By Three’s latest 5G Hub router (ZTE MC888) offers average download speeds of 150Mbps. Plans start from £11 per month.
In the UK, Three’s newest 5G Hub router is currently available for just £11 per month for the first 6 months (then £22 per month) when you order through this link. This plan comes with unlimited data on Three’s 5G home broadband, allowing you to get superfast broadband on up to 64 devices without the need for a landline.
With the new 5G Hub router (more formally known as the ZTE MC888), you’ll be able to get a maximum download speed of 3.8Gbps (3,800Mbps) when you’re connected to a 5G network. However, you won’t normally be able to get these speeds on the 5G networks of today. Instead, Three normally advertises an average download speed of 150Mbps (depending on your area), with peak download speeds of up to 1Gbps (1,000Mbps).
In this article, we’ll review Three’s 5G Hub router. We’ll start by looking at how it works, and the best offers currently available on Three’s 5G home broadband. We’ll also look at the technical specifications and at the network coverage available on the 5G Hub.
| Prices From: | £11 per month for 6 months, then £22 per month (exclusive offer, reduced from £24 per month) |
|---|---|
| Contract Length: | 1 month or 24 months |
| Download Speeds: | 150Mbps (average download speed) Will vary based on the signal strength & coverage in your area |
| Model Number: | ZTE MC888 |
| Availability: | Selected UK postcodes (check your postcode) |
Contents
What is the 5G Hub?
In the UK, the 5G Hub MC888 is Three’s latest 5G home broadband router. It will allow all of your devices at home to get connected to the internet, including your laptops, tablets, phones, smart TVs, and other smart home devices.
Instead of using a phone line or cable connection like traditional fibre broadband providers, the 5G Hub uses a wireless 5G connection in the background. This 5G connection sits in-between the 5G Hub and Three’s 5G network. Meanwhile, all of your other devices will simply interface with the Hub using normal Wi-Fi (so there’s no need for your individual devices to support 5G connectivity).
In theory, you’ll be able to get a maximum download speed of 3.6Gbps (3,600Mbps) on the 5G Hub MC888. In practice, however, the average speeds will be more like 100-200Mbps, with a peak download speed of 1Gbps (1,000Gbps). This is subject to both the coverage and capacity in your area.
For comparison, standard fibre broadband services have an average download speed of about 67Mbps. It’s therefore possible to get faster download speeds on average using the 5G Hub. However, full fibre services offer download speeds of up to 900Mbps so are likely to be faster than 5G broadband (but also more expensive).
Three 5G Hub Plans
As of September 2024, you can get the latest 5G Hub MC888 router from just £11 per month for the first 6 months (then £22 per month) on Three. This comes with unlimited data on Three’s 5G home broadband, with a simple plug-and-play setup process and no need for a landline.
The following table shows the latest 5G Hub plans:
| Service | Data | Monthly Cost (will rise each April by CPI inflation plus 3.9%) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
 Three 5G Hub | Unlimited data 150Mbps average speed | £11.00 for 6 months, then £22 per month No upfront fee 24 month contract | See deal |
Three 5G Hub | Unlimited data 150Mbps average speed | £28.00 per month No upfront fee 1 month contract | See deal |
Most people choose the 24-month contract as this allows you to get 5G home broadband at the lowest possible cost. You also get a 30-day money back guarantee on this plan, allowing you to cancel within the first 30 days without penalty if you’re unhappy with the performance.
If you’re looking for more flexibility, there’s also a 1-month rolling plan that’s available. With this, you’ll pay an increased price of £28 per month for your broadband service. However, you’re able to cancel at any time with just one month’s notice. This makes it ideal for short-term broadband (e.g. if you’re renting temporarily, if you’re due to move soon, or if you’re living in a student household).
Technical Specifications
Three’s 5G Hub MC888 router works in a very similar way to other home broadband routers. The main distinction is that it uses a 5G mobile connection in the background, instead of using a fibre optic connection between your router and internet service provider (ISP).
As far as it goes with day-to-day use, there’s no practical difference when you’re using your devices at home. The 5G Hub broadcasts a regular Wi-Fi network to your other devices and is compatible with all of your existing Wi-Fi devices. There’s no need for your individual devices to have support for 5G.
In terms of mobile connectivity, the 5G Hub is powered by Qualcomm’s X62 modem. Compared to previous models, this delivers better performance along with faster speeds. There’s also a unique high-gain antenna built-in to the router that’s supposed to enhance your indoor coverage by up to 10dBi (giving you a stronger and more stable network connection).
