SMART HOME TECH
t feels like
a monopoly.
BT subsidiary
Openreach
maintains the majority
of Britain’s fibre network,
BT is also the UK’s biggest
broadband provider, and
it owns Plusnet and EE.
Only Virgin Media has
a dedicated rival fibre
network – so even if
you’re with TalkTalk, Sky
or another provider, the
likelihood is you’re still
living in the shadow of
London’s phallic tower.
Most BT fibre customers
get a bundled Smart Hub
router; but if your postcode
has 145Mbps+ speeds
you can sign up for BT Halo
and receive one of these,the Smart Hub 2. And
we’ve been using it for
a few months.BANDS ON THE RUN
Compared to most ISPs’
bundled routers, the sleek
and slim Smart Hub 2 is
fairly modern and can
be coupled with BT’s
Complete Wi-Fi mesh
system. It’s 2.4GHz and
5GHz dual-band, has
seven antennas, and adds
DECT functionality so it
works with BT cordless
phones without needing
yet another hub. Nice,
but not exactly pub
bragging rights.
The proof is in the
performance, and the
Smart Hub 2 improveson its predecessor by
maintaining stronger Wi-Fi
signal strengths and being
happily capable of juggling
numerous connected
devices. The only problem
is, there’s no WPA3
encryption or Wi-Fi 6
support (see p54) to
futureproof you... and
those beefier specs
are useful when splitting
bandwidth across multiple
devices as they mean
less slowdown from your
gadgets – a key smart
home battleground.
That said, BT has a
pretty good record among
providers for being ahead
of the curve with its kit, so
we might see both features
on the Smart Hub 3.Britain’s broadband speeds
lag behind the likes of
Liechtenstein and Slovakia.
In fact, at around 22Mbps
we rank a lowly 34th for
internet quality... and 18th
for affordability.
We’re still fairly reliant
on old copper telephone
wires from homes to the
BT street cabinets where
fibre tends to kick in – and
even then it’s not always
next-gen Full Fibre (with
its claimed speeds of up
to 900Mbps).
There’s another twist
too. Not everyone withaccess to super-fast
broadband has signed
up... so providers become
reluctant to invest in
faster tech, and the lack
of demand also leaves
a public funding gap as
the government doesn’t
invest either.
For short-term gains,
try placing your router
away from walls, water
and other electrical
kit. Use wired Ethernet
connections, and consider
upgrading your router
(p54) or investing in a
mesh network (p56).Virgin Media Hub 4
Most Virgin customers get
a Hub 3, but if your area’s
good for 1Gbps broadband
you can upgrade to a Hub 4
that will handle the extra
speeds. OK, it’s still not
Wi-Fi 6, but it does pack
11 antennas and intelligent
features for sharing
bandwidth between
devices, including boosting
the signal to those
furthest from the router.
Gig1 from £62/m /
virginmedia.com
Zen Fritz!Box 7530
Zen might not be the
biggest UK provider;
but it’s won countless
customer service awards
and offers packages with
up to 900Mbps, so it’s
well worth considering.
With the Fritz!Box 7530
it also has the greatest
router name going. It’s
dual-band, with VPN
functionality, and works
with mesh networks.
Ultrafast from £39/m /
zen.co.uk
Plusnet Hub One
‘Honest broadband from
Yorkshire’ comes with
a pretty basic bundled
router and doesn’t offer
the same super-fast fibre
speeds as stablemates BT
and EE; but for value and
customer service, Plusnet
is seen as a bit of a parents’
favourite for good reason.
To its credit, the hub has
dual-band Wi-Fi and a USB
port for charging devices.
Unlimited Fibre Extra from
£28/m / plus.netEE Smart Hub
EE’s router essentially
matches the specs of
BT’s Smart Hub 2, and
that includes intelligent
connections to cope with
a pad full of smart home
kit. Speeds of up to
900Mbps are on offer,
as is an optional additional
mesh network, while EE
will also send out a backup
5G router if there’s a fibre
fault in your area.
Full Fibre Max 900 from
£60/m / ee.co.ukBT Smart Hub 2
Full Fibre 900 from £60/m / bt.com
STUFF SAYS A stylish and slim home hub, but lacks the Wi-Fi 6
speeds that would help justify the BT Halo outlay ++++,Any smart home needs decent internet speeds... and
your ISP might be able to help you out with an upgrade
BROADBAND
OTHER PROVIDERS...
CAN THIS THING GO ANY FASTER?
I