Virgin Media's speedy router is 86% faster than competitors

Virgin Media has unveiled its latest wireless Super Hub that it claims is at least 86% faster than its competitors.

The Super Hub 2ac is a combined modem and router that uses the 802.11ac standard, supports concurrent access over the 5GHz and 2.4GHz wireless channels and is able to handle record-setting speeds of 1,300Mbps over the 5GHz channel.

Virgin Media's speed boasts go even further than that though. An independent study carried out by the Wi-Fi experts at Farncombe pitted the new Super Hub 2ac against a range of devices including the Sky Hub 2, BT Home Hub 5, EE Bright Box 2 and the TalkTalk Super Router. The Super Hub 2ac came out faster than all its competitors over a range of distances and is at least 86% faster on the 5GHz channel than any other tested device.

All that power comes from a zippy Qualcomm Atheros AR9880 Wi-Fi radio chip and twin 2.4GHz and 5GHz antennas. It can also support multiple SSIDs (up to three unique network names for each frequency band), is backwards compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n as well as ac, has four gigabit ethernet LAN ports, USB connectivity, soft button WPS and a range of different security options.

Home Hub 6 coming

A challenge to Virgin Media's bold speed claims will come later on this year when BT is expected to out the Home Hub 6 that could include a femtocell to improve connectivity within the home and take advantage of EE's 4G connectivity.

Virgin Media is giving away the Super Hub 2ac free of charge to all new customers who sign up for a Virgin Media broadband package or Big Bundle and the quoted 1,300Mbps speed is dependent on the strength of broadband connection.

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