topic Re: charge if you don't send the Hub and Extenders back in Broadband & Landline

charge if you don't send the Hub and Extenders back

chrislee1628 — Sat, 30 May 2026 22:33:38 GMT

been with a few broadband providers, all just said to bin the router

however, I have noticed that with EE, it is on loan and when you end your broadband with them, you need to send them back or you will be charged for them, thankfully I did not bin the boxes...

I'm all for recycling, but considering the prices they charge for the broadband and landline, to then charge you if you don't send them back, the cost of the hub and an extender is £210... I mean seriously, how many people are actually aware of this?

when signing up, you are told the initial price and then the prices the following years, the 2 year contract should more than cover the prices of the devices, just another way to get more money out of you

https://ee.co.uk/help/orders/return-and-recycle-ee-product

Re: charge if you don't send the Hub and Extenders back

Chris_B — Sun, 31 May 2026 05:40:57 GMT

@chrislee1628 You never purchased the devices to start with you never owned the device. You rented them. I’m sure you would have wanted a free replacement if the hub went faulty and that wouldn’t happen if you owned them.
not sure how it’s trying to get more money out of you ? You return the items and you do not pay anything. You don’t return then yes you are charged because they where not yours items to bin

Re: charge if you don't send the Hub and Extenders back

JimM11 — Sun, 31 May 2026 06:58:43 GMT

@chrislee1628 If you are only staying the 24 Months then the EE Hub is well reusable for another customer, they normally get a quick refurb and go into the stock for customers with issues on hubs, if the longer you stay then there is a chance that it becomes like your other providers and then get's to the point off not required to be returned. EE/Sky/Vodafone plus possibly others etc all work a similar policy. Have returned an EE one last year, just returned a Sky one a month ago although that should have been a new one but it was a refurbed product and poorly done at there end. The Vodafone is back in it's box never to come back out unless ISP insist's for checking line as they can only check there own Equipment.

Re: charge if you don't send the Hub and Extenders back

Northerner — Sun, 31 May 2026 07:18:25 GMT

Hi @chrislee1628

Historically I cannot remember any ISP who did not expect their equipment returned.

Returning equipment is a standard requirement.

If you buy your own equipment it's an easy task to return the original equipment.

Thanks

Re: charge if you don't send the Hub and Extenders back

XRaySpeX — Sun, 31 May 2026 17:51:21 GMT

EE have had diff varying periods of either:

EE own the router & lend it to you to use. You must return it when you leave.
You own the router. It is yours to do what you like with it incl. recycling it, possibly to EE.

Now with New EE it is 1. Immediately before this it was 2. when e.g. the original black EE Smart Hub (circa 2018) & the white EE Smart Router (circa 2020).did not need to be returned. Even earlier than that was the era of the BrightBox which was initially 1. but later switched to 2.