EE UK Preparing to Launch New Broadband Router for Slower Tiers
Mobile network operator and home broadband ISP EE (BT) is reportedly preparing to launch a second Wi-Fi 7 powered router “later this year“, which is intended to complement their existing Smart Hub Pro router (inc. Smart WiFi Pro mesh kit) that is sold alongside their fastest 1.6Gbps FTTP packages on Openreach’s network.
According to information and pictures that were leaked to The Sun, which we think is fairly credible (matches some of what we’ve heard), the new router will have similar styling to the Smart Hub Pro and support the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard. But it will be of a slimmer design and is intended to replace the Wi-Fi 6 capable ‘Smart Hub Plus‘ that currently ships alongside EE’s 900Mbps and slower FTTP packages.
The new router is not expected to be a free upgrade for existing customers, although new customers will get it when they sign-up. The device is expected to launch later this year, but for now that’s pretty much the only information there is.
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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, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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I wonder whether it will be Wi-Fi 7 without the 6GHz band, just relying on MLO & 4K-QAM for the performance gains.
Oh great. More people phoning up complaining that the new WiFi works great on everything except one device, and stating that it’s our fault (not theirs!) when they eventually admit that the device on question is a decade old Windows 7 laptop.
“I pay for 900 but I only get 100. What do you mean my laptop can’t support those speeds? What do you mean that because i upgraded from 300 to 900 it won’t make this laptop faster?” A common complaint we got at my place when FTTP first became more common. I feel your pain
last week it was 1 TV , after doing everything he brings the entire TV in store. It was a great big flat screen from 2000s supporting WiFi 5 only. Or better still was. Dorothy ( not her real name) who had broadband issues shows us her EE router plugged into the BT router, plugged into a talktalk router
I know someone who was complaining about their new PC being being slow online, even upgrading their broadband speed to try and fix it……turns out they didn’t screw the antennas in.
Let’s not act like your hubs are perfect, or even good.
I have the smart Hub Pro on 1.6gbps, after around 2 weeks I will drop to 1.2gbps on my PC and 500mbps on my server. Both ethernet because WiFi is for mobiles only imo.
As if by magic restarting the router gets me back to full speed on both devices,EVERY TIME.
Thankfully I only took out a 12 month contract and won’t be renewing.
This is sensible and follows what some other ISPs do as lower tier customers don’t need a router which is over-specified (and thus more expensive) for their requirements. And this matters because when producing hundreds of thousands of units, a small cost saving does multiply.
However it isn’t all about cost as new users will be told they have the most modern and much faster WiFi 7. This is bound to create a problem for those stuck on the WiFi 6 Smart Hub Plus, but ISPs have well-established means of dealing with this type of issue.
When are BT going to release a Wi-Fi 7 router for people who don’t want to move to EE?
Michael – apart from the most minor of superficial differences such as the colour of the router or which brand name appears on the direct debit, there is no difference whatsoever between BT and EE. Same backend in the exchange, same agents in the same call centres running the same software. So to answer your question – probably never.
BT’s routers are still stuck on wi-fi 5 🙁
I had to go over to EE when the BT contract was up, offered the latest WiFi on the Hone Hub pro, great! It’s WiFi 6 ..plus side is only need one Wifi extender, add a second and it falls over every time…
@James
The EE Smart Hub Pro is Wi-Fi 7.
The EE Smart Hub Plus is Wi-Fi 6.
There is no Home Hub Pro.
Love to know if EE are ever going to give us poor BT to EE movers a new hub as still using the bt smart hub 2 as they could not upgrade me because of the bt to ee migration problems 18 months ago.
Best thing to do is ring up and ask… if you are on EE you are entitled and you can ask for one… they kept a lot of people on the BT hubs because the majority of people don’t need one…
I think that they should fix the rural infrastructure which is still carrier pigeon speed in Shropshire and then give people new routers the amount of profit they make and not do the right thing is disgusting
As someone who worked for BT/EE tech up until recently. Let’s hope this router actually delivers what it’s supposed to, and that the guides have all the tools necessary to diagnose the issues.
The smart hub plus was dreadful, I wouldn’t want another situation like that for my old co-workers.
What issues are you referring to?
To be fair, the smart hub plus has being receiving frequent firmware updates, so in theory, should be much improved. The smart hub pro, hasn’t been so lucky and the latest firmware update was February 2025.
Being barely usable on its own without BT/EE’s mesh system (available for an extra cost) is but one example. Many a customer had no issues with Legacy EE or BT routers suddenly finding that they can only get WiFi coverage if in direct line of sight of the router.
What issues are you referring to?
To be fair, the smart hub plus has being receiving frequent firmware updates, so in theory, should be much improved. The smart hub pro, hasn’t been so lucky and the latest firmware update was February 2025.
It certainly looks identical to the photo. Not connected yet so will have to see what it’s like in practice. Not keen on the look of it so will hide in the corner !!
Hiding the router in the corner? — won’t be great for the WiFi, perhaps you are connecting through ethernet. Agree, isn’t the best design ever. This general router design seems to be more common now.
Pretty standard 3 bedroom semi, with loft conversion. Only place WiFi doesn’t reach is the loft due to the insulation so placement doesn’t matter a jot.
Funny that the BT Business Smart Hub 3 supports wi-fi 6 . . but not Digital Voice or DECT . . but permits people to use the industry standard VOIP SIP. Its almost as if, they’re keeping residential customers (9 million as against business customers 1 million) a hostage to fortune and raddling the financial nuts out of them (Whilst providing the technical trailling edge in service speed) in order to finance the leading-edge projects which “Ordinary customers will never need” . . .aka . . . the standing historical British methodolgy for financing advance.
We’re told that the “Not-in-use” label over one of the sockets on the BT Business Smart Hub 3 may relate to phone use. But we’re also told that this hub doesn’t support analog phones Anybody know what the function of this unused socket is or whether its a violation of BT’s terms and conditions of use if a residental customer connects a BT Business Hub to his set-up.
I’ve got one already. Was told it’s free.