Tag: virgin

HBO Max To Launch In The UK & Ireland On Thursday, March 26

For the first time ever, audiences in the UK and Ireland will be able to stream content from HBO, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Television, DC Studios and Max Originals, all in one place on HBO Max, one might ask now is there a need or will we cancel something else to avail of this as the monthly subsriptions add up and are getting costly.

Award winning Max Original, The Pitt, will premiere in the UK & Ireland on HBO Max from launch, including all of the first season available from day one

2026 features one of HBO’s best ever slates, upcoming content will include new seasons of Euphoria and House of the Dragon, as well as the debut of Lanterns from DC Studios

Movie fans will be able to watch the Academy Award nominated slate and best of the box office including Superman, One Battle After Another, Sinners, A Minecraft Movie and Dune: Part One

Sports fans will access their TNT Sports streaming subscription via HBO Max in the UK starting Thursday, March 26

Subscribers will have four monthly entertainment plans to choose from starting at £4.99 per month, with viewers able to enjoy the complete HBO Max entertainment line-up, including recently released movies, starting at £5.99 per month in the UK & Ireland

In the UK & Ireland, the service will be available directly via hbomax.com and via launch partners including Sky and Prime Video

 

LONDON, UK – HBO Max, the premier global streaming service from Warner Bros. Discovery, is launching in the UK and Ireland on Thursday, March 26, 2026.

Already available in over 110 territories worldwide, HBO Max offers the ultimate mix of best-in-class series, movies, extraordinary real-life stories and, via TNT Sports in the UK, live sport. For the first time, audiences in the UK and Ireland will be able to stream the exclusive collection of unmissable stories from HBO, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Television, DC Studios and Max Originals, all in one place via HBO Max.

HBO Max will also become the streaming home of TNT Sports in the UK, giving subscribers access to top quality live sports content including the Premier League, Emirates FA Cup, Adobe Women’s FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, Gallagher PREM Rugby, Premiership Women’s Rugby, UFC, MotoGP, Grand Slam tennis, Grand Tour cycling and much more.

Unmissable Shows and Movies
At launch, the complete first season of 2025 Emmy, Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award Winning Max Original The Pitt will be available to stream for the first time in the UK and Ireland, with episodes of the latest second season rolling out weekly.

HBO Max will be the home of brand-new HBO Original series, including Lanterns, based on the iconic DC title “Green Lantern” which premieres summer 2026, and the highly anticipated Harry Potter TV series.

Within the first few months alone, subscribers will have access to a range of new HBO Original Series including DTF St. Louis, Rooster and the third and final season of The Comeback.

Beginning March 26, HBO Max will be the only place subscribers in the UK and Ireland can catch up on all seasons of the blockbuster HBO Original Euphoria, before the arrival of its highly anticipated third season in April.

In addition, an extensive range of the HBO and Warner Bros. Television libraries – from Succession to Friends, The Sopranos to Game of Thrones and more, will be available in full, exclusively on HBO Max.

Movie fans will also be able to enjoy the best of the box office including the record-setting Oscar-nominated One Battle After Another and Sinners, as well as Superman, A Minecraft Movie, Dune: Part One and rediscover the magic of the entire Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings franchises.

New streaming home for TNT Sports
HBO Max will include the full range of TNT Sports content and live coverage. Subscribers can stream exclusive matches from the Premier League, Emirates FA Cup and Adobe Women’s FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League, as well as every Gallagher PREM Rugby match, Premiership Women’s Rugby, more than 1,000 live cycling broadcasts each year including every stage from the Tour de France, every match from the Australian Open and Roland-Garros, every MotoGP race, plus the World Snooker Tour, the winter sports season, Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 and much more. With an unchanged price of £30.99 per month for TNT Sports, the service will offer subscribers a standalone TNT Sports plan or ability to purchase alongside select HBO Max plans1, providing fans with the ultimate sports streaming experience that includes innovative in-app features across key sports and events – putting fans in control of how they watch.

