New Hub 2

[Frogmodem]

BT sent me a new Hub 2 when we had a big outage.  This was quickly diagnosed as an exchange fault so I never even opened the Hub's box as there was nothing wrong with my original one.  I decided to keep the new one and I've paid for it.  I think that it will be useful for troubleshooting purposes if ever my broadband goes off again and I need to ring BT.

Will my new hub work straight from the box or is there some kind of validation process?  I see lots advertised for sale so I'm guessing not.  I don't want to try it out yet as everything's working well and I don't want to tempt fate but just for the future, is the new one just plug and go?

[licquorice · Accepted solution]

 It works straight from the box

[VeteranISPUser]

Hi @Frogmodem   You need to take it for a walk occasionally, so it keeps pace with firmware updates.

[Frogmodem]

Thanks everyone - I thought so.  I've paid £50 through my BT account so I suppose you all think I'm a wally.  But quite honestly, how do you know the state of the ones advertised online? At least the one I've got is direct from BT and unopened.  Question.....how do the folk online advertise an unopened one for £20?  It must have originally cost the same as mine.

[pippincp]

There has always been sales of genuine unopened BT routers online at prices less than BT charge.  There are ways around getting charged for non return of euipment and seriously BT don't seem to actually persue it when there is doubt. Obviously I'm not going to tell you how they do it.

Personally, yes I think you are a wally, I would never buy an ISP hobbled router. That's just me though. I'd much perfer to put money towards a third party one which gives me more control. Consequently I wouldn't get digital voice either as you'd be locked to BT's router.

BT supply a "one fits all" device which is sufficient for the majority of their users however some need more advanced options which third party routers are a better solution.

[Frogmodem]

To be fair, DV works very well - I bought two digital phones from BT and they have lots of useful features.  I thought that all telephone lines had to be digital after a certain date anyway, so you might not have much choice.  The whole issue of what happens in a power cut will affect all providers and not just BT.

[pippincp]

Correct about power cuts. On 5th September 2023 Openreach issued a "stop sell" on any new PSTN lines so only digital alternatives be it ISP or third party suppliers available for phones.