Virgin Media TV customers are getting three new | Tech News

Anyone with a Virgin Media set-top box plugged into their TV is getting yet one more slew of new channels added to their account at no further price right now. Having spent a lot of 2025 bolstering its choice of FAST (Free Ad-supported Streaming TV) channels, the firm is constant that into 2026 with three new Rakuten channels for customers with Virgin TV 360 and Flex packages.

Those Virgin subscribers will now discover Rakuten TV Drama, Rakuten TV Comedy and Rakuten TV Sci-Fi at channels 462, 463 and 464 respectively on their set-top containers.

Virgin says these channels will deliver blockbusters similar to The Big Short, Gosford Park and JFK to TVs, plus comedies together with Big Momma’s House, The Internship and Bedazzled, whereas sci-fi is served up within the kind of The Fountain and Predestination, amongst many others.

“Virgin TV customers can also dive into hundreds of TV shows episodes and movies on demand via the Rakuten TV app – at no extra cost – which is accessible via the Virgin TV app store,” Virgin stated in a press release.

Rakuten is a Japanese tech firm that owns retail website Buy.com and instantaneous messaging app Viber. It additionally beforehand acquired Canadian e-reader outfit Kobo, which is taken into account the Amazon Kindle’s primary competitor. Rakuten TV is its video-on-demand service.

With these new additions, Virgin now provides its customers entry to more than 40 FAST channels together with British Screen Classics, Inside Crime and U&Transport. All FAST channels intersperse content material with advertisements.

“We know that amazing content and value are a priority for our customers, and the launch of these exciting new streaming channels provides exactly that – unmissable entertainment, including great Hollywood blockbusters, at no extra cost,” stated David Bouchier, Chief TV and Entertainment Officer at Virgin Media O2.

“From drama to comedy and everything in between, our line-up of streaming channels offers something for everyone, and these exciting additions will provide our customers with everything available from Rakuten TV, all in one place.”

Paid TV service suppliers similar to Virgin Media and Sky are eager to focus on new and current perks such because the addition of FAST channels at no further prices for his or her customers within the face of competitors from streaming service platforms similar to Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video.

These standalone streaming suppliers charge month-to-month charges on easy-to-leave rolling contracts, and of late offer many TV reveals and movies completely because of offers with studios or by producing the content material themselves.

Traditional, contract lock-in providers from Virgin Media and Sky can offer fascinating providers as add-ons, similar to Sky Sports, however usually include high month-to-month charges. In a world the place viewing habits have modified significantly within the final decade and proceed to morph, it stays to be seen if the addition of perks similar to FAST channels, with linear programming, can keep customers completely happy within the age of on-demand subscription streaming.