Hub 5: Our first ever WiFi 6 broadband router

[Kei_M]

Back in October we announced the launch of the new Hub 5 and we’ll be offering this to customers at no extra cost as part of a phased rollout.

Our next-generation Hub works alongside Virgin Media’s ultrafast broadband network to deliver peak WiFi performance, thanks to WiFi 6.

This latest future-proof WiFi standard, which will work with Virgin Media’s existing DOCSIS 3.1 technology, is designed to power the next-generation of connected devices – including modern smartphones, laptops, tablets and next-gen games consoles.

With this latest technology and even more WiFi antennae than its predecessor, the Hub 5 will be able to support more devices, connecting at the same time, while expanding coverage and stability which improves WiFi performance.

It means the new Hub 5 boasts increased WiFi speeds, lower latency and can help reduce interference from neighbouring hubs and devices.

The Hub 5 has been designed to support multi-gigabit speeds and comes with a 2.5Gbps ethernet port alongside three additional 1Gbps ports.

FAQ

How can I get a Hub 5? / I’m on Gig1 Fibre and need the Hub 5 to maximise my service

We've started to offer the Hub 5 as standard to new Gig1 customers as well as existing customers without a Hub 4 who upgrade to Gig1. Currently there is no other way to get a Hub 5.

Temporarily, due to stock levels at the end of last year and the start of this year. Some Gig1 customers expecting a Hub 5 may have received a Hub 4 instead. We'll be contacting these Gig1 customers to offer them a Hub 5 via email.

What are the specs?

-Broadband – DOCSIS3.1/3.0 Broadcom 3390S

-WiFi:

• 5xAntennae
• 4x4 MiMo 5Ghz Broadcom 6715
• 3x3 MiMo 2.4Ghz Broadcom 6710
• WiFi 6 (802.11ax)

-Ethernet:

• 1x2.5Gbps Broadcom 54991EL
• 3x1Gbps Broadcom 3390S

[symon8]

I was previously invited to received a HUB5, but there was a tech issue preventing the order going through, as I was already accepted to receive one, can it be looked into if one can be issued to me now ?

[r3volt97]

^ cause they have to make the order for you , same goes for upgrades as i've tried to do it myself and got an error in all the browsers i've tried . 

[snout]

I was told over chat that it's noted on my account for hub 5  but they don't have any available yet a couple of weeks ago. not holding my breath on that 💪

[Deryk]

They have sucked me back in! receiving call after call this week and confirming via twitter that it was in-fact real virgin media, the lady said she was offering me upgrades to my Internet, after explaining that I already have gig1 and a crappy hub 4 she said she could see a hub 5 is waiting to be sent to me, all I have to do is contact the technical team, and we ended the convo.,,  I call Shenanigans! how can she see being the upgrade team? and I cant get it from anyone..., I've reached out over twitter-to see how I can get in contact with them, live chat isn't working at all on any device and id rather pull out my fingernails than use WhatsApp..  £5.00 says they won't send it per the "not available in my area" excuse while also offering me the upgrades for my area including a hub 5 if I take the tv channels, make it make sense! 

[desthompson]

Why oh why oh why???? Are people throwing women and children behind them “just to get a hub5” it’s an over rated piece of **bleep** that’s been churned out prior to extended field testing. Someone is making a fast buck out of this just like a Tory it is incompatible with some Winsys like 8 and 10 and totally incompatible with my wife’s android galaxy 9.0 I had to give mine back and get back to the hub4 as the 5 didn’t recognise my Wi-Fi on these systems….. a load of crap! And Virgin tech if you are reading, get back to the bench and get to work on a compatible system **bleep** that actually works with common older applications.

Rant over!

[Deryk]

Mine would be put straight into hub mode, so no issues with connectivity, and also I could avail of the 1130 coming to my house rather then topping out at 930-949 Im getting now.. 😁

[thebatfink]

Its hardly before extended field testing. This thread you are replying in is basically 14 months old and references the first one from 2 months prior. How long do you think testing should take. 7th Feb I can give my final months notice on my 18 month contract and going with Openreach FTTP with some actual upload speed, 21st century latency and a hefty subscription discount of 30%.

[snout]

update: just received my hub5 , been up for 24 hours. first impressions , see max download speeds now. no connectivity issues. speedtests consistent.

