Upgrading to hub 4 but want hub 5

[gaogier]

Hello

So a really quick question regarding my broadband hub and wanting to wait but want better speed and coverage. 

I have 500mbps but out of contract now and the new bills are near £18 move expensive that when in contract. 

here is my reasoning why I don’t want the hub 4…

hopefully this year I will get the upgrade hub 5. 

I don’t want to pay for any installation fees for hub 4 then the hub 5 when I get it

I don’t want to pay for activation fee for hub 4 then again for the hub 5.

hub 5 has WiFi 6

More than likely that I will have to return the hub 4

then what do virgin media do with the hub 4 when I get the hub 5?

you then have the additional delivery so double the pollution via delivery too.

I have been offered a hub 5 months ago but virgin media website kept giving errors like “bad request” not link is no longer active.

Does anyone know when the hub 5 is either going wider trials or a full release dates would be?

thank you for any help you give

[legacy1]

If you hub was a modem you wouldn't be asking for one bad part on VM for people demanding the newest hub I bet if VM give you this hub 5 you be soon asking for the next one.

VM have to give out hub 5 to ones that need it, like to guess what hub I'm on after all these years with VM?

If you can't be happy with the hub your given you can get your own router and put hub in modem mode.

[Tudor]

"I don’t want to pay for any installation fees for hub 4 then the hub 5 when I get it

I don’t want to pay for activation fee for hub 4 then again for the hub 5."

There are NO installation or activation fees for hub upgrades.

There is NO release date for the Hub5, it’s still in a soft launch phase and is issued by invitation only.

[gaogier]

Hello

i have had the hub 3 (super hub 3) since launch really. At least 10 years I have had the internet hubs using other routers around my home. So yes I do have the system where I am getting faster internet but not from the hub 3. These extenders are being used are not exactly new, the last up to date one is 9 years old.

No, I don’t want to spend extra money of mine to do what virgin media hubs and boosters should be doing. 

I am happy with my current WiFi setup and speeds, just don’t like the prices, as prices going up everywhere I don’t want to pay extra on setup and activation.

you say that virgin media don’t charge setup fee, activation fee and I assume delivery, but when talking to virgin media via chat they always say there are fees added for activation and setup of £35 each and been told not to worry it will be added to my next billing cycle when asked it they would remove said fees.

if I was already asked to test and have the hub 5, surely they would give one to me? I am happy to wait for the new hub but virgin media won’t let me stay or keep the hub 3 until then. The bill has gone up over £30 now as I said I didn’t want the hub 4, I want the hub 5, I don’t want to waste money or contribute to tech waste where possible.

[newapollo]

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@gaogier wrote:
I have 500mbps but out of contract now and the new bills are near £18 move expensive that when in contract. 
If you are out of contract then negotiate a new deal, at a price point you are happy with,and for a new hub with free activation as part of the new deal

i have had the hub 3 (super hub 3) since launch really. The bill has gone up over £30 now as I said I didn’t want the hub 4, I want the hub 5, I don’t want to waste money or contribute to tech waste where possible.

You would be "contributing to tech waste" whichever hub you were given, as the hub 3 would need returning.

The hub 5 is in soft launch, in other words it's still being tested... 

Info below from /Digital-life/Hub-5-Our-first-ever-WiFi-6-broadband-router 

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

We’re rolling the Hub 5 out in phases, and we’re emailing specific groups of customers over time to invite them to order ahead of a wider launch in 2022. Only customers who receive the email invite will be able to order for the time being.

Why is the rollout being phased?

We’re ironing out some kinks around customers who have Gig1, Intelligent WiFi Pods, and home phone via hub. Once we've addressed these issues we'll start to include these customers in the rollout. You'll receive an email with an invite to order when this is ready.

Update 24th Feb 22: we've started to send email invites to a small number of customers who have home phone via hub ahead of offering this more widely to this cohort of customers. We'll share an update when we have some more news.

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[Tudor]

"i have had the hub 3 (super hub 3)"

It has never ever been called the "super hub 3", it’s always just a Hub3. All your network equipment is rented from VM and you get no choice in which hub you are sent. You get the hub appropriate for the speed of your service. Many hubs nowadays are refurbished ones. VM supply you with a broadband connection and do not guarantee WiFi at all, just a low cost system that is adequate for many users.. If you require better networking equipment unfortunately you need to spend some money and buy your own as many users have done.

VM could supply all users with the latest, greatest networking equipment and throw away all the current hubs, but there is a but and it a very big one, everyone would see a large increase in their bills. I somehow don’t think users would like this.

[jhuk]

10 years?  😕

The HUB3 was only launched in 2016: Hands on: Virgin Media Super Hub 3 review | TechRadar

[gaogier]

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@jhuk wrote:

10 years?  😕

The HUB3 was only launched in 2016: Hands on: Virgin Media Super Hub 3 review | TechRadar

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I said: 
“i have had the hub 3 (super hub 3) since launch really. At least 10 years I have had the internet hubs using other routers around my home”

I am going to break this up a bit more as I don’t want people to think I am lying as many do when I try and explain what I mean in my answers.

“i have had the hub 3 (super hub 3) since launch really.“ - by this I mean it was a few months after launch 

“At least 10 years I have had the internet hubs using other routers around my home” - by this I mean that for at least 10 years I have had the virgin media routers setup in a (bridge format?) or in modem only mode.

I can’t remember what it was actually called but bridge mode or format seems to ring something in my head for some reason if it’s not called bridge.

If the hub 3 was never called super hub 3, then why do reviews and specs on websites call it super hub 3? Even the link that jhuk says super hub 3. 

yes there will be tech waste/recycling when upgrading to any new hub, but if I wait a couple months for the hub 5 it would save 2 hubs not one, from tech waste.

I am more than happy to stay with the hub 3 for another year, but virgin said I can’t keep using the hub 3. I assume for their systems?? No idea really… they said that if I sign up now for the new deal and the activation and setup fee would be added to my monthly bill and as soon as the hub 5 rolls our later in 2022 they will send me it automatically and requires more setup and activation fee. The way I see it is that they want me to let them have an extra £50 for something I am currently happy with. 

I have asked btw if I can stay on the hub 4 on the new contract without the hub 5 upgrade but they said no.

I just want to add I am not trying to be difficult or rude here. I just want to save a bit of money in this harsh fuel price increases and cost of food and general living expenses.