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The new router is based on Draft 2.0 of 802.11n, which has still to be officially ratified as a standard.

"After testing competitors' (Virgin, Sky and Carphone Warehouse) and our routers in a number of different situations we found that the new Hub offered a range up to 109% better than other ISPs' routers when the devices connecting with the Hub also use the 'n' standard," a BT spokesman claims.

BT was unable to specify exactly what equipment the new Hub was being tested against at the time of publication, but did admit that all the rival kit was 802.11g, which would explain the performance boost.

The revamped Home Hub has a new, more streamlined design, and now comes with