[davidthornton]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

I completely agree that the SuperHub should have had bridge mode from the beginning. I personally have no idea why it wasn't. However it is being added, so Virgin have realised it needs to be there because of the customer requests.

The reason the Superhub didn't have bridge mode from the beginning will likely be either:

a) The VM team that designed the Superhub specification wanted all customers to use their router and only as a router, so the company could further control the experience of their customers and perhaps be able to roll out features such as public wifi like "BT Fon".

or

b) The VM team really didn't believe that any customers would want bridge mode and to supply their own router, perhaps because they didn't ask any before finalising the specification.

I can pretty much guarantee that most customers with the SuperHub are using it as a router and will continue to do even after modem mode is available

I suspect that is actually what VM are hoping, perhaps because they don't really want users using bridge mode hence why it wasn't originally offered as part of the Superhub. Sky don't want anyone using other equipment either, so don't publish the username and password required to use the ADSL with a standalone modem, and also don't offer bridge mode on their router. BT as well. Fortunately there are ways to find out the details for both Sky and BT without too much difficulty.

What were all these customers mostly doing before they received the Superhub? Plugging their computer directly into a modem or supplying their own router? How many of those using the Superhub in router only mode will be doing double-NAT with their previous router just plugged into the Superhub because they don't understand why their old router is superflous, or cannot be bothered to switch to the wifi within the new Superhub?

But you can't assume that they won't. Support costs don't go away once a bit of kit is installed. You also have to consider it at network upgrades, product launches, and training of staff etc. That is the flip side to the Hubs, it's there to reduce Virgin's costs of equipment supply alongside the customer benefits of easier setup and installation.

How different is the standard 10Mbit hub from the Superhub? There are two different pieces of equipment, so why not offer a third in limited supply as I have already discussed. Of course there will be some costs and considerations but I cannot believe they will be so significant. I suspect when a Superhub user experiences a problem in bridge mode, in the future, the tech support will immediately tell the user to revert to router mode as part of the diagnosis script. I can tell you that if I was told to do that, I would be annoyed.

The two are not the same thing

No, but my point is not every customer has the same requirements so not all should be treated the same. If some want to pay for a standalone modem, which they've had for free for a decade, consider offering it.