The Huawei B535 router (HomeFi Plus) offered unlimited 4G home broadband on Three.
In the UK, the Huawei B535 router (also known as the Three 4G Hub or the Huawei HomeFi Plus) was offered on Three’s 4G home broadband service from September 2019 to June 2021.
Users of the Huawei B535 router could access download speeds of up to 300Mbps. Their 4G home broadband connection could then be shared with up to 64 devices.
A major benefit of using 4G home broadband is it doesn’t rely on a traditional fixed-line connection like your phone line or a cable. You can easily set up the service yourself with a plug-and-play setup and with no need for an engineer visit. You’ll also get free next working day delivery of your Huawei B535 router.
In this article, we’ll review the Huawei B535 4G Hub and the 4G broadband service on which it is offered. We’ll look at the router specifications before comparing it to rival 4G home broadband services. Finally, we’ll look at the coverage that’s available on Three when you’re using the 4G Hub for your home broadband service.
Contents
Huawei B535 Price Plans
The Huawei B535 (HomeFi Plus) was Three’s 4G home broadband router from September 2019 to June 2021. It replaced the older HomeFi B311 router.
It’s no longer possible to get the Huawei B535 as a new customer on Three. This is because it has been replaced by the newer 4G Hub router (ZTE MF286D).
You can get the new 4G Hub on the following plans:
| Data Allowance | Contract Length | Upfront Price | Monthly Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited Data | 24 month contract | £0 | £20/month with 3 months free |
| Unlimited Data | 12 month contract | £0 | £25/month |
| Unlimited Data | 1 month contract | £28 | £30/month |
Unfortunately, it isn’t currently possible to get the 4G Hub on a Pay As You Go basis.
If you decide to replace your fixed-line home broadband connection, it might be possible to cancel your landline if you don’t need it for other reasons (e.g. for making phone calls). This could save you in the region of £20/month on line rental, potentially making the 4G Hub close to a cost-neutral solution.
Huawei B535 Router
The Huawei B535 router (also known as the Three 4G Hub or Huawei HomeFi Plus) was supplied on Three’s 4G home broadband service from September 2019 to June 2021.
The Huawei B535 router connects to Three’s 3G and 4G network, producing a wi-fi network that up to 64 devices are able to connect to at the same time. This includes all of the devices you have at home including your laptop, tablet, smartphone, smart TV and other smart home devices.
The Huawei B535 router supports up to Category 7 LTE download speeds (up to 300Mbit/s download and up to 100Mbit/s upload). However, Three says average download speeds could be closer to 14Mbit/s, depending on the level of coverage available where you live.
The Huawei B535 has dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity, including support for Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac wi-fi) at 5GHz. This allows you to have up to 64 devices connected wirelessly to your router at one time. In addition, there are also four Gigabit Ethernet sockets allowing you to connect wired devices to your home network.
Huawei B535 Setup & Usage
If you order your Huawei B535 router before 4pm, it’ll be sent out to you free of charge with next working day delivery. For orders that are placed after 4pm, it will take two working days for your router to arrive.
When it arrives, setting up the Huawei B535 is a fairly straightforward affair. Simply insert the provided SIM card into your router and then plug in the router at the mains. Everything else then happens automatically and your 4G home broadband service should be ready to use in under one minute. There are no engineer visits or line installations, making it incredibly quick and easy to start using the service. The router can also be moved to other places with ease (e.g. you can bring it with you on a weekend away from home or you can simply take it with you when moving to a different address).
The login details for your new wi-fi network are printed on a sticker on the back of your router. You’ll need to input the wi-fi network name and password on your other devices to connect to your Huawei B535 router.
If you’d like to attach an external antenna to your router, the Huawei B535 has two sockets for a SMA antenna. This can be used to improve the coverage and speeds you get on your router, especially if you’re living in a rural area where the coverage is a bit weaker.
You can see the full specifications for the Huawei B535 on Three’s website.