In March, sports fans will be able to enjoy a full weekend of live Gallagher PREM Rugby, plus more live football with Emirates FA Cup and UEFA Champions League quarter finals streaming live in early April.

Following HBO Max’s launch, TNT Sports will also continue to be distributed via existing partners in the UK & Ireland. discovery+ will continue as the streaming home of TNT Sports in the UK until TNT Sports moves to HBO Max on 26 March. From this time, fans who subscribe to TNT Sports via partners2 in the UK will be able to access it on HBO Max.

JB Perrette, CEO and President of Global Streaming and Games at Warner Bros. Discovery, said: “After decades of delighting audiences in the UK & Ireland with our remarkable stories and brands, it’s a huge thrill to finally bring it all together on HBO Max, and also offer it directly to all consumers. Starting at just £4.99 per month or £5.99 for our complete entertainment offer – HBO Max brings the most differentiated and best streaming offer to market.”

Andrew Georgiou President & Managing Director for Warner Bros. Discovery UK & Ireland and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe said: “Launching HBO Max in the UK & Ireland marks a significant moment for viewers here. HBO Max will offer them their most loved series and movies from HBO, Warner Bros. and DC Studios, alongside premium sports from TNT Sports in the UK, within an outstanding single destination for this great content and strong value proposition. Nowhere else will you be able to get The Pitt, House of the Dragon, Euphoria, Lanterns, Superman, One Battle After Another, as well as the eagerly awaited Harry Potter series, all together.”

Accessible and flexible range of plans for every viewer
Beginning March 26, viewers in the UK and Ireland will have a range of entry points to HBO Max spanning four monthly entertainment plans, providing accessible and flexible options to suit all preferences. In the UK, TNT Sports is also available as standalone plan or can be purchased alongside select HBO Max entertainment plans1.

The following will be available from launch beginning March 26:

  • Basic with Ads (£4.99/month): Stream on 2 devices in Full HD
    • All the best HBO Max shows and movies, excluding movies that first stream on the service following their theatrical release window.
  • Standard with Ads (£5.99/month): Stream on 2 devices in Full HD, with 30 downloads3
    • All the best HBO Max shows and movies, including movies that first stream on the service following their theatrical release window.
  • Standard (£9.99/month): Stream on 2 devices in Full HD, with 30 downloads3
    • All the best HBO Max shows and movies on an ad free basis,4 including movies that first stream on the service following their theatrical release window.
  • Premium (£14.99/month): Stream on 4 devices in 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Atmos (where available) and 100 downloads3
    • The ultimate HBO Max experience with all the best HBO Max shows and movies on an ad free basis,4 including movies that first stream on the service following their theatrical release window.
  • TNT Sports Plan (£30.99/month): Including TNT Sports 1-4, TNT Sports Ultimate, live event feeds and TNT Sports Original Documentaries (limited to two of your available streams)
    • Can be purchased within the UK as a standalone plan or in addition to select entertainment plans1. 

Available direct and via launch partners
At launch HBO Max will be available direct from hbomax.com, for more details go to hbomax.com.

In addition, HBO Max launch partners in the UK & Ireland will include Sky and, announced today, Prime Video giving customers even more ways to access award-winning entertainment, movies and live sport .

Watch Your Way
HBO Max will be available on all major devices including TVs, set-top boxes, streaming devices, mobiles, tablets, game consoles and platforms including Android, EE / BT TV, Fire TV, iOS, LG, PlayStation, Roku, Samsung, Virgin TV and Xbox.

Subscribers will be able to create up to five personalised profiles, receive tailored recommendations and enjoy features like Continue Watching and, depending on your plan, offline downloads. Families will also be able to set up kid-friendly profiles with age-appropriate content and parental controls.

HBO Max will be available for pre-registration on the App Store and Google Play beginning March 12.

Global Expansion of HBO Max
The UK & Ireland launch marks a major milestone for the service as it completes its European rollout. HBO Max launched first in the US in 2020 and has since expanded across Latin America, Europe and Asia. For Q3 2025, Warner Bros. Discovery reported 128 million streaming subscribers.

