Virgin Media TV Shakeup: 86 Channels Are Changing

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Virgin Media TV customers, brace yourselves for one of the largest overhauls in the company’s history.

An ambitious renumbering of 86 channels is about to sweep across your TV guide, promising to “enhance viewer experience” and streamline channel navigation.

Set to go live on July 4, this reshuffle is more than just a change of digits; it’s a significant restructure that will impact an extensive array of channels, spanning general entertainment, music, and more.

The list of changes includes a wide range of channels – from Alibi and Quest to 5Select and Discovery, along with some of Sky’s channels, and many others.

Virgin Media TV 360
Virgin Media TV 360

The changes will take place across all platforms and devices – TiVo, V6, TV360, and Stream.

Virgin Media’s Stream box is based on broadband and streaming, but it still has an electronic TV guide with linear channels.

Therefore, if that’s how you’re used to flipping channels on Stream – then these changes will certainly be relevant to you as well.

Virgin Media Stream Box with TV
Virgin Media’s Stream Box

The updates will see popular general entertainment and music channels propelled to more prominent positions on the TV guide, making them easier for viewers to find and access.

Alongside the rearrangement of primary channels, the revamp also includes new grouping of ‘+1’ channels into a single dedicated range between the numbers 300 and 399.

In a bid to ensure a seamless transition, Virgin Media TV guarantees that the changes will occur automatically and will not require any action from its customers.

Importantly, the upcoming channel reordering has been designed to have zero impact on customers’ pre-set recordings or series links, allowing users to enjoy their favourite shows and series uninterrupted.

Virgin Media Stream live TV guide
TV Guide on Virgin Media Stream

However, it’s worth mentioning that in the past, major channel numbering changes did mess up future recordings for some – so while it’s not supposed to happen this time around, it’s worth double-checking your upcoming recordings after July 4.

Virgin Media Channels: What’s Changing?

A glance at the new lineup reveals an increased prominence given to general entertainment channels, which are now grouped together.

Notably, channels like Alibi HD, Drama HD, and 5 USA, which were previously nestled in the range of 126 to 153, are now moving into more noticeable positions at 114, 116, and 120 respectively.

Alibi channel UKTV

Channels such as Crime + Investigation HD and Sky History HD, once buried in the depths of the guide around the 200 mark, are now shifted up to 131 and 133.

The reshuffle isn’t just confined to general entertainment, with music channels also getting a boost.

Channels like MTV Music, MTV Live HD, and MTV Hits are migrating from the 310s to the more easily accessible 280s, bringing a diverse mix of music genres closer to the fingertips of viewers.

Perhaps the most eye-catching move is the consolidation of ‘+1’ channels into a single range. The likes of ITV +1, 4+1 Eng, and 5+1, which were previously scattered across the spectrum, are now neatly grouped together between 303 and 391.

This move is particularly noteworthy, as it ensures easier access and better navigation for viewers keen on catching up with their favourite shows an hour later (a habit that is slowly disappearing with the advent of streaming and catch-up – but is still important to some).

Full List Of Virgin Media July 4 Channel Changes:

General Entertainment Channels:

New No.ChannelOld No.
114Alibi HD126
116Drama HD130
1205 USA153
1265 STAR151
1305ACTION HD150
131Crime + Investigation HD198
133Sky History HD270
136Together TV269
137Quest HD169
1385 Select152
164S4C166
165TLC HD167
166ID168
168Quest Red170
169DMAX171
170Great! TV189
171Horror Xtra192
172Reality Xtra197
174BLAZE199
175Virgin Ultra HD228
176Eden HD245
177Discovery HD250
178Animal Planet HD251
179Discovery Science252
180Discovery Turbo256
181Discovery History257
182Nat Geo Wild HD265
183National Geographic HD266
186Sky History 2 HD272
187PBS America273
188Sky Documentaries HD277
189Sky Nature HD278
190Food Network285
191HGTV286
192God TV292
Music Channels:

New No.ChannelOld No.
280MTV Music310
281MTV Live HD311
282MTV Hits312
283MTV 90s313
284MTV 80s316
285The Box335
2864Music336
287E4 Extra337
288Kiss338
289Magic TV340
290Kerrang342
291Vevo344
292Clubland345
293Now 70s346
294Now 80s347
295Now Rock348

Plus 1 Channels:

New No.ChannelOld No.
303ITV +1114
3044+1 Eng142
3055+1155
306E4 + 1146
310Sky Witness +1163
314Alibi +1191
315ITV 2 +1116
316Drama +1226
317ITV3 +1174
318ITV4 +1175
319ITVBe +1120
3205 USA +1185
321Sky Crime +1164
324Gold +1194
325W +1190
3265 STAR +1186
327Dave Ja Vu131
329Yesterday +1217
331Crime + Investigation +1222
332Comedy Central +1133
333Sky History +1271
337Quest +1213
347More4 +1196
348CBS Reality +1218
365TLC +1172
366ID +1173
369DMAX +1214
371Horror Xtra +1219
376Eden +1246
377Discovery +1258
378Animal Planet +1259
379Discovery Science +1260
381Discovery History+1261
383National Geographic +1267
391HGTV +1290

Note that the tables above also apply to Scotland, except 5USA moves from 153 to 162 rather than 120.

9 thoughts on “Virgin Media TV Shakeup: 86 Channels Are Changing”

  1. VIRGIN ARE RUBBISH. They used to be hot stuff now it’s just lies manipulation and greed. First of all all the good things have gone like ‘favourites’ and easy selection. The new remote is crap the fast forward and channel change are right together so if you recorded early to fast throgh the ads and you accidentally hit the channel change you lose everything. TV is watched in the dark. The old remote you could feel your way around it. And the subtitles you have to keep selecting them for each time you change channel. And the font is that horrible one that all Chinese products use.

    Reply
  2. Every time Virgin remove a channel they replace it with a channel without subtitles
    It seems virgin are determined to get rid of subscribers with hearing impairments.

    Reply
  3. Absolute mess ..tcm lost and no replacement..same old virgin wack the price up and never tell us about changes… you have taken away channels in the past ..replace tcm with something else or reduce the bill ..livid !

    Reply
  4. Most of this is just change for some manager trying to justify their existence, however the changes to +1 channel numbers is an unmitigated disaster. Who looks up a program in Radio Times anymore and thinks ” Oh I can watch it an hour later.” No, most people look at a category amd think, Oh what a shame, I just missed “x”. Do you think we want to go to 300 to get this information. Did you actually ask any of your customers Virgin?

    Reply
  5. What are virgin going to do to replace TCM?
    I’m paying for a service and you never tell your customers that your takin them away.This is not good enough.

    Reply
  6. What a total mess.
    If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – certainly don’t destroy it.
    Were any users approached, before or after, for their views?

    Reply

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