Huawei B535 vs ZTE MF286D: Side-By-Side Comparison
The following table shows a side-by-side comparison between the Huawei B535 (the old 4G Hub) and the ZTE MF286D (Three’s newer 4G Hub):
| Three 4G Hub (2019) (Huawei B535 HomeFi Plus) | Three 4G Hub (ZTE MF286D) | |
|---|---|---|
|  | |
| Home Broadband Plans | ||
| Price: | From £20/month | |
| Data: | Unlimited | |
| Unlimited Data: | £20/month | |
| Contract Length: | 1-24 months | |
| Mobile Connectivity | ||
| 4G Connectivity: | Category 7 LTE | Category 12 LTE |
| 4G Download Speed: | Up to 300 Mbps download | Up to 600 Mbps download |
| 4G Upload Speed: | Up to 100 Mbps upload | Up to 100 Mbps upload |
| 4G Bands: | LTE bands 1, 3, 7, 8, 20, 28, 32 & 38 | LTE bands 1, 3, 7, 8, 20 & 32 |
| External Antenna: | Yes, 2x SMA connectors | Yes, 2x SMA connectors |
| Home Network Connectivity | ||
| Dual-Band Wi-Fi: | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi Connectivity: | 802.11a/b/ | 802.11a/b/ |
| Wi-Fi Devices: | Up to 64 devices | Up to 64 devices |
| Ethernet: | 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports | 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports |
| Other | ||
| Dimensions: | - | 18 x 17 x 3 cm |
| Model: | Huawei B535 HomeFi Plus | ZTE MF286D |
| Colour: | White | White |
| Review: | Three 4G Hub (2019) Review | - |
In our opinion, the Huawei B535 was a decent choice for a 4G home broadband router on Three. You got modern specifications like Category 7 LTE download speeds along with 802.11ac dual-band wi-fi (Wi-Fi 5). The inclusion of 4 Gigabit Ethernet sockets for connecting wired devices is also very welcome, along with the 2 SMA sockets for attaching an external antenna.
However, you’ll now be far better off getting the newer 4G Hub router (the ZTE MF286D). This is because the newer router has support for 4×4 MIMO and 256QAM on 4G. This compares to the 2×2 MIMO and 64QAM offered on the Huawei B535. The upgraded specifications can make a huge difference to performance – Three says you should be able to get an average download speed of 50-100Mbps using the new router (compared to 14Mbps on the Huawei B535).
Three offered the B535-232 version of the Huawei B535 router. This is sometimes also referred to elsewhere as the Huawei 4G Router 3 Pro.
Alternatives
Vodafone offers a GigaCube home broadband service from £30/month (increasing to £50/month for 300GB of data). You’ll get a Huawei B528 router if you choose the GigaCube 4G service, with no upfront cost on an 18-month contract:
| Service | Data Allowance | Contract Length | Upfront Price | Monthly Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Vodafone GigaCube 4G | 100GB Data | 18 month contract | £0 | £30/month |
Vodafone GigaCube 4G | 100GB Data | 1 month contract | £100 | £30/month |
Vodafone GigaCube 4G | 200GB Data | 18 month contract | £0 | £40/month |
Vodafone GigaCube 4G | 200GB Data | 1 month contract | £100 | £40/month |
Vodafone GigaCube 4G | 300GB Data | 18 month contract | £0 | £50/month |
Vodafone GigaCube 4G | 300GB Data | 1 month contract | £100 | £50/month |
| To show you the most relevant plans, 3 similar but more expensive plans have been hidden. Tap here to show them. | ||||
EE also offers a 4G home broadband service in the form of 4GEE Home. On EE, you’ll need to pay £50/month if you want an unlimited data plan:
| Service | Data Allowance | Contract Length | Upfront Price | Monthly Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 4GEE Home | 100GB Data | 18 month contract | £0 | £35/month |
4GEE Home | 100GB Data | 1 month contract | £100 | £35/month |
4GEE Home | 300GB Data | 18 month contract | £0 | £45/month |
4GEE Home | 300GB Data | 1 month contract | £100 | £45/month |
4GEE Home | Unlimited Data | 18 month contract | £0 | £50/month |
4GEE Home | Unlimited Data | 1 month contract | £100 | £50/month |
| To show you the most relevant plans, 3 similar but more expensive plans have been hidden. Tap here to show them. | ||||
For more information, please see the Vodafone and EE websites. You can also read our full guide to 4G home broadband services.