Virgin Media and Eir: The best fixed-line Internet performances in Ireland 2025

Virgin Media and Eir share the leadership of fixed-line Internet in Ireland for 2025, according to the annual nPerf barometer. This edition reveals sustained competition across all performance indicators with year-over-year improvements for four out of five operators.

Virgin Media ranks first ex-aequo with a score of 125 926 nPoints. With speeds of 308.2 Mbps in download bitrate and 69.2 Mbps in upload bitrate, the operator leads in both metrics. Top performer in video streaming (84.0%), it delivers smooth viewing experiences ideal for HD content and rapid file transfers.

Eir shares the first position ex-aequo with 123 938 nPoints. Speeds reach 208.3 Mbps in download bitrate and 56.1 Mbps in upload bitrate (2nd place). Leading in browsing (86.9%) and video streaming (84.4%) ex-aequo, the operator ensures quality user experience with well-controlled latency of 26.0 ms.

Sky completes the podium with 118 407 nPoints. The operator delivers the best latency in the sector (22.0 ms), perfect for gaming and real-time applications. Sharing first place ex-aequo in browsing (86.1%) and video streaming (83.5%), it guarantees fluid navigation.

Vodafone ranks fourth with 117 947 nPoints. With speeds of 231.1 Mbps in download bitrate (2nd place) and 54.8 Mbps in upload bitrate (3rd place), the operator supports demanding uses. Leading in browsing ex-aequo (86.8%), it demonstrates strong performance across key metrics.

Three positions fifth with 82 946 nPoints. The operator achieves 69.3 Mbps in download bitrate and 24.7 Mbps in upload bitrate.

Measurements based on 15 332 tests conducted via the nPerf website and the nPerf app on Android and iOS.

Virgin Media, Eir: The best fixed-line Internet performances in 2024

Barometer of fixed internet connections in Ireland, The analysis period is from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024.

The nPerf barometer is based on 15,886 tests performed by users in real conditions via the nPerf website or using the nPerf application available on Android and iOS.

Sky achieved a notable performance with a nPerf score of 112,942, offering a balanced Internet experience with a Download bitrate of 104 Mbps and an Upload bitrate of 33 Mbps. Despite a Latency of 21 ms, Sky excelled in Browsing at 83%.

Three, with a score of 90,522, focused on providing solid Internet basics, displaying a Download bitrate of 65 Mbps and an Upload bitrate of 30 Mbps, while maintaining a Latency of 32 ms.

Virgin Media led the market with a top nPerf score of 124,559, showcasing a superior Download bitrate of 216 Mbps and an Upload bitrate of 44 Mbps, coupled with a Streaming performance of 89%.

Vodafone showed a strong presence with a score of 114,795, highlighted by an exceptional Upload bitrate of 46 Mbps and outstanding Browsing performance at 85%.

Eir delivered robust results with a nPerf score of 121,760, accompanied by a Download bitrate of 187 Mbps and an Upload bitrate of 45 Mbps, excelling in Streaming at 89%.

“This year, we have seen remarkable improvements in overall performance, particularly in upload speeds and browsing experiences, indicating a positive trend towards enhancing user experience,” said Sébastien de Rosbo, Managing Director nPerf.

Focus WiFi:

Virgin Media is the operator that offers the best WiFi experience in Ireland.

WiFi is a wireless networking technology that allows devices to connect to the Internet without physical cables. It provides flexibility and mobility, enabling users to access the Internet from various locations within the coverage area. The main advantages of WiFi are its convenience and the ability to connect multiple devices simultaneously.

Virgin Media Turns Black Friday ‘Red’

Virgin Media is shaking up the Black Friday season by turning it ‘Red’ with a series of fantastic offers across its Broadband, TV, and Mobile services. Starting from November 12th, Virgin Media is inviting customers to experience top-of-the-line connectivity, entertainment, and mobile plans at outstanding prices with exclusive free gifts and savings.

