Looking to switch from Virgin Media

[sayekm]

Hello

Been with Virgin Media 4+ years after switch from Openreach FTTC 35Mbs. But recently Openreach have added FTTP on our street.

Seems FTTP prices are gradually coming down. Spotted a deal for Vodafone 500Mbs for £28 and they even offering to pay any current contract termination fee upto £100.

With Virgin Media I have always set their trash router to modem mode and used my own router Archer AX73 Wi-Fi 6. Currently on M350 a very reliable 380Mbs+ Wi-Fi throughout the house. 

So I have 2 questions and would appreciation feedback please.

1. How reliable is their connection to the router, because I work from home and 2 boys use it for their uni work and games so can't afford days or several hours downtime.

2. Can I use my Archer AX73 instead of their supplied router directly connected to the ONT. I would prefer to plug direct to the ONT if possible and not to the Vodafone router like i currently have with Virgin Media setup....less clutter

[Cynric]

@sayekm You can use your router. There is an extensive thread on this subject in the forum.

For the majority the FTTP just works. This forum is where people come for help, so it looks bad when reading messages in here.

[sayekm]

I appreciate your feedback.

I know we on see unhappy customers shout but the happy ones stay quite 😊 Same with Virgin Media, you hear so much negative but most of the people screaming are about poor  Wi-Fi using the ISP supplied router. People forget the speed is guranteed to the router...not Wi-Fi.

[Chuckie]

I signed up here purely to whinge about the vodafone router being dumbed down too much. Having said that reliability has been exemplary, but if using your own device you will avoid my frustrations

[sayekm]

I would say the top prize goes to Virgin Media router. The still using the Hub3 for low tier packages. The damn router is more than 10 years old and not fit for purpose.. you move to next room and its all over.

They have a Hub4 that was initially saved for the 1Gig customers and now slowly making its way to low tier customers like myself..but the design is so bad it overheats. I was upgraded to Hub4 about 4 months ago..its set to modem 😊

They have a Hub5 which does have Wi-Fi 6 but thats exclusive for 1Gig customer..but its still no match for a aftermarket £50 router.

Now that "Black Friday" is not far away maybe should hold on until then.  There seems to be some price war between Vodafone, Plusnet and Sky.  Maybe they price will drop below £25 soon 😎

[Cynric]

@Chuckie I'd have thought that you would have seen so many other postings about the router that you would not have bothered 😂

[Jayach]

@sayekm 

If you do use your own router, you will lose easy access to Vodafone's phone service, if that is important to you.

There is a long thread about that as well.

[sayekm]

I don't use a landline. the only calls come through is sales 😊

I just need reliable connection to the router for internet.