Is the router really free?

Only if there is no delivery charge, no deposit, no purchase requirement, and no punitive non-return fee that is really a deferred price. Read the equipment section.

Can I use my own router?

Often on Openreach, in PPPoE or similar. Some alt-nets require their ONT and dislike third-party routers. Ask before you order if that is a deal-breaker.

What if I do not return the hub?

Expect a bill that can exceed the thing’s high-street value. Return it.

Does a mesh system change the deal?

It changes the Wi-Fi. It does not change the line. Buy mesh with your own money if you need it; do not confuse it with a “free upgrade”.

They say the hub is “yours to keep”.

Then there should be no non-return fee. If both sentences exist, one of them is decorative. Get the equipment section in writing.

Can a non-return fee exceed the high-street price?

It often does. That is why you return it, with proof of postage, on time.

Money

The router you thought was free

The hub on the hall table is either included, rented, bought, or a hostage. The advert will not always say which.

14 min read · Money

OneTouchSwitch editorialIssue 01 · Autumn 2026 · Double3 min read684 wordsReviewed 10 September 2026

Every British hallway eventually contains a plastic trapezoid with a name like Hub, Super Hub, or something involving the letter X. The advert called it free. The contract called it equipment. The reminder email, six weeks after you switched, called it £65 if not returned.

Four ways a hub can cost money

Delivery or courier on the way in.
A deposit held until return.
A purchase you did not notice in the extras.
A non-return or damaged-kit charge on the way out.

Our first-year cost includes listed upfront kit charges. It cannot include a future non-return fee you have not incurred. That one is on you, and on a calendar reminder.

Using your own router

On many Openreach lines you can. You will need the login details, a willingness to read a page about PPPoE or IPv6, and the humility to put the provider hub back if support will not talk to a third-party box. Some alt-nets and some cable products want their own stack. Ask before you order if that is a deal-breaker, not after you have a graveyard of trapezoids.

Return is the rest of ‘free’

The hub is a loan with a courier at the end. Non-return charges are how ‘free kit’ becomes a line on a cease invoice. Photograph serials the morning the new line works. The returning-kit piece in this issue is the procedure. This piece is the reminder that the loan was always in the PDF.

Free-ish objects

Object	Usually
Retailer hub + PSU	Post back
Openreach ONT	Leave it
Your own mesh	Keep it — do not gift the courier

Questions

Is the router really free?: Only if there is no delivery charge, no deposit, no purchase requirement, and no punitive non-return fee that is really a deferred price. Read the equipment section.
Can I use my own router?: Often on Openreach, in PPPoE or similar. Some alt-nets require their ONT and dislike third-party routers. Ask before you order if that is a deal-breaker.
What if I do not return the hub?: Expect a bill that can exceed the thing’s high-street value. Return it.
Does a mesh system change the deal?: It changes the Wi-Fi. It does not change the line. Buy mesh with your own money if you need it; do not confuse it with a “free upgrade”.
They say the hub is “yours to keep”.: Then there should be no non-return fee. If both sentences exist, one of them is decorative. Get the equipment section in writing.
Can a non-return fee exceed the high-street price?: It often does. That is why you return it, with proof of postage, on time.

Sources

ASA guidance on “free” claims
Typical provider equipment terms

Figures move. Prices, coverage and eligibility must be confirmed with the provider. OneTouchSwitch is not Ofcom, TOTSCo or a broadband network. Last fact-checked 10 September 2026.

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