The headline offer for new customers, is a FREE 43” TCL 4K Smart TV when they sign up to Virgin Media’s ultrafast, reliable 1Gb broadband combined with Virgin Media’s popular  ‘Streaming TV’ package, perfect for immersing themselves in the latest and greatest entertainment.

Virgin Mobile customers also have plenty to celebrate this ‘Red Friday.’ Those who purchase a Samsung Galaxy S24 (128GB), Apple iPhone 14 (128GB), or Google Pixel 8 Pro (128GB) from November 12th will receive a complimentary pair of JBL Live Pro 2 earbuds (RRP €149.99), delivering premium sound quality to match their top-tier devices.

Virgin Mobile is also offering upfront savings and reduced monthly fees on some of its most popular handsets. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6, now available for €199 upfront and €40 per month, offers customers an €80 saving. In addition, the Samsung Galaxy S24 (128GB) can be purchased with no upfront cost and a reduced monthly bill of €35, giving customers a €5 monthly saving.

“Our ‘Red Friday’ deals are our way of giving back to our customers with offers that bring exceptional value across broadband, TV, and mobile services,” said Paul Higgins, VP of Commercial at Virgin Media Ireland.

“From fast, reliable internet and immersive entertainment to cutting-edge mobile devices, we’re committed to providing unbeatable experiences for Irish households. This Black Friday, Virgin Media is making it easier than ever for customers to access the very best in connectivity and entertainment at incredible prices.”

 

  • All free gifts with Virgin Mobile are subject to availability, available for a limited period only, and are provided at the time of purchase with delivery or upon collection.
  • Free TCL 43” 4K Smart TV is subject to availability, available for a limited period only, and will be within 5 days once the customer has been installed for 28 days.
  • All offers are subject to application check, availability, and contract terms and conditions.
  • All offers are correct as of November 12, 2024.

For full T&Cs and more information, please visit www.VirginMedia.ie.

Virgin Media further expands market reach adding 254,000 premises nationwide in deal with National Broadband Ireland (NBI)

Virgin Media has agreed a network deal with National Broadband Ireland (NBI) whereby Virgin Media will offer a full range of superfast broadband and digital TV services to over 254,000 currently enabled NBI premises throughout Ireland.

Virgin Media’s ongoing €200m network upgrade to full fibre is continuing to 2025 and will support speeds up to 10Gbps. Virgin Media has recently upgraded over 281,000 premises to fibre, offering speeds of 2Gbps across its own network. The Virgin Media network already provides broadband speeds of 1Gbps (gigabits per second) to 1 million premises across Ireland.

Virgin Media’s deal with NBI, along with other already announced wholesale network access developments, brings to 1.4 million the number of premises now able to access Virgin Media’s fastest ever broadband services nationwide.

Virgin Media Ireland CEO Tony Hanway said, “With lightning-fast speeds of up to 2 Gig and 99.9% reliability, our full fibre broadband network is designed to revolutionise the way we connect and experience the digital world. This announcement today with NBI brings our ultrafast broadband and TV services to even more premises across Ireland, enabling homes, businesses, communities and regions nationwide to further prosper and grow.”

Peter Hendrick, CEO of National broadband Ireland (NBI) said, “We’re delighted that Virgin Media will join the growing number of retail service providers offering broadband packages on our network. There are now 70 retail service providers on our network, meaning there is huge choice for anyone connecting to high-speed fibre through NBI. Our rollout will ensure that every home, farm and business in Ireland has access to high-speed broadband with minimum speeds of 500 megabits per second available. We’ve now passed over 254,000 premises across the country and all of these have the same guarantee in terms of access, speed, and reliability.”

Virgin Media publishes its top 10 voice control searches, as 69% of customers use voice control each week

Virgin Media have released their top 10 voice-controlled searches from the past 30 days, as 69% of Virgin Media customers are now using voice search capabilities on a weekly basis.

Using voice search allows individuals of all ages to effortlessly search for the content they want to consume, be it on linear channels, via streaming services such as YouTube, Prime or Netflix, or from on-demand players.