5G Home Broadband
If you’re looking for a 5G-powered home broadband solution, you can choose from Three’s 5G Home, Vodafone’s GigaCube 5G and EE’s 5GEE Home. All of these services come with a Huawei 5G CPE Pro router.
The following table shows a list of price plans that are available on 5G home broadband:
| Network | Data Allowance | Contract Length | Upfront Price | Monthly Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Three 5G Hub | Unlimited Data | 24 month contract | £0 | £20/month with 3 months free |
Three 5G Hub | Unlimited Data | 1 month contract | £0 | £24/month |
 Vodafone GigaCube 5G | 100GB Data | 18 month contract | £100 | £30/month |
Vodafone GigaCube 5G | 100GB Data | 1 month contract | £325 | £30/month |
Vodafone GigaCube 5G | 200GB Data | 18 month contract | £50 | £40/month |
Vodafone GigaCube 5G | 200GB Data | 1 month contract | £325 | £40/month |
 5GEE Home | 500GB Data | 18 month contract | £50 | £45/month |
5GEE Home | Unlimited Data | 18 month contract | £50 | £50/month |
Vodafone GigaCube 5G | Unlimited Data | 18 month contract | £50 | £60/month |
Vodafone GigaCube 5G | Unlimited Data | 1 month contract | £325 | £60/month |
| To show you the most relevant plans, 4 similar but more expensive plans have been hidden. Tap here to show them. | ||||
For more information, see our guide to 5G home broadband services.
Coverage
3G & 4G Coverage
In the UK, Three currently offers 99.8% population coverage. This includes 99.8% coverage on 4G, as well as 98.7% coverage on 3G. The Huawei B535 router is able to access both 3G and 4G coverage from Three.
Before purchasing the Huawei B535 from Three, it’s strongly recommended that you check the coverage in your area. You can do this by entering your postcode on Three’s online coverage map.
Check Three Coverage (three.co.uk) →
If you’re travelling abroad to other countries, it’s possible to use the Huawei B535 in 71 destinations at no extra charge through Three’s Go Roam offer.
For more information, please see our full review of the coverage available on Three.
5G Coverage
Unfortunately, the Huawei B535 doesn’t support 5G coverage. If you’re living in a 5G coverage area and would like access to faster 5G download speeds, consider getting a 5G home broadband service instead. Alternatively, you can buy a 5G home broadband router like the Huawei 5G CPE Pro.
At present, Three offers 5G coverage in the following UK towns and cities:
| Now Live | 194 towns and cities are live on Three 5G (June 2023) Aberdeen, Abingdon-on-Thames, Adlington, Aldershot, Aldridge, Ashford, Balloch, Barnsley, Barrow-in-Furness, Basildon, Bath, Bedford, Belfast, Belfast Airport, Billericay, Billingham, Birdwell, Birkenhead, Birmingham, Bishopthorpe, Blackburn, Blackpool, Borehamwood, Bournemouth, Bradford, Brentwood, Brighton, Brimington, Bristol, Bromsgrove, Brookmans Park, Broughton Astley, Burton upon Trent, Campton, Cannock, Cardiff, Carlisle, Castlereagh, Chatham, Chelmsford, Cheltenham, Chesham, Chorley, Christleton, Clayton-le-Woods, Clifton, Coedkernew, Colchester, Copmanthorpe, Corringham, Coventry, Crawley, Crook, Cullingworth, Danderhall, Delph, Denholme, Derby, Dewsbury, Dinnington, Doncaster, Dundee, East Kilbride, East Midlands Airport, Edinburgh, Egginton, Ellesmere Port, Exmouth, Falkirk, Gateshead, Glasgow, Gorebridge, Grays, Greenock, Grimsby, Guildford, Hamilton, Hartley, Hatfield, Heanor, Heathcote, Hedge End, Hemel Hempstead, Hertford, Heswall, Heywood, Horley, Horwich, Huddersfield, Hull, Huntingdon, Inchinnan, Ingleby