UPDATE3 Virgin Media UK Unveil Next Gen SuperHub WiFi Broadband Router

Cable ISP Virgin Media (Liberty Global), perhaps in an attempt to steal some of the thunder from BT’s recent FREE Sport and Hub 4 announcements (here and here), has today unveiled a next generation Super Hub (V2) wireless router of its own for their broadband customers.

The operators first Super Hub (NetGear) router /cable modem soon became notorious for problems that stretched from corrupted downloads to poor wifi performance and other afflictions. As a result the “broadband boffins” at Virgin Media hope that their new kit will prove to be both faster and more effective.

The new Super Hub is currently being used by a small group of “selected customers” and is expected to launch in the coming weeks. Virgin Media also claims that it can handle even faster speeds than BT’s Hub 4 “thanks to an extra antenna on the 5GHz channel that improves range as well as speed“. The Super Hub will also enable concurrent access to both the 5GHz and 2.4GHz wireless channels.

Virgin Media SuperHub V2 Specifications (Netgear 2013 Model)

Cable Chipset: Intel Puma 5

Maximum: 8×4 Doscis 3.0 channels

2.4GHz Wifi Radio: Qualcom Atheros AR9344

2.4 GHz Antennas: Two Spatial streams (2×2)

5GHz Wifi Radio: Qualcomm Atheros AR9580

5 GHz Antennas: Three Spatial streams (3×3)*

4 x Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports**

1x USB 2.0 port

Size: 215mm high x 69mm Wide (at widest point) x 195mm Long

Weight: 520g (unit without PSU)

Virgin reminded us that BT’s Hub 4 supports “two spatial streams“, 3 x 100Mbps Ethernet Ports and only 1 x Gigabit Ethernet port. As above, Virgin’s SuperHub support 4 x Gigabit LAN ports and its 5GHz mode is capable of speeds up to 450Mbps (300Mbps on Hub 4). We hope to have some pictures soon.

UPDATE 3:46pm

Sadly Virgin Media have declined to send us a picture before the official launch, though if any beta testers would like to send one our way.. :).

UPDATE 7:38pm

Thanks to our readers we’ve been able to add a little picture of the new router, which looks more or less like the previous model.

UPDATE 6:50am

Thanks to another reader we now have a video. In addition ISPreview.co.uk understands that the included USB 2.0 port doesn’t currently have a specific function, although if it’s anything like other such devices then future support for USB flash drives and possibly USB mobile broadband modems is a significant possibility (4G perhaps?).

UPDATE 3rd June 2013

The official announcement and benchmark results were released last week (here).