The topmost voice-searched show was Love Island, bringing up results for the OG show as well as spin-offs welcoming previous cast members in Love Island: All Stars and fan-favourite islanders from various Love Island series in Love Island Games.

The Irish love their soaps, with all the action from Albert Square coming in 2nd place with fan favourite Eastenders. Other popular soap operas also appeared in the top 10 searches, with Coronation Street in 4th place, Emmerdale in 6th and Fair City in 7th.

Coming in as the 3rd most popular search by voice control was Peppa Pig, as children’s TV was also highly popular in the top 10 rankings, with YouTube’s Miss Rachel in 5th position, Cocomelon in 8th, Paw Patrol in 9th and Bluey in 10th.

Paul Higgins, VP of Consumer of Virgin Media said, “Voice control is available on Virgin Media’s new Streaming TV, making it even easier to find the content you love no matter where it lives at the push of a button. It’s great to see more and more customers are making use of voice control capabilities, making our products more accessible for people of all ages.”

Voice control is available on Virgin Media’s new Streaming TV, making it even easier to find the shows you love no matter where they live with one single search.

New customers can add Virgin Media Streaming TV with Loaded TV to their broadband package for as little as €15 per month for 12 months and €34 per month thereafter. Existing Broadband customers can add an extra Streaming TV box or upgrade their current box depending on their circumstances.

You can learn more about the new Streaming TV at virginmedia.ie.

1. Love Island
2.EastEnders
3.Peppa Pig
4. Coronation Street
5. Miss Rachel
6. Emmerdale
7. Fair City
8. Cocomelon
9. Paw Patrol
10. Bluey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Streaming TV from Virgin Media has arrived – Infinite entertainment from one tiny box

Ireland’s Best Broadband provider, Virgin Media, has today announced the arrival of its new Streaming TV platform, offering infinite entertainment from one tiny box.

Streaming TV puts an ocean of entertainment at your fingertips and offers the best of both worlds, from your favourite traditional TV shows and channels to the most popular streaming apps (like Netflix, Prime Video, AppleTV+, Paramount+ and YouTube) and players (including the Virgin Media Player, Channel 4 Player and TG4 Player). And it does it all over your WiFi – making cable a thing of the past.

The fun-sized box fits in the palm of your hand and is completely portable, so you can move it anywhere around the home. All you need is our amazing WiFi to make every room in the home your own personal playground for world-class entertainment.

Streaming TV connects via Wi-Fi or Ethernet with live TV, recordings, continue watching, replay, on-demand, radio and pause live TV options available.

It’s now even easier to find the shows you love no matter where they live (be it live TV or your favourite apps) with one single search. It also comes with voice control, with 69% of Virgin Media customers now using voice search on a weekly basis. Add a show to your watchlist and get a notification when the latest episode drops into your app or is scheduled on TV. You can also access the streaming apps in 4K HDR with Dolby Atmos support.

Its award-winning design boasts extraordinarily strong sustainability credentials, thanks to extremely low power consumption, averaging 70% less power than a traditional set top box. It is also made from 35% recycled plastics with no single-use plastic being used in the packaging.

New customers can add Virgin Media Streaming TV with Loaded TV to their broadband package for as little as €15 per month for 12 months and €34 per month thereafter. Existing Broadband customers can add Streaming TV at any time and can add an extra Streaming TV box or upgrade their current box depending on their circumstances.

Paul Higgins, VP of Consumer of Virgin Media said, “We are delighted to finally bring this incredible and exciting new Virgin Media product to our customers. With its award-winning design, the TV streaming box is as unique as it is compact.

“We also understand how imperative it is to keep sustainability at the forefront of our business goals and objectives when we bring a new product onto the market. Thanks to its small size, its subsequent packaging is also relatively small and kept to a minimum.

“Virgin Media Streaming TV also comes packed with a number of user-centric features across live TV and streaming apps, giving each of our customers a bespoke experience so, no matter what your TV viewing style is, you can play it your way.”