In theory, it’s possible to get download speeds of up to 3.8Gbps (3,800Mbps) on this router. However, Three normally advertises an average download speed of 150Mbps, with a peak download speed of 1Gbps (1,000Mbps) on their 5G network of today. The good news is that the 5G Hub is future-proof, supporting both NSA and SA dual-mode 5G networks. For this reason, performance may increase in the future.
For your home network connectivity, you get support for the latest Wi-Fi 6 technology (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax). This will allow you to connect up to 64 devices wirelessly to your 5G Hub. There are also 2 Gigabit Ethernet sockets, allowing you to connect wired devices and any mesh wi-fi systems to your router (e.g. Amazon eero or Nest WiFi). On the back of the hub, you’ll also find a one-touch WPS pairing button and a RJ11 phone port. However, the latter is disabled on Three’s 5G Hub as they do not offer a home phone service with their 5G home broadband.
The following table shows the full technical specifications of Three’s latest 5G Hub:
| Three 5G Hub (ZTE MC888) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Home Broadband Plans | |
| Price: | From £22/month |
| Data: | Unlimited |
| Unlimited Data: | £22/month |
| Contract Length: | 1-24 months |
| Mobile Connectivity | |
| 5G Connectivity: | Up to 3800 Mbps download |
| 5G Bands: | 5G NR bands n41, n77, n78 & n79 |
| 4G Connectivity: | Category 16 LTE |
| 4G Download Speed: | Up to 2400 Mbps download |
| 4G Upload Speed: | Up to 316 Mbps upload |
| 4G Bands: | LTE bands 1, 3, 7, 20, 28 & 40 |
| External Antenna: | Yes, 2x TS-9 connectors |
| Home Network Connectivity | |
| Dual-Band Wi-Fi: | Yes |
| Wi-Fi Connectivity: | 802.11a/b/ |
| Wi-Fi Devices: | Up to 64 devices |
| Ethernet: | 2 Gigabit Ethernet ports |
| Phone: | 1 RJ11 phone port |
| Other | |
| Dimensions: | 18.2 x 12.4 x 7.0 cm |
| Model: | ZTE MC888 |
| Colour: | White |
| More Information: | See three.co.uk |
All in all, it’s our opinion that the latest 5G Hub (ZTE MC888) is a strong device that should easily handle household internet demands, even in a busy home. Given it normally retails for more than £200 on an unlocked basis, it’s a solid piece of kit that you’re getting with the service. Do note, however, that you’ll need to return the 5G Hub router to Three when you cancel as it remains the property of Three.
The biggest limitation of the 5G Hub is that you aren’t able to use an external antenna with it. Although most people won’t need to use an external antenna, it’s sometimes a useful option to have if you’re in a rural area with poor or patchy coverage. If that’s the case, you might be better-off getting a different router and buying it on a SIM-free basis.
Coverage & Availability
Three currently offers their 5G home broadband service in selected postcodes across more than 500 UK towns and cities.
To see whether the 5G Hub is available where you live, enter your postcode on Three’s broadband availability checker.
Check Three 5G Broadband Availability (three.co.uk) →
Once you’ve entered your postcode and selected your address, you’ll be told about the plans available at your address.
If Three’s 5G home broadband isn’t yet available where you live, you might be offered 4G home broadband on the 4G Hub instead. Alternatively, you might be offered a 4G mobile broadband service with the 4G MiFi.
Frequently Asked Questions
| What is the 5G Hub? | The 5G Hub MC888 is Three’s latest 5G home broadband router. You can get unlimited 5G home broadband with average download speeds of more than 100Mbps on the 5G Hub. |
|---|---|
| What 5G home broadband plans are available on the 5G Hub? | At present, the 5G Hub is available on the following plans:
|
| What speeds can I get on the 5G Hub? | In theory, the 5G Hub can support download speeds of up to 3.8Gbps (3,800Mbps). In practice, however, Three only advertises a maximum download speed of 1Gbps (1,000Mbps). That’s because it’s the fastest speed you’re able to get on their 5G network at present.
The average download speed when using a 5G Hub on Three normally ranges from 100-200Mbps. This is subject to coverage and capacity in your area. |
More Information
For more information about the 5G Hub, please see Three’s official website.
Roger said:
Assume you do not own the router at the end of the 24 month contract and would need to return it.
Can someone please confirm?
Ken replied:
Hi Roger,
That is correct – the 5G Hub is leased to you for the duration of your plan and needs to be returned when you cancel.
Ken
Timz said:
Those two ports on the NR5103E, are they independent to each other (but of course connected to the internet), i.e. not communicating with each other in a local network, bit like VLAN?
Lloyd said:
Thanks for the detailed review.
