VirginMedia O2 launches aggressive price promotion around cut-price sport

Virgin Media O2 in the UK has launched an aggressive price promotion which it claims represents a £33 per month saving against rival Sky’s nearest equivalent service. The move comes as Sky is set to implement a series of price increases from April 2023.

According to the operator, its Bigger + Sports bundle gives customers the ability to watch all Sky Sports and BT Sport channels with ultrafast M500 broadband for £65 per month. Customers can also upgrade their viewing experience with Sky Sports Ultra HD for £7 per month. The offer is open to new customers from now until March 31.

David Bouchier, chief TV & entertainment officer at Virgin Media O2, commented: “With so much captivating live sport available to tune in to over the next few months, including the return of the UEFA Champions League and the new Formula 1 season, we want to give sports fans even more reason to feel excited.”

In addition to UEFA CL and F1, the offer covers the final stages of the current Premier League season and the England v New Zealand Test series. M500 broadband, meanwhile, delivers ultrafast average download speeds of 516Mbps.

Last week, Virgin Media O2 reported its busiest day on record for network traffic on Wednesday 15 February, hitting a peak of 24.77Tbps at peak (8-10pm average) – a 10% increase on the previous record. It linked the surge with football fans streaming Arsenal v Manchester City in the Premier League as well as Champions League matches. The release of Call of duty: Warzone 2.0 Season Two also contributed.

Jeanie York, CTO of Virgin Media O2 said: “We have once again seen records smashed on our network with football fans and gamers using our ultrafast speeds. This rising demand and the continued importance of connectivity is why we keep investing and innovating to ensure that we deliver for our customers.” The company currently invests around £2bn a year in its fixed and mobile networks and services, claiming average broadband speeds that are four times faster than the UK average.