PC Pals Forum

Technical Help & Discussion => Broadband, Networking, PC Security, Internet & ISPs => Topic started by: Den on July 15, 2016, 22:03

Title: BT Smarthub
Post by: Den on July 15, 2016, 22:03
Hi, I have just ordered the new BT Smarthub for the giveaway price of £50 plus postage and it will arrive on Tuesday. Looking forward to it as the write ups that I have seen say its the best router ever with seven aerials and a much greater range for WiFi. 

I will report back after Tuesday.  :D
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Clive on July 15, 2016, 22:27
Hope you are back online in time for the Christmas Quiz Den!   :devil:
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Simon on July 15, 2016, 22:31
How did you get it for £50?
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: daveeb on July 16, 2016, 00:36
Hope you are back online in time for the Christmas Quiz Den!   :devil:

You love BT as much as me Clive  :D
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Baz on July 16, 2016, 09:11
Hi, I have just ordered the new BT Smarthub for the giveaway price of £50 plus postage and it will arrive on Tuesday. Looking forward to it as the write ups that I have seen say its the best router ever with seven aerials and a much greater range for WiFi. 

I will report back after Tuesday.  :D

yeah let us know how it goes Den. I was thinking about it too but when they said I had to pay well  ;) ;)    I pre registered my interest in it and thought I could get one but the deal was that you had to renew your contract at the new rates and for an 18 month contract, I had just got myself a new deal 2 weeks before this info came out and was told it was only if you pay the increased prices. My new deal was for 24 months...my argument for getting one... but because i'd haggled a new £10 a month less price due to saying I was thinking of leaving they said i would need to pay for the hub.  They did try the  " well the hub is retail in the likes of Currys etc for £150 sir... "   I think thats the price they said.   

I await your report Den  :)
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Clive on July 16, 2016, 10:45
You love BT as much as me Clive  :D

I loathe them with a vengeance Dave.   ;D
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Den on July 16, 2016, 10:49
I'm very happy with them, very reliable, very fast and I get BT Sport.  ;D

If anyone requires a BT Hub 5 cheap I have two as when I thought I was had a faulty one BT sent me a replacement but the fault was not there's so I did not need it.  ;)
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Baz on July 16, 2016, 11:39
I'm very happy with them, very reliable, very fast and I get BT Sport.  ;D

If anyone requires a BT Hub 5 cheap I have two as when I thought I was had a faulty one BT sent me a replacement but the fault was not there's so I did not need it.  ;)

I second that    very pleased with them...its not right what people say. I too had a " Faulty "  hub and they sent a new one out the next day but I had to return the original  :( :(

Ive also just switched to a mobile deal with them and had a query about it on day two of my service and I have to say they have been excellent, have called me every third day to let me know how it was going and that theyd escalated it to technical dept. turns out it could just be bad signal in my area as they use EE masts or the new SIM I got trying to pick up 4G for my puny 3G phone. As soon as I switched setting to auto search for 3G it improved vastly.

So yeah    :thumb: :thumb:  to BT


OH yes of course BT Sport too Den  :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: daveeb on July 17, 2016, 00:03
Personally I've found the tactics BT use once you're a customer to be borderline criminal, they make it very awkward if you tell them you're leaving and are constantly "upgrading" your account at extra cost or cold calling with promises that subsequently prove to be  false.. I've got a friend who used to work for them and he's told me a few things about their business practices that make me steer well clear. However if you're with them and happy with their service then good luck to you, but not for me any more. (i've had both mobile phone and internet with them in the past and lived to regret getting both services).
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Simon on July 17, 2016, 00:31
I have to admit, I never even realised BT did a mobile service.  I know they used to be BT Cellnet, which then changed to O2, but I didn't know they did one of their own again.  I've been with O2 since it was BT Cellnet, and I have a very good deal with them, but BT Mobile could almost match it.  My only issue with O2 is my signal quality at home, which is quite poor, but I don't know if any others would be any better, and I wouldn't want to get locked into a long contract, only to find I'm no better, or even worse off, signal wise.   :-\
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: daveeb on July 17, 2016, 01:13
I have to admit, I never even realised BT did a mobile service.  I know they used to be BT Cellnet, which then changed to O2, but I didn't know they did one of their own again.  I've been with O2 since it was BT Cellnet, and I have a very good deal with them, but BT Mobile could almost match it.  My only issue with O2 is my signal quality at home, which is quite poor, but I don't know if any others would be any better, and I wouldn't want to get locked into a long contract, only to find I'm no better, or even worse off, signal wise.   :-\

I'm talking Cellnet Simon as you say BT don't run a mobile service now although I hear they're thinking of dipping their toes again  :woot:.  O2 used to be good (after splitting off from BT) but now Telefonica own them things seem to be going a bit downhill. I agree with the signal comment about O2, i use tesco mobile (O2) and mrs daveeb has Virgin mobile (EE ??) and my daughtrer also has EE and they tend to get reception where I can't in the more remote areas (west Yorkshire). In the better reception areas however i fare better than them and usually get full speed whereas they struggle with 3/4 G.
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Den on July 17, 2016, 10:03
I have always used Vodafone and find it great in the Wrexham/Chester area. BT now share masts with EE so I assume they are on the same system as them?