Can anyone who has this device on three confirm if it supports IP Passthrough/ bridge mode?
Stephen replied:
Just subscribed and fully operational. IP Pass Through seems disabled by 3. Cannot find it in the advanced setting web gui as documented in some other unlocked Zyxel 5G router manual.
This forced me to to have my own deco mesh network to be in double NAT mode. May need to set port forwarding twice to access services within my own lan from the outside. Troublesome.
David replied:
Will the Hub connect up with a. my Fritz 3000 repeater, b. an Airport Extreme hard wired to our existing router (also Fritz)
Thanks
Jason replied:
Hi Stephen. Try going to Settings – Broadband – Cellular IP Passthrough. Passthrough mode can be set to Dynamic or Fixed. Mine is on Dynamic.
JRA replied:
There is no such option in the NR5103E from Three.
Jason Emanuel replied:
yes there is I’m using it now.
Korma replied:
It does
Jason Emanuel replied:
yes it supports both Lloyd.
B.Davies said:
Hi,
One question which I feel other readers also would like to know, is the 3 hub locked down or will SIMs from other carriers work ok.
Dennnis Nilsson said:
If you want to use a server behind the ZTE MC801A, it is limited, as under “port forwarding settings” you can only select ports 80, 21, 22, 23 or 443.
John said:
What is the DC voltage input? Can it accept 24v or is it limited to 12v.
Thomas said:
Hi, is it possible to connect to the ZTE two wired device and use the WiFi at the same time or I’m loosing WiFi if I switch to wired mode? Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Thomas,
Absolutely! You can use both the wired and WiFi connections at the same time 🙂
Hope this helps,
Ken
Martin Bellfield replied:
you can of course use BOTH WiFi & the wired connections.
my device works effortlessly and with a PAYG 3 unlimited SIM.
had little issues, but is easily resolved by simply unplugging and plugging back in…
and works a treat.
martin newman said:
I’m now on my second replacement ZTE device.
I live in 2 different places. I take the router with me and in London it works very well, getting up to 300mb download on 5G. The other place has 5G very close, but it doesn’t connect yet, and 4G drops out and gives me no signal at all at times.
I kept my old Huawei router and account going until the ZTE is running properly, but after installing the latest replacement, I’m still getting dropout after watching a streaming show on Prime with Dolby Atmos. This is very annoying and I don’t know what the solution is. I don’t want to keep having to switching back to the Huawei when the ZTE fails. I want to be able to cancel the Huawei account with Three and just have the ZTE. It’s ridiculous!
Scott Campbell said:
Only 2 devices are not working which is Ring Alarm Base Station – it’s shown offline. 2nd
Playstation 4 won’t sign in even the same as Netflix? Three companies are current to find out what is caused.
I have been in touch with Ring Company and said it’s down to three networks.
I have tested with EE sim card – both devices are working well. it’s very strange!
anyone have same problems ?
Ahmer Rasool replied:
I am using the Huawei 5G Router from Three (CPE Pro 2 I think) and it seems to be working well with all of my devices, even my PS5 over WIFI (have hard wired for better performance).
If you have the ZTE model (latest router) then it may be causing an issue but the Huawei router seems to work fine.
Tom angell said:
Did you manage to sort this problem I’m having the same with all my smart devices
KG replied:
My smart devices initially connected through my old Sky router. Plugged in my new Three ZTE 5G router. Removed all my smart devices first via Tuya Smart app, and reinstalled them all, no problem.
Ian said:
I can see the Three 5G mast from my house. The 5G signal on my S20 is strong to that mast from my house, giving me in excess of 200 mbps downloads. Three inform me on their coverage checker that 5G is not yet available in my area. Come on Three, update your records so I can have the £21 a month deal.
DoubleStandard replied:
You can, just use a direct link or use a valid postcode. (a postcode that you know is covered)
Ahmer Rasool replied:
I was in the same position, I called them and they provided me with a 5G Router, I had a Three 5G sim in my phone and could prove I was getting around 300MB download speeds. This was about 4-5 months ago, now that Three have confirmed coverage I am getting around 800MB download speeds.
The only reason they are reluctant to sell you a 5G router at the moment is due to the possibility of poor customer experience, they dont want you to complain about poor speeds if it doesn’t actually work properly.
Call them and tell them you have fully tested on a Three 5G sim and you want to take the risk.
Good luck!
Bernadette McColgan said:
I’m unable to connect my Samsung 52s to the hub. I keep being directed to other sites and then they disappear. I managed to connect my chrome book but not my mobile. Please help!!
Ian replied:
You should pickup the hub’s wifi quite easily. Samsung’s can be quite temperamental sometimes – try rebooting the phone