ISP Virgin Media UK Seeks Beta Testers for New Hub 3 Firmware
A small group of 30 customers on Virgin Media’s (VMO2) home broadband packages, specifically those who are still using their old Hub 3.0 (ARRIS TG2492S/CE) router, are being invited to help beta test a new firmware update for the device. Participants will also receive a £30 Amazon voucher on completion of the trial.
The trial firmware is said to contain “only backend changes” (i.e. likely just some general fixes and tweaks), although they don’t spell out precisely what they are, but customers have been informed that they shouldn’t notice any difference. The trial is currently planned to last for between 4 – 12 weeks and after that the new update is likely to be released, in gradual phases, for the rest of their Hub 3.0 base.
In order to be eligible, customers must have an active Hub 3 router on a Virgin Media broadband package (obviously) that is NOT being used in modem mode. See further trial details. The Hub 3 is somewhat of a relic by modern standards (lacks support for their latest DOCSIS 3.1 network), and was known for problems with its Intel Puma chip, which is partly why a lot of people ended up using it in modem mode (i.e. adopting a second router to handle WiFi etc.).
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The router has since been superseded by the much more capable HUB 4 and HUB 5 (inc. HUB 5X) devices, but quite a few customers are still using the Hub 3.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook and Linkedin.
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Meanwhile on the VM HUB5, many customers got a firmware update last night that now shows the DocSIS 3.1 status on downstream and upstream and power levels and ability to control the brightness of the LED light.
Seems like I got that too.
Been very impressed with the Hub 5, rock solid and very fast. My old ASUS router is no longer in use.
Only problem was the initial set-up where I had to use my browser Dev Tools to get through an infinite loop. Not particularly ideal if I wasn’t a developer but probably fixed by now…
I had a remote reboot around that date, but I dont see any docsis 3.1 channel info on my hub 5.
No way am I taking my completely stable wifi setup and making it shit for £30 to be part of a test I may not be invited to
Same here
I quite agree with you
Hub 3, stable in the same sentence.
Hmm….
I only this year took out Virgin (Youfibre weren’t available at the time) yet I still received a hub 3 which I think is ridiculous that they are still giving them out rather than reducing them from its customer base.
That depends what subscription you are on.
Packages lower than Gig1 get the Hub4/5 in congested areas. Virgin has plenty Hub3 stock, but moving everyone to Hub5 for the sake of it would be wasteful, they should only scrap routers when they are dead or actually old. WiFi 4 is old but WiFi 5 (Hub3/4) is plenty for the 100 and 200mbps packages. The Puma bug sucks but really isn’t that much of an issue (from a Hub3 user).
I’d like to see 500mbps (and eventually 350mbps) being prioritised for Hub5 but given congestion issues in some areas I can see why Virgin is prioritising them for Hub5 supply rather than everywhere.
Virgin is taking a similar strategy with XGS PON and only switching customers when their speed needs it, congestion in the area is bad or the local HFC infrastructure needs significant investment). Trying to switch everyone as fast as possible would create a far bigger boom-and-bust on Virgin’s installers and would have relatively little advantage when Virgin has already moved mostly to VOIP.
Moving all customers on a node to Hub 4/5 would enable VM to drop support for DOCSIS 3.0 and move to 3.1 only. This would free up bandwidth to reduce congestion and allow VM to offer higher speeds.
I have hub4 on 1Gig connection. They told me that they don’t have any hub5 in stock. That was about one year ago. I have alli devices on wifi6, so still waiting for the hub5.
Hub 3 back end fixes needed are to the Websafe “Child Safe / “Virus Safe” controls.
My Hub 3 is very stable, beta software of any type is not for us.
Just applied for this personally, not sure what I’d spend the £30 on though lol
Off topic, but relevant to Virgin, just had fibre laid outside home under pavement for Virgin, the cables are laid as shallow as 100mm and have no protection. Trunking was not used and cables taped together in a bundle and the waste from trenching thrown on top, sharp stones as well. This will be earmarked over and to my mind is the worst cabling I have seen. If this is the standard virgin is using then I will stay away from them.
Tarmaced
Taped together is normal, Virgin often use DIG rather than ducted (unfortunately). They should be 250mm bellow the pavement, if its less than that contact the Virgin build department, they will be interested in their contractors not doing civils correctly.