 

[Deryk]

Right as suspected, I got though to the correct team and they can see theres a hub 5 for my address, but cant send it to me and don't know why,"it just doesn't work". also im not sure why the guy I spoke to thought it was appropriate for him to ask my why I want faster speeds when anything above 500 is fine? so why are you providing a gigabit service then?. i've submitted a complaint to them and filled out the form etc, they then message me saying hey are having trouble dealing out and can I call them? 🤣 seriously? also having been badgered by them all week and this last week also… I logged into my account, and guess who out of contract from the 13th?  This guy! and it cant come quick enough! il obviously be keeping the service until the new one is installed from openreach  but it looks like i'm getting away from them in the Very near future! 

[KernelFergus]

before upgrading to 1Gig, i was told that i would be able to receive an upgrade to the hub 5 in or around january. looking at this, it was either incorrect, or a falsehood to get me to upgrade.

[marekthomasx1]

Well, i’ve just seen a bunch here and i’ll reiterate to save the mods some time. Hub 5’s are in such high demand currently, to the point that even starting to think about the 5X is hopeless. (for those uninitiated, Hub 5X is XGS-Pon with a 10GB port on the back. same processing etc, and doesn’t use docsis. just saw one in the wild the other day!)

From what i’m reading, there is a massive backlog in hub 5 availability. it is true that VM are trying to offer as much as possible to customers to upgrade as and where it is available. in circumstances where a hub 5 isn’t available, sometimes a hub 4 will be sent with the ability to upgrade when it comes available. (I have seen users comment on this, and clarified with members prior on different areas). I’d like to point out that this is purely availability, and yes, entirely depends on your Site ID and locality to your VM Red Shed. 

one piece of advice i would give anyone, while the hype is still this high, VM are struggling to meet demand. if you have a speed issue, I would raise it with service assurance, and your best way to do that is normal line option 1 option 2. 

VM aren’t CHOOSING to not give you one because you want one, it’s commercial availability of said product. manufacturing roughly 4.6 million routers is a lot of effort, negating faults etc. 

[thebatfink]

Do you actually speak for VM? We’ve been here for over a year discussing this. Before they decided that actually, they were going to give them to new users of 1g and to hell with the existing (presumably because they already have that contract signed so nothing for them to gain). Literally everything you just posted is short sighted and so far off understanding the situation and feeling of existing subscribers throughout this thread it’s frankly laughable. They absolutely have chosen who is going to get one and existing users came second again. I appreciate VM has its fan boys but to come waffling that tripe isn’t helpful at all.

[marekthomasx1]

No, I do not speak for VM. I will say the entire reason I switched from alternate providers is because i’ve seen far worse. I would say it is the way how you go around it, and yes, I own a hub 5. do not get me wrong, i agree that some customers have had horrible experiences getting them, but i feel like the “I want a hub 5” has a little bit more than “here you go”.

[TeddyTRK]

Let me be clear, if VM are unable to provide Hub 5 or Hub 5Xs then why advertise them at all? They have the right to put "Virgin Media Hub" like they do on most non gig packages, this would avoid a lot of arguments. I hate the fact people defend VM for their marketing. Virgin bring it on themselves 

[thebatfink]

So you are coming here to tell us what are you, whilst sitting on your own hub 5 and being able to utilise that additional download speed that we all want to with out 2,5gb / 10gb networks. lol. Dude you have literally zero credibility. 

How is, I’ve been a VM customer for years unbroken. How about I pay £62 a month for the last 18 months for my 1g which is more than any new customer. How about I have a mixed 2.5gb/10gb network in my home and want to utilise the hub for what it provides over the 4 when they are distributed to people who likely don’t even know what any of that means, maybe doesn’t even know what a 4 or 5 hub is, for less.

I’m not wasting more time with you. Thanks for contributing your opinion on the matter, I respectfully disagree with it entirely.

[rs888]

I see the FAQ wording has been updated again.

This time no mention of existing Gig1 Hub 4 customers being contacted for a swap out only those who got a Hub 4 because of the shortages.

This is getting beyond ridiculous now, pay more and get treated second class, been over a year now and my patience is wearing thin.

Just waiting for an altnet or Openreach to get here.

[TeddyTRK]

BeFibre are arriving where I live within a few months. I do have a Hub 5 but the way people are treated, even not really experiencing it myself deters me away. Say something DOES go wrong. I have family being told to wait 30 days so they can "test equipment" every hour instead of sending an engineer out and replacing the hub. Even a hub 4 for a newer hub 4 is so hard to get now. 

[andrewmm]

Hay @thebatfink

I pay 75 for 500 . 

But having read all these i don't think for much longer.  Just waiting for the yearly price rises to come out on other companies. 

[gavinm42]

I believe it was BeFibre that a VM Engineer was talking to me about. Reckoned that Virgin will let them get to a certain size and then they'll buy them out.

[TeddyTRK]

I doubt it as BeFibre have symetrical speeds. So VM would have to match that standard first