[BenMcr]

However if you connect that way, there is no verification that the SSID you're connecting to is actually part of the Virgin Media WiFi network, or that the server that is asking for your username and password is real.

The certificates that the app installs on the configured devices ensure that the device only connect to authorised 'Virgin Media' SSIDs and that the network authentication past that is also secure.

So as the app is currently the only source of those certificates, only if you use the app to configure a device can you be sure that you're connection to Virgin Media WiFi is valid and secure.