You can learn more about the new Streaming TV at virginmedia.ie.

Apple TV+ now available on Virgin Media

Virgin Media customers can now enjoy premium, award-winning drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment from Apple TV+ directly on supported Virgin 360 set-top boxes.

Apple TV+, available on Virgin TV 360, offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all your favourite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have landed 400 awards, and over 1,600 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning comedy “Ted Lasso” and historic Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA.” Apple TV+.

Virgin TV 360 offers access to 190 channels and up to three mini 360 boxes around the home for the full multi-room TV experience, as well as access to the Virgin TV Go app so customers can stream their favourite content from their iPhone or iPad, whenever and wherever suits them.

Paul Higgins, VP of Commercial at Virgin Media Ireland said: “We’re thrilled to bring Apple TV+ directly to our Virgin 360 customers, providing them with the ultimate entertainment experience with award-winning movies and series from today’s most imaginative storytellers. Apple TV+ now available on Virgin TV 360 reflects our commitment to providing seamless, accessible content, making it easier than ever for our subscribers to enjoy their favourite shows and movies at home.”

For more information on Virgin TV packages, please visit: www.virginmedia.ie.

Virgin Media announced as the title sponsor of The FAI’s Esports Programme

Virgin Media has been announced as the title partner of the Football Association of Ireland’s Esports programme, including the ELOI which will now be titled the Virgin Media ELOI.

The new two-year agreement will provide Virgin Media with title sponsorship of the ELOI, eNational Team and a newly launched EFAI Cup.

The new EFAI Cup will be an exciting two-week online tournament in January which will culminate in an in-person final four showdown one week after the tournament ends. The tournament will be open to all levels to enter and participants must be over 16 and based in the Republic of Ireland. Registrations will open in December.

The Virgin Media ELOI will run from February to April 2024 and will feature all 20 men’s League of Ireland clubs, competing in a group format with the top two teams progressing to the live Final.

The winner of the Virgin Media ELOI will earn a place in the eChampions League Group Stage and a Play-Off place for the FC Pro World Championship.

Competitive gaming and the esports industry have grown exponentially in recent years. The industry has become a global phenomenon with millions of fans participating and consuming esports. There are around two million gamers in Ireland across all spectrums, and it is estimated there are around 700,000 Esports enthusiasts.

The FAI have recognised these developments in esports and has decided to actively shape the efootball landscape here in Ireland. The FAI’s esports programme is established to attract and engage with a younger demographic of football fans and create a new participation and supporter stream through esports.

Sean Kavanagh, FAI Commercial Director, said: “This is an exciting partnership for the FAI to have such a brilliant brand to be the title sponsor for our electronic games programmes. This is an exciting area for us to grow and has huge potential for both ourselves and Virgin Media. The addition of the EFAI Cup will give the wider public a great opportunity to get involved in the games and having Virgin Media alongside us will help us amplify this as well as the Virgin Media ELOI and ENational Team for the FAI to an even wider audience.”

Vice President of Commercial at Virgin Media, Paul Higgins said: “Virgin Media recognises the growth of gaming and esports in Ireland and we know many of our customers come to Virgin Media so they can experience the most reliable and best broadband for their gameplay.  This important strategic partnership with the FAI is an opportunity for Virgin Media to continue to support the gaming community in Ireland so the right infrastructure is in place for Irish gamers to play and compete.

“We are excited to partner with the FAI’s esports programme that is committed to engaging and supporting gamers at a grass root and national level. This partnership is an extension of our gaming partnerships with the likes of Esports organisation WYLDE.”

Mark Scanlon, League of Ireland Director, said: “We’re delighted to announce Virgin Media as title sponsor with the FAI and it is great to have such a well-known and innovative brand as title sponsor of the ELOI. The ELOI has a huge role for us to play in the growth of the League of Ireland’s fanbase with the newer generation and last year’s tournament was a great way to kick off the new brand. We’re excited to see where we can take the Virgin Media ELOI along with Virgin Media into 2024.”