Vodafone Pro 3 Broadband Review – Customer Perspective

Why I decided to get Pro 3

I switched to Vodafone Pro 3 because I wanted to try out Wi-Fi 7 at home. My old fibre package was fine for day-to-day use, but with more devices piling up in my house, I thought it was time to see if Pro 3 could actually handle everything better. Vodafone offers this plan with the new Ultra Hub 7 router and, in some areas, download speeds that go up to 2.2Gbps. On top of that, if you’re connected through CityFibre or Community Fibre, you can get the same upload and download speeds, which is a big plus if you upload a lot of files or work with cloud storage.

Installation and setup

The installation itself was straightforward. An engineer fitted the fibre ONT box, connected the Ultra Hub 7, and left me to get on with it. What stood out straight away is that the Ultra Hub 7 has two 2.5Gb Ethernet ports, so if you’ve got devices or a switch that can handle that speed, you can push well past the usual 1Gb cap. I’ve got a desktop PC with a 2.5Gb network card, so I was keen to see what it could do.

Placement is always key with routers. I put mine in the living room, where most devices connect, and later tested a booster upstairs. The Super WiFi 7 boosters are available if you need them, and they’re handy for homes with thicker walls or awkward layouts.

First impressions of the Ultra Hub 7

This router is the main piece of kit you get with Pro 3. It’s built for Wi-Fi 7, which means it can use wider 320MHz channels and features like multi-link operation that should, in theory, make your Wi-Fi faster and more responsive when lots of devices are online.

The difference depends on the gadgets you own. My Wi-Fi 7 phone got much faster download speeds compared to the old router, especially when I was in the same room. But my older laptop and smart TV didn’t see much change at all, because they can’t use Wi-Fi 7. That’s something to keep in mind: Pro 3 is really geared towards people who already have or are planning to buy newer devices.

I noticed the hub only supports two bands, not three. Some people online expected a tri-band router like you see with some mesh systems. In my use, the dual-band setup wasn’t a problem, but if you rely on lots of boosters it’s something to consider.

Speeds in real life

On a wired connection with my 2.5Gb desktop, I could hit speeds above 1Gb when testing to a fast server. That was impressive, and you really feel it when downloading large game updates or moving big files around.

On Wi-Fi 7, my phone could hit high hundreds of Mbps near the router. Two rooms away it dropped, but still more than enough for streaming Ultra HD and working from home. On older Wi-Fi 5 devices, speeds were closer to what I had before.

The upload speeds depend on which network Vodafone uses for your line. I’m on CityFibre, so uploads match the downloads. That made cloud backups and sending large video files much quicker. People on Openreach will see lower uploads, so your experience may vary a lot depending on where you live.

Wi-Fi coverage at home

Without a booster, the Ultra Hub 7 covered most of my three-bed semi. Upstairs, I did notice some slowdown, so I added a Super WiFi 7 booster halfway up the stairs. After that, the speeds upstairs were almost the same as near the hub. It’s not perfect, but it’s a clear improvement compared to the old Vodafone router I had before.

I’ve read on forums that some people had the hub reboot itself or run into bugs, but mine has been reliable since a firmware update came through. Vodafone’s app gives you the basics like guest Wi-Fi, device management, and parental controls, which is enough for most people.

Gaming and latency

For gaming, Pro 3 has been consistent. Wired connections gave me low ping times, which is exactly what you want for competitive play. On Wi-Fi, it depended more on distance and interference. When I tested Call of Duty over Wi-Fi in the living room, it was fine. Upstairs, the ping was slightly higher, but still playable. From reading forums, other gamers have had similar experiences: fine in some areas, less so in others. It really comes down to the route Vodafone takes through the network in your region.

Reliability so far

In the time I’ve been using Pro 3, I’ve only had one short outage, which the backup 4G connection handled automatically. That kept my devices online, which is one of the perks you get on the Pro plans. There have been bigger outages reported in some regions, usually linked to CityFibre or Openreach, but that’s the same risk with any broadband provider.

Things I didn’t like

The Ultra Hub 7 is fairly locked down. You can change basic Wi-Fi settings and use the app, but if you want advanced features like VLANs or custom routing rules, you’ll be disappointed. I had to use my own router in bridge mode to get more control. That’s not unusual with ISP hardware, but worth pointing out.

Another drawback is device compatibility. Unless you’ve already got Wi-Fi 7 or at least Wi-Fi 6E kit, you won’t see the big speed jumps. A lot of households are still on older devices, so the benefits might not feel as noticeable right away.

Price and contracts

One thing I appreciate is that new contracts now explain price rises in pounds and pence instead of the old CPI plus 3.9% formula. It means you know in advance how much it will go up each year. Still, Pro 3 is a premium option, so you’ll pay more compared to Vodafone’s standard fibre deals.

Verdict after using Pro 3

After a few weeks, Pro 3 feels like a package aimed at households that want to future-proof. The hardware is ready for Wi-Fi 7, there’s proper multi-gig support if you’ve got the kit, and in areas with CityFibre or Community Fibre you can finally get upload speeds that match your downloads. For me, the upload speed alone makes a huge difference with work and backing up files.

If your home is full of older devices, the difference won’t be as dramatic, and you might be better off with a cheaper Vodafone fibre plan until you upgrade your tech. But if you’ve got new phones, laptops or consoles and you use your broadband heavily, Pro 3 is an excellent choice.

Recommendation

I’d recommend Vodafone Pro 3 if:

• You’re in a CityFibre or Community Fibre area and want symmetric speeds.
• You already own Wi-Fi 7 or 6E devices, or plan to upgrade soon.
• You need reliable whole-home coverage and don’t mind using boosters.
• You value extras like 4G backup and the ability to push speeds over 1Gb on wired connections.

If none of those apply, Pro 3 might be over the top. Vodafone’s cheaper fibre packages will give you the same everyday experience until your devices catch up.