGS-PON fibre network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fixed Line Telecommunications

NAICS

Wired Telecommunications Carriers (517111), Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (517112), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)

SIC

Cable & Other Pay Television Services (4841), Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

Cable MSOs (Hybrid Fiber-Coax) (MPABAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Hybrid Fiber-Coaxial (HFC) Cable Operators (HDAIACAA)

Keywords

• Fixed broadband services
• Cable television
• Mobile telecom services
• Business connectivity
• Wholesale fibre access

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Residential broadband subscriptions: Recurring monthly subscription revenue from residential broadband services at various speed tiers (500Mb to 5Gb). Services are sold on 12 or 24-month contracts with promotional half-price pricing for the initial term. Virgin Media reported revenue of €366.7 million in 2024, down from €379.9 million in 2023.
2. Residential TV subscriptions: Recurring revenue from TV packages (Basic TV, Loaded TV) and premium add-ons (Sky Sports, Sky Cinema, TNT Sports, Premier Sports). TV services are sold bundled with broadband or as standalone additions. Revenue is declining due to shifting consumer viewing habits.
3. Mobile services: Recurring revenue from SIM-only mobile plans (€15/month For Life) and mobile device sales. Includes unlimited data, calls, texts within Ireland plus 37GB EU roaming data. Mobile is positioned as a growth area with exclusive SIM offers targeting new and existing customers.
4. Business and enterprise services: Revenue from dedicated internet access (DIA), Virgin Metro Ethernet, Virgin IP Transit, Virgin Carrier Ethernet, Virgin Licensed Microwave, Virgin SIP Trunking, Virgin DDoS Protection, Virgin Cloud WiFi, and Virgin Business TV. Targeted at SMEs, enterprise accounts, and public sector organisations with custom pricing.
5. Home phone services: Optional home phone add-on with various call packs (World Talk, Anytime World, World Unlimited Talk) providing free calls to Irish landlines/mobiles and international destinations. Adds incremental recurring revenue to quad-play bundles.
6. Broadcasting rights and advertising: Revenue from free-to-air broadcasting rights (e.g., Nations Championship rugby) and associated advertising inventory. Virgin Media Television monetises sports content through ad-supported free-to-air broadcasts. Advertising revenue is declining industry-wide.
7. Wholesale network access: Wholesale access to Virgin Media's fibre network for SIRO and National Broadband Ireland, extending the company's infrastructure reach by monetising the network beyond direct retail customers. Part of the 5Gbps rollout expansion strategy.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Virgin Media Ireland provides quad-play telecommunications services across residential and business segments in Ireland, including full fibre broadband (500Mb–5Gbps), streaming TV, mobile (SIM-only and handset plans), and home phone on its owned HFC/XGS-PPON cable and fibre network. The business division supplies dedicated internet access, Ethernet, IP transit, SIP trunking, DDoS protection, and managed WiFi to SMEs, enterprises, and public sector customers. The company also broadcasts free-to-air sports content via Virgin Media Television and monetises its fibre infrastructure through wholesale partnerships with SIRO and National Broadband Ireland.

Product overview

Virgin Media Ireland operates as a telecommunications provider offering a quad-play product portfolio spanning residential and business segments. The residential offering includes full fibre broadband at four speed tiers (500Mb, 1Gb, 2Gb, 5Gbps), Virgin TV streaming platform with multiple channel packages (Basic TV, Loaded TV), mobile services (SIM-only and phone plans), and home phone with international calling packs. Premium services include WiFi Guarantee (with mesh pods for whole-home coverage) and Red House Experience (professional installation). The business segment provides dedicated internet access, Ethernet services, IP transit, microwave links, SIP trunking, DDoS protection, and managed WiFi solutions. The broadband infrastructure is transitioning from DOCSIS cable to XGS-PON full fibre, with the 5Gbps service representing the current flagship offering. TV services integrate major streaming platforms (Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Disney+) alongside traditional broadcast channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Virgin Media Television: The television broadcasting and content division of Virgin Media Ireland, offering free-to-air channels and streaming content.

Products and services

• Full Fibre 500Mb Broadband Entry-level full fibre broadband service offering speeds up to 500Mbps with 99.9% reliability, unlimited usage, and free activation on 12-month contracts. Targeted at residential households in Ireland.
• Full Fibre 1Gb Broadband Mid-tier full fibre broadband providing speeds up to 1Gbps with WiFi guarantee included, marketed as the most popular choice for households with multiple users streaming, gaming, and video calling. Requires 12-month minimum contract.
• Full Fibre 2Gb Broadband High-speed full fibre broadband delivering up to 2Gbps with WiFi guarantee, designed for connected households with simultaneous gaming, streaming, uploading, and downloading activities. 12-month minimum contract.
• Full Fibre 5Gb Broadband Premium full fibre broadband offering up to 5Gbps speeds (minimum available 500Mb, normally available 4.5Gb, maximum 5Gb) with upload speeds up to 200Mb. Targeted at tech enthusiasts, content creators, and home studios requiring maximum speed and performance. Requires 12-month contract.
• Virgin TV (Streaming TV) Streaming TV platform combining live TV channels, on-demand content, and integrated streaming apps (Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Disney+) in a single interface with voice control, personalised profiles, and multi-room capability via portable Streaming TV boxes. Targeted at residential subscribers.
• Virgin Media SIM-Only €15 For Life Plan SIM-only mobile plan at €15/month with permanent 'For Life' pricing guaranteeing no future price increases. Includes unlimited data, calls, and texts within Republic of Ireland, plus 37GB EU roaming data per month on a 12-month contract with number portability.
• Virgin Mobile Phone Plans Mobile service combining device purchase with voice and data plans, offering the latest smartphones with flexible payment options for residential customers.
• Home Phone Landline telephone service with various international call packs including World Talk (€3/month, free calls to Irish mobiles and landlines plus 400 international minutes) and World Unlimited Talk (€5/month, unlimited calls to Irish numbers and 22 international destinations). Adds incremental recurring revenue to quad-play bundles.
• Virgin Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) Business-grade dedicated internet access service providing guaranteed bandwidth and symmetric speeds for enterprise customers. Targeted at SMEs, large enterprises, and public sector organisations with custom pricing.
• Virgin Metro Ethernet Enterprise networking solution providing point-to-point or point-to-multipoint Ethernet connectivity across metropolitan areas. Targeted at enterprise and public sector customers.
• Virgin IP Transit IP transit service allowing businesses to connect to the internet via Virgin Media's network infrastructure. Targeted at ISPs, telecom operators, and large enterprises.
• Virgin Carrier Ethernet Carrier-grade Ethernet connectivity services for telecom operators and service providers requiring wholesale-grade infrastructure.
• Virgin Licensed Microwave Point-to-point microwave radio connectivity solution for businesses requiring rapid deployment or backup connectivity where fibre build-out is not feasible.
• Virgin SIP Trunking Voice over IP trunking service enabling businesses to connect legacy PBX systems to VoIP networks for cost-effective calling. Targeted at SMB and enterprise customers.
• Virgin Cloud WiFi Managed WiFi services for businesses, providing cloud-controlled wireless network infrastructure for hospitality, retail, education, and enterprise venues.
• Virgin Business TV Television services tailored for business customers, including commercial broadcasting rights and TV channel packages for venues, staff areas, and customer-facing environments.
• Loaded TV Premium TV package with over 100 channels in HD, including exclusive content from AMC, Irish and international channels, plus boxsets, streaming app integration, and voice search functionality. Requires Virgin Media broadband.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5Gbps broadband speeds commercially launched, with network targeting 10Gbps capability
• +4 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CerillioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2026Virgin Media Ireland co-hosts a TM Forum DTW Ignite 2026 panel with Cerillion on migrating from monolith to modular BSS/OSS architectures. Cerillion is a London-headquartered provider of composable BSS/OSS solutions for telecoms. Both companies contribute to two TM Forum Moonshot Catalyst projects demonstrating AI-enabled automation for CSPs (communications service providers).
• SIRO (wholesale partner)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSIRO is a wholesale partner that will access Virgin Media Ireland's full fibre network to serve its own ISP customers. The partnership extends the reach of Virgin Media's fibre infrastructure beyond its direct retail customers.
• National Broadband Ireland (wholesale partner)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational Broadband Ireland (NBI) is a wholesale partner that will use Virgin Media Ireland's full fibre network to serve end customers. The partnership is part of the 5Gbps rollout expansion to wholesale partners SIRO and NBI.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Virgin Media O2: UK sister operator under Liberty Global offering the same quad-play broadband, TV, mobile and home phone bundle on a substantially larger scale; directly comparable business model and product portfolio.
• Liberty Global: Parent company and global telecom conglomerate operating multiple European cable/broadband operators; comparable at the group level as the broader owner of Virgin Media Ireland's strategic direction.
• BT: Large incumbent UK fixed and mobile operator with comparable quad-play, fibre rollout, business services and wholesale infrastructure strategy.

Direct peers

• Eir: Ireland's incumbent telecoms operator providing broadband, TV, mobile and home phone services across the same geography; the most direct national competitor to Virgin Media's residential and business offerings.
• Vodafone Ireland: Major Irish quad-play provider delivering fixed broadband, TV, mobile and home phone; directly competes for the same household bundle customers across Ireland.
• Three Ireland: Irish mobile operator with growing fixed broadband presence; directly comparable as a connectivity provider competing for both mobile and converged household customers.
• Sky Ireland: Major pay-TV and broadband competitor in Ireland with overlapping premium sports rights and quad-play bundles; directly competes for TV-led households.
• Pure Telecom: Irish broadband and bundles provider; competes on price-led broadband and TV bundles across Virgin Media's footprint.
• Digiweb: Irish fixed broadband and connectivity provider with rural and urban footprint; an Irish-market peer for residential and SME connectivity.

Others

• SIRO: Wholesale fibre network joint venture operating in Ireland and a commercial partner of Virgin Media; comparable as a fibre network operator monetised to retail ISPs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/VirginMediaIE
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/UPCIreland
• Facebookfacebook.com/VirginMediaIreland
• LinkedInie.linkedin.com/company/virgin-media-ireland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Virgin Media Ireland