topic Re: do i need a smart hybrid connect for £7 a month? in Broadband & Landline

do i need a smart hybrid connect for £7 a month?

roobee — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 18:33:34 GMT

I have just been moved to an EE package from BT and the price has obviously gone up too. I was told that the new wifi box was going to be just amazing by the person on the phone, so why am I paying £7 extra a month for the hybrid box? I work from home so do need a good connection, but is it actually necessary?

Re: do i need a smart hybrid connect for £7 a month?

XRaySpeX — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 18:45:44 GMT

@roobee : No, not absolutely necessary but it's for fall-back in case the main BB goes down.

Re: do i need a smart hybrid connect for £7 a month?

JimM11 — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 19:14:17 GMT

@roobee If you have a good mobile signal on your mobile device, got unlimited or lots of data, and know how to tether connect it then really the Hybrid is just a hot backup with ALL its restrictions that it applies.

Fix an EE Smart Hybrid Connect Broadband Problem | Help | EE

Re: do i need a smart hybrid connect for £7 a month?

Mustrum — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 21:19:40 GMT

@roobee that is a question only you can answer.

But you need to consider what would happen if your broadband went down. How likley is it? How often has it happened in say the last 5 years. And what contingency plans do you have? A good mobile signal will help, but is it sufficient to allow you to work? Or do you have access to an office with more robust comms nearby.

You would also need to think about any losses you may have without internet at home.

Re: do i need a smart hybrid connect for £7 a month?

roobee — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 10:56:37 GMT

thank you for your replies. It seems to me that if EE is selling me a reliable and sufficient package, the hybrid box should come as part of that set up, not as an added extra, but I am not tech savvy and want to be able to trust the set up and get on with my job really. I have been having lots of cut out problems in this first week of EE, seems worse that it ever was under BT, and i am not sure if i am supposed to activate the hybrid box or just leave it idling away in the corner. The engineer left it turned on so I assumed it would be triggered when needed. Unfortunately I am so far unimpressed with the deal. I dont have a mobile contract with EE so as far as data goes it isnt really relevent. but i do need to trust that i can clock in to my job every day and trust that the wifi will be reliable. I will maybe have to call out the engineer again and ask him to look at it all.

Thanks again for the answers, at least it is good to know that some customers have faith in the hybrid box.

Re: do i need a smart hybrid connect for £7 a month?

JimM11 — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 11:18:42 GMT

@roobee The link on the post explained and has link for more, you should test to make sure and observe what happens, you pull the wan/dsl cable from the EE Router causing it to lose the internet BB signal, Hybrid picks up and re connects, has been quoted that there is up to a 20 minute switch over and return periods. If you also need link below as well.

Set up Smart Hybrid Connect | Broadband Help | EE

Re: do i need a smart hybrid connect for £7 a month?

roobee — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 18:24:42 GMT

thank you for that advice, i will have a good look at it all this weekend