Barwick, Ipswich, Irlam, Isle of Grain, Iver, Kings Hill, Kings Langley, Kinmel Bay, Kirkheaton, Kirknewton, Knowl Wall, Leeds, Leicester, Leyland, Lincoln, Liverpool, London, Loughborough, Lower Stondon, Luton, Maidenhead, Maidstone, Manchester, Mansfield, Margate, Marlow Bottom, Marston Moretaine, Merthyr Tydfil, Middlesbrough, Milnrow, Milton Keynes, Motherwell, Neston, Newark-on-Trent, Newcastle, Newhall, Newport, Newquay, Newton Aycliffe, Newton-le-Willows, Newtownabbey, Normanton, Northampton, Nottingham, Nuneaton, Ottershaw, Oxford, Peterborough, Plymouth, Pontefract, Porthcawl, Portsmouth, Preston, Reading, Redcar, Redditch, Royston Yorkshire, Scunthorpe, Sheffield, Shelly Green, Shrewsbury, Slough, South Heighton, South Kirkby, South Normanton, South Ockendon, Southampton, Southend-on-Sea, Southport, St Albans, St Blazey, St Columb Road, Stafford, Stansted Airport, Stevenage, Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke-on-Trent, Stratford-upon-Avon, Sunderland, Sunninghill, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Swadlincote, Swindon, Swinton, Tamworth, Telford, Thornaby-on-Tees, Ullesthorpe, Wakefield, Wallingford, Walton-on-Thames, Warrington, Washington, Westhoughton, Weybridge, Wickford, Wigan, Winterbourne, Worcester, Worksop, Writtle, York |
There’s more information about the 5G roll-out on Three’s website. We’ve also got an in-depth guide to 5G on Three.
Frequently Asked Questions
| What price plans can I use with the Huawei B535? | The Huawei B535 was offered on a choice of three price plans, all with unlimited data included. The most popular plan cost £22/month on a 24-month contract. However, shorter deals were also available if you want flexibility. For instance, there is a 12-month plan costing £25/month. You can see the price plans here. |
|---|---|
| What speeds can I get on the Huawei B535? | The Huawei B535 router supports 4G download speeds of up to 300Mbps (Category 7 LTE speeds). However, the actual download speeds you get will be lower in practice and will depend on the level of coverage available where you live. |
| Does the Huawei B535 support 5G? | Unfortunately, the Huawei B535 does not support 5G mobile networks. If you’d like 5G home broadband, consider Three’s 5G Home or alternative 5G home broadband services from Vodafone and EE. |
| What coverage can I get on the Huawei B535? | You can access 99.8% population coverage when using the Huawei B535 on Three’s network. Enter your postcode on Three’s website to check the availability in your area. |
| Can I use the Huawei B535 when travelling abroad? | Yes. It’s possible to use the Huawei B535 in 71 destinations at no extra cost through Three’s Go Roam offer. This includes most European countries, the USA, Australia and more. |
More Information
For more information about the Huawei B535, please see Three’s official website.
Tim said:
Wondering if any one has had experience with the best way to put together a mains huawei Router with a guest SIM card that would allow 30 -plus guest devices, unlimited data with decent download speeds. I am not in a three area , and only can get 4G . Copper is non existent …2mb at most ! Thanks
Bee Mundy said:
Hello Andy, did you manage to connect your echo? I can’t connect my Alexa.
Shaz replied:
Hi
I can’t get mine to connect either !
Is there an answer to the problem ? It’s getting quite annoying now
Bee Mundy said:
Hello, I’ve tried numerous times to connect Alexa with my Huawei B535 but it won’t connect. Can someone help me.