EE has revealed details of its new Smart Hub 7 Max (SH4XJ) router, which is about to start shipping alongside orders for the operator's 8Gbps Advanced Full Fibre package. The package initially shipped to early users alongside a temporary router from a different manufacturer.

According to ISPreview's report, the Smart Hub 7 Max is designed to support Openreach's 10Gbps-capable FTTP (Fibre-to-the-Premises) and XGS-PON technology, which EE launched as a 2.3Gbps and 8Gbps package option in July 2026.

What's new in the Smart Hub 7 Max?

The Smart Hub 7 Max looks almost identical to EE's existing Smart Hub 7 Pro (SH40J) but introduces a key upgrade for ultra-fast fibre connections. Unlike the Pro, the new Max model supports 10Gbps Ethernet speeds. The new model features:

  • 1 x 10 Gbps WAN Ethernet port
  • 1 x 10 Gbps LAN Ethernet port
  • 3 x 2.5 Gbps LAN Ethernet ports

The router also includes:

  • Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) across three bands: 6GHz 320MHz 4×4, 5GHz 160MHz 4×4, and 2.4GHz 40MHz 4×4
  • Processor: Qualcomm Bells IPQ9570 Quad Core (2.2GHz)
  • Memory: 8GB Flash, 2GB RAM
  • Mesh support via WiFi Extender 7 Pro
  • EE TV and Digital Voice support (DECT/FXS)
  • NFC capability (currently configured for Guest Wi-Fi, according to the specification table)
  • Casing: 95% Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) material

Openreach's XGS-PON pilot and UK coverage

EE's 8Gbps packages are based on Openreach's ongoing pilot of XGS-PON technology. EE is currently the only retail internet provider offering commercial packages via this technology on Openreach's network. Coverage is still limited but should reach about 1 million premises by August 2027, before rising to cover a third of Openreach's full fibre network over the next five years.

For context, Openreach's full fibre network currently covers about 24 million premises. The operator aims to reach 25 million (over 80% of the UK) by the end of 2026 and holds a tentative ambition to reach up to 30 million premises by 2030, subject to the right conditions.

Other ISPs are expected to wait until after Openreach's new tiers exit the pilot phase and will also need to significantly update their capacity links to support such speeds.

Why hardware matters for next-generation fibre

The router upgrade highlights a real challenge in delivering multi-gigabit broadband to UK homes. While fibre optics themselves can carry such speeds, the equipment at each end must also support those throughputs.

EE's initial 8Gbps service launch was initially accompanied by a temporary router from a different manufacturer, while customers of the 2.3Gbps package received EE's existing Smart Hub 7 Pro router. The new Smart Hub 7 Max supports the 10Gbps Ethernet capabilities required for these higher-speed services.

The move signals growing momentum toward commercially available gigabit-speed services in the UK, though availability remains concentrated in areas where Openreach has deployed its latest FTTP and XGS-PON technology.

What this means for EE customers

EE remains the sole retail provider currently offering 8Gbps packages via Openreach's XGS-PON network. The Smart Hub 7 Max is about to start shipping alongside orders for the 8Gbps package.

As the UK's fibre infrastructure continues to expand, such equipment updates will become more common—but they underscore that network speeds depend not just on fibre quality, but also on the devices connected to it.