Our BT Hub 3 is quite old now and our connection is unreliable, keeps dropping out, seems worse early evening for some reason! I don't have the energy to fight with BT to try and get a new hub so might it be worth buying a Hub 4 from PC World? They have them for £39.95 and say they are 'unlocked' whatever that means. We don't have fibre optic here (in the country) so can't get Hub 5 as it seems to be fibre optic only.

Grateful for any advice!

give bt some abuse on twitter and you get a new hub send out no problem no effort required worked for me got 4 hubs out of them

Thanks, shall try it.

The HH5 is for ADSL and VDSL.

If you have to resort to buying a HH4 because it is unlocked at least you will have a router that works with any ISP which is handy if you move in the future.

I don't know what locked or unlocked means! Our BB provider is BT (alas) and I can't face trying to change. But thanks for the advice. (Do you know if we bought a 5 series hub if it would work OK without fibre optic technology?)

Locked / unlocked refers to whether you can use it with another provider. Locked routers will only work on BT (or Plusnet, apparently, who is owned by BT). Unlocked ones will work with any ISP.

BT does sell a unlocked version of the hub for those who want it.

Yes, the HH5 should work on your non-fibre internet connection - but the point being made is that it will work seamlessly if you decide to upgrade. You may think you won't ever get fibre because you are in the country, but that isn't necessarily true

Before you get the wallet out it might be worth moaning at BT, as they may well just send you a new hub for free

Thanks for that. I am trying via Twitter to get a new one! It's just possible we might get fibre optic some time in future.

Yes, the Home Hub 5 works with ADSL and VDSL

I have 1 for sake, please contact me for details.

Another one who can not be bothered to change even if they may get a better and cheaper service. Now wonder the likes of Sky and BT are raking it in.