Hybrid Connect Questions

[GuyBB]

I'm interested in Hybrid Connect and have read up extensively on it but would like to tap into the latest wisdom of the Community before taking the plunge so will greatly appreciate any comments on the following.

I understand that it is not essential to keep the Hybrid Connect device powered up all the time but rather one can choose merely to deploy it after noticing that the (VDSL FTTC) broadband link has failed. Switchover is obviously not automatic in this case and may take longer than if the HC was always on but it will still work.

I do not use WiFi at all. Currently the only device connected to my Smart Hub 2 is a Draytek 2927 Router (non WiFi model) via a WAN port to one of the LAN ports on the SH2 using a static address in the 192.168.1.0/24 network range. DHCP is OFF on the SH2 and its WiFi is completely diabled. The HC device would be a second LAN connected device of course.

The Draytek 2927 runs my main wired subnet 192.168.0.0/24 with DHCP ON. There are various unmanaged switches, and also a subsidiary subnet (192.168.4.0/24 via a second 2927) hanging off its LAN side. Homeplugs also form part of the LAN. I can't switch the SH2 into Bridged Mode because it's the domestic (non business) variant but for what I do I'm not adversely affected by double NATting. So hopefully that setup would continue to work unchanged when the HC device was providing the internet connection.

Lastly, although I don't think it's relevant,despite getting multiple mailings over the last four months I have yet to be switched to Digital Voice. But that shouldn't affect this.

Thanks in advance for any help!

[WSH]

I believe that, unless you’re paying through the nose for the ridiculously overpriced Halo 3+, the hybrid connect box is only sent out to you if they agree your connection has failed.  It’s only with Halo 3+ that it is on-site with you, (and even then, I think they may have to activate it when they think the connection is down).  I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong there.

If you are in an area with a good 4G signal, which the hybrid connect also relies on, I would save your money and do what I did.  Get a Mercursys MB230-4G off Amazon.  Mercusys are the cheap end of TP-Link but work fine.  It is 4G+ cat 6, which delivers the same speed as I get for FTTC, 70Mb/s.   Cat 6 will theoretically go up to 300Mb/s if the connection is good enough.  Only cost me £55.  You can couple that with an EE SIM.  120GB valid for 12 months, £49.  (120GB is a months’ usage for me).  The only draw-back is that EE don’t issue an IPv6 address to PAYG SIMS, so it is IPv4 only.  I don’t notice the difference.

I also run a Draytek 2762 through the SH2 and all I do is unplug the RJ45 from the SH2 and plug the RJ45 from the Mercusys into the Draytek instead and it's good to go.  (The Mercusys is set up, address-wise, to look like the SH2 to the Draytek).

Edit: One important thought has just occurred.  Digital Voice will not work with the SH2 disconnected.  (But then again, I don't think it works through Hybrid connect either?)  Of course, if you're close enough to a 4G tower for this to work, then so will a mobile phone.

Edit2:  The EE SIM is appropriate for me as the closest tower is EE.  Of course, if your closest tower was, say O2, then an O2 SIM would be more appropriate.  I think, (and again I might be wrong), that hybrid connect only works with an EE tower, so you would need an EE tower close.  You can get info on which towers are which here:

https://www.cellmapper.net/

You’ll need to zoom out and then zoom into your location, as it starts in the middle of the sea for some reason.

[licquorice]

Yes, you can just power up the hybrid when required.

Digital Voice doesn't work when the SH2 is connected via the Hybrid device.

The Hybrid device uses the EE mobile network.

[GuyBB]

Many thanks for that reply. I am currently on Fibre 1 + Unlimited Calls and have been out of contract for some time - I wanted to be stable on Digital Voice before committing to BT for another 24 months. The BT website says that I could move to Fibre Halo 3+ for £1 LESS per month than I am currently paying but it doesn't mention the unlimited voice calls. I once had a dreadful experience when taking up a BT Offer (all BT's fault not mine and it was eventually put right after much stressful complaining) and I vowed I would never ever change my package again. But times change and despite all the mailings it seems I'm not on the list for DV anytime soon at present.  I'm not interested in switching from BT to EE as I have seen horror stories of people losing the landline number they have had for decades in the process. Also I need to keep my 11 BT Email addresses and my Quarterly Billing with Paper Bill.

The impression I get from the web site is that Halo 3+ includes the Hybrid Connect device - Hybrid Connect switches your broadband over to 4G if there’s ever a problem whereas Halo 3 (only £1 pm cheaper than Halo 3+ for me) just has the Keep Connected promise - Stay connected through any broadband issues. Just let us know, and we'll send you a 4G Mini Hub. 

I'm not interested in the Halo3 Mini Hub option but if the Halo3+ does provide you with a Hybrid Connect Device to be permanently installed and activated at your home  then I would be interested. However the Complete Wi-Fi would be of no use to me whatsoever and I don't think I would benefit from the Home Tech Experts service either. What would be of interest would be if I could retain my Unlimited Calls + Fibre 1 at a (much) lower "in contract" price (as a new customer might pay) and then add the Hybrid Connect (@ £7.55 per month?) and possibly upgrade to Fibre 2 73 Mbps if that is not too much extra. What is very concerning is that my "personalised deals" shown on the BT website do not mention my current phone service at all (nor does "Your current package" on the same page yet "What you've got with us" states "Broadband and calls". I think this confusion is really poor for a supposedly flagship telecomms company's website and I fear another BT "gotcha" trap if I were to upgrade online - I can just imagine being told I had terminated my phone service and could not recover it. But upgrading over the phone can be very fraught as well. Maybe the Live Chat would be the best way to proceed as you can download a transcript at the end which would be a record of what was agreed in the event of a subsequent dispute. 

[GuyBB]

Thanks for those confirmations!

[WSH]

I know exactly what you mean about it being a nightmare to change anything.  Also one of the reasons I've stayed out of contract.  I was moved to DV two years ago.  To be fair, that went very smooth and works very well apart from its absence in a powercut.

I'm in a very similar position and I'm probably going to jump ship and go to Sky soon.  A number of years back I was foisted with a "free" upgrade to Halo.  My instinct at the time was that the upgrade might be free but it would end up costing me...and it has.  The initial £1 less thing is a trap.  BT are very good a weasel words these days.  That price will soon go up...avoid.  Try looking at this:

https://www.bt.com/content/dam/bt/storefront/pdfs/BT_PhoneTariff_Residential.pdf

Where is says max in contract price you can take it the out of contract price is about the same...I know.

[GuyBB]

Many thanks for that link which I've been trying to get my head around.

Back on the website it seems that if I were to keep my package exactly the same but contract in for 24 months then my current monthly price would reduce from £86.21 to £68.99. I could then add the Hybrid Connect for £7.75 pm bringing the total to £76.74. And optionally add an upgrade to Fibre 2 73 Mbps at £4pm so totalling £80.74. Less than the Halo3+ price of £85.21.

Whereas if I were a brand new customer I could have either 50 Mbps Fibre 1 or 73 Mbps Fibre 2 for the same £28.99 pm and receive a £50 reward card. Hybrid Connect would be the same £7.55pm and Phone with Unlimited Minutes £18pm. So total £54.54 pm. If my figures are right that means an existing customer is charged 48% more than a new one.

What a way to reward customer loyalty. 

[WSH]

Yes, welcome to the club, mate. 

You seem determined to go for the hybrid connect.  My solution is £103 in the first year and you own the equipment outright and it works with any mobile signal (with the right SIM).  Going forward, EE SIM is then approx £50 every time you need another one.   At £7.75 per month, the hybrid connect would be  £93 per year, £190 after the second year etc.  And, unless Halo 3+, it's not under your control and you'd have to return it if you left.  Your choice, though.  Mine works for me.

What I would advise is check how good the local EE mobile signal is before you commit.  If the local signal is poor, it's a waste of time.

[GuyBB]

I liked the (theoretical) simplicity of the Hybrid Connect solution. Also there is no limit on the amount of data you can upload/download via 4G while the FTTC/FTTP broadband connection is down. Admittedly that would only be useful if the landline broadband was out for an extended period.

With the Mercursys MB230-4G did you set it up with address 192.168.1.254 to be the same as the BT home hub default? And also with DHCP OFF and Wireless Disabled? Plus ideally (but not mandatorily) in Bridged Mode just acting as a Modem?

I realise that I am becoming more and more dependent on broadband despite trying not to be. So resilience is paramount. Hybrid Connect of course does not work if the Smart Hub2 fails and nor will landline broadband. But all I have to do in that case is flick a RJ11 switch which routes my main LAN away from the Draytek 2927 to an older Draytek 2862. The 2862 has an identical LAN side setup to the 2927 but on the WAN side it has a built-in VDSL modem set up to connect to the BT service. So while I remain on FTTC, if I were to  add either BT Hybrid Connect or your type of solution I wouldn't have a single point of failure. With FTTP of course the ONT becomes a single failure point. But as I live in a flat block built in 1980 we are a very long way down the list from being offered FTTP.

I think you have to return the Hybrid Connect device when you end the service even if you acquired it under a Halo3+ deal.

I checked the EE 4G signal for my postcode on their mobile coverage checker. It said Excellent Indoor Coverage. Does that apply to data as well as voice? Presumably if using VoLTE it does?

[WSH]

Yes, set up the same as the SH2, as the two are not connected at the same time.  I just plug the Mercusys in instead of the SH2.  (The Draytek doesn’t care apart from the lack of an IPv6 address.  A reboot does your devices good though if they were using IPv6 before, so they pick up IPv4 instead).

I’d check the real signal and download speeds with your phone if I were you.  As is often the case, what the signal theoretically is and what it is in reality can be quite different.  This site is also pretty good in my experience:

https://bidb.uk

While it primarily shows broadband roadworks etc. if you go down the menu on the right it also shows mobile coverage for both indoor and outdoor signals.  Hover over the provider you are interested in.