Virgin Media TV offers great features like ultrafast broadband and a huge range of channels. However, you may find the channel selections lacking for certain niche interests or that you simply need fewer channels than what’s bundled in the provider’s packages.
Luckily, there are several alternatives if you find their offerings unsuitable or too costly for your needs. Top choices include giants like Sky TV, BT TV (now EE TV), TalkTalk TV, and NOW TV.
Below are the alternatives to Virgin Media TV, each offering unique features and benefits:
1. Sky TV
- Starting Price (per month): £15
- Channels: Over 100 live channels
- Movies / TV Show Catalog: Access to Netflix, Discovery+, Sky Cinema (with add-on), Paramount+ (with add-on)
- Device Support: Sky Q box, Sky Glass, Sky Stream puck, mobile (Sky Go), web
- Simultaneous Streams: 2–4 depending on the setup and broadband speed
Sky TV offers tiered flexibility through Essential and Ultimate packages, alongside optional channel packs for sports, films, and kids’ content.
The Essential plan includes Sky Atlantic (home to series like Chernobyl and Succession), Netflix with Ads, and Discovery+.
Ultimate builds on this with 40+ more premium channels like Sky Witness and Sky Max, plus ad-free Netflix (Standard tier).
Sky Stream caters to users who prefer a dish-free setup. It runs over Wi-Fi and is compatible with any TV via HDMI, making installation quicker and more flexible.
Sky Glass takes this further by integrating the TV service into the hardware itself. It is a 4K UHD smart TV with built-in Dolby Atmos speakers and hands-free voice control.
The platform also supports on-demand content and downloadable shows via Sky Go. For sports fans, Sky Sports offers dedicated channels for the Premier League, F1, Cricket, and more.
Sky Cinema includes daily movie premieres and access to Paramount+ content.
You can mix and match add-ons: Sky Kids for younger viewers, TNT Sports for extra coverage (including European football), and Ultra HD + Dolby Atmos for improved audiovisual quality. Sky also bundles broadband, which can reduce the overall cost.
Pros:
- Variety of content and add-ons
- Streaming puck and smart TV options
- Bundles top services like Netflix
- 4K supported
- No satellite dish needed
Cons:
- Long 18 to 24-month contracts
- Entry plans include ads
- Streaming quality relies on internet speed
2. BT TV (now EE TV)
- Starting Price (per month): £20
- Channels: Over 70, including Freeview channels
- Movies/TV catalog: Thousands available on-demand
- Device Support: EE TV box, Apple TV, other devices with the EE TV app
- Simultaneous Streams: Up to 2
EE TV offers a selection of TV and broadband bundles to suit different needs and budgets. Packages start from just £20 per month for 70+ entertainment channels.
From there, you can customize with add-ons like BT Sport for premium live sports, kids channels, HD channels, and more.
The Entertainment package offers a solid selection of news, documentary, entertainment, and Freeview channels. For £23 monthly, you can upgrade to the sport package, which includes access to BT Sport 1, 2, 3, and ESPN.
Or go bigger with the aptly named Big Sport at £48 per month. This adds even more BT Sport channels, Box Nation, and Racing UK to cover a wider range of live sports.
If you really want an expansive channel lineup, there’s also a Big Entertainment and premium Full Works package with 300+ channels.
When it comes to streaming, EE TV allows you to add 4 devices from a single account. Of those, you can stream simultaneously from 2 devices without additional costs.
If you have the EE TV Box Pro, you can record up to 600 hours of content to catch up when you are free.
Pros:
- Flexible channel/package options
- Apple TV 4K support
- Record, rewind, and pause live TV
- No antenna or satellite needed
Cons:
- Only available for EE broadband users
- Sky channels are not available
3. TalkTalk TV
- Starting Price (per month): £5 (when added to a TalkTalk Fibre Broadband package)
- Channels: Over 70 live TV channels
- Movies / TV show catalog: Access to streaming services like Netflix, NOW, and Prime Video
- Device Support: TalkTalk TV Hub (Android TV-based set-top box)
- Simultaneous Streams: Up to 2
TalkTalk TV provides an affordable way to access live television and popular streaming services.
For £5 monthly, you get the TalkTalk TV Hub allowing viewing and recording of over 70 free channels spanning news, entertainment, movies, kids, and more.
The Android TV-powered Hub opens up access to 10,000+ apps via Google Play Store since it runs on Android.
This includes major services like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and NOW. Chromecast capabilities make it easy to cast content from other devices to your TV.
You also get useful features like voice commands through Google Assistant, a 7-day TV guide, and on-demand catch-up players.
TalkTalk TV Hub supports 4K resolution and Dolby Atmos audio for an immersive viewing experience. Users can further customize channel selections with flexible NOW memberships for Sky Sports, Cinem, and Entertainment access.
Pros:
- Affordable monthly fee
- Simple setup, no satellite dish needed
- Access to a wide range of apps via Google Play Store
- Flexible subscription options without long-term contracts
- Voice control and Chromecast features
Cons:
- No internal storage for recording; an external USB device is needed
- A single tuner limits recording and viewing options
4. NOW TV
- Starting Price (per month): Entertainment Membership at £9.99
- Channels: Over 16 with the Entertainment Membership
- Movies / TV Show Catalog: Access to Sky Cinema’s extensive library with the Cinema Membership
- Device Support: Smart TVs, streaming devices (e.g., Roku, Amazon Fire Stick), game consoles, mobile devices, and the NOW TV Smart Stick
- Simultaneous Streams: 1 standard; up to 3 with Boost add-on
NOW TV, owned by broadcaster Sky, offers a flexible way to access premium Sky content without requiring any long-term commitments or contracts.
Available content is divided into passes (Entertainment, Sky Cinema, Sports, and Hayu), which you can subscribe to individually based on your interests.
The main advantage of this service is the ability to customize your subscription month-to-month.
All passes operate on a 30-day rolling basis, allowing you to cancel anytime or swap between passes to catch different shows and events.
This ‘pick and mix’ style works well if you just want to watch a specific drama series or sports season.
For example, you could get a Sky Cinema pass for a month to binge the latest movies, then swap to Entertainment the next month without issue.
In terms of content, NOW TV grants access to much of Sky’s library, just delivered through internet streaming instead of satellite.
The Entertainment pass unlocks acclaimed Sky Atlantic shows plus channels like Sky Comedy and Sky Documentaries. Sky Cinema provides over a thousand movies, from cinema releases to classics.
The streaming platform tops out at 720p for now. You can pay £3-£6 per month for a Boost pack to enable 1080p Full HD or 4K Ultra HD, where available.
Pros:
- Flexible, contract-free memberships
- Access to exclusive Sky content without a full Sky subscription
- Wide device compatibility
- Option to enhance viewing experience with the Boost add-on
Cons:
- Standard streaming is limited to one device without Boost
- Additional cost for Full HD and ad-free experience