I have always been with BT for my phone line but moved around a bit with my Broadband (including iDnet) but it worked a lot cheaper to have everything with BT, drop down from a business line to a private line and get BT Infinity and I have not looked back since.

http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/5483008879
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Den on July 19, 2016, 17:59
Well the BT SmartHub arrived in the post this morning. Took it out of the box and plugged it in and it set itself up within minutes. Runs very well indeed and has increased the WiFi signal in the house.

I'm going to go and sit in the garden now with a beer (or 2) and see how the signal is out there. I will report back if I don't get too drunk.   ;D
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Clive on July 19, 2016, 19:00
Personally I've found the tactics BT use once you're a customer to be borderline criminal, they make it very awkward if you tell them you're leaving and are constantly "upgrading" your account at extra cost or cold calling with promises that subsequently prove to be  false.. I've got a friend who used to work for them and he's told me a few things about their business practices that make me steer well clear. However if you're with them and happy with their service then good luck to you, but not for me any more. (i've had both mobile phone and internet with them in the past and lived to regret getting both services).

I wholeheartedly agree with with you Dave.  My BB speed dropped to 104kb/s which BT said was well within their limits and perfectly acceptable.   ::)  How can you deal with a company like that?   :dunno:
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Simon on July 19, 2016, 21:19
They were in the news today, and are basically being told by the government to buck their ideas up when it comes to broadband services and customer relations. 

BT must 'put its house in order' - MPs - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36832505
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: daveeb on July 20, 2016, 10:51
They don't like sharing their infrastructure with competitors, even though much of it was paid for by the taxpayer.  ::)
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Den on July 21, 2016, 07:51
The MP that told them to buck their ideas up was Ian Lucas the MP for Wrexham  ;D
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Clive on July 21, 2016, 16:53
Good for him!   :thumb:
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Den on August 01, 2016, 21:13
Well the BT Smart Hub is still running well and on Tuesday it says it will download the new Windows 10 on to both of my computers.  ;D
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Clive on August 02, 2016, 11:32
Are you sure it's not downloading Win 95 Den?   :devil:
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Den on August 02, 2016, 21:15
At the moment it's not downloading anything.  ::)
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Clive on August 03, 2016, 15:40
It's called throttling Den.  A well known BTinternet trick.   :laugh:
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Den on August 04, 2016, 09:36
Windows 10 update now running on both computers.  ;D  WOW.
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Clive on August 05, 2016, 18:31
I haven't had any yet.   :laugh:
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Den on August 05, 2016, 20:44
You don't have to be last in the queue. Just click on "all settings" then click on "update and security" and then on "learn more".

You can then click on  "update windows 10" and you have jumped the queue.   :D
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Simon on August 05, 2016, 20:45
Why tempt fate?   ':|
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Den on August 06, 2016, 07:55
When you run the new version of Windows 10 you will wonder why you left it so long. My computer runs much faster and smoother with programs opening quicker and Edge is now superb.  :thumb:
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Clive on August 06, 2016, 14:22
I don't particularly want updates at present as I'm away from home looking after my grandchildren and their friends.  Mayhem ensues.   :laugh:
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Simon on August 07, 2016, 00:47
I'd pay good money to be a fly on the wall.   :devil:
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Clive on August 07, 2016, 09:45
At this point in time everyone is using their devices.  The 2 year old watches Peppa Pig on his iPad.  His parents are at the cinema watching "Suicide Squad" or something.  Should I read anything into that?   :)x
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Simon on August 07, 2016, 11:47
That they are into crap movies?  :dunno:
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Clive on August 07, 2016, 14:24
They didn't enjoy it very much.   :laugh:
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Den on August 07, 2016, 15:34
Your not supposed to enjoy films such as that, you are supposed to be frightened by it.  ::)
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Simon on August 07, 2016, 15:58
From what I read about it, the only frightening things are the terrible acting, and lack of decent storyline.
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Clive on August 08, 2016, 18:05
At least they had a few hours away from the children.   ;D
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Simon on August 08, 2016, 20:37
Which sound far more scary than the film!   ;D
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Clive on August 08, 2016, 22:52
Sadly this is so true!   :laugh:
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Den on August 28, 2016, 16:49
I am pleased to announce that my BT Smart Hub is still running very well indeed and my WiFi reaches parts of the house that I could only reach using range extenders.  o:)
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Clive on August 28, 2016, 20:06
It's good to hear something positive about BT for a change.  But it will probably blow up tomorrow.   :)x
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Den on August 28, 2016, 21:40
It has just come top in Computer Advisor Magazine running against much dearer Routers.  :D
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Clive on August 28, 2016, 23:22
Bribery works wonders.   :devil:
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Den on August 29, 2016, 10:33
Oh my God, is that how Kaspersky comes top in all the magazines owned by Dennis publishing.  :facepalm:
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Simon on August 29, 2016, 11:23
 :o:
Title: Re: BT Smarthub
Post by: Clive on August 29, 2016, 21:29
Most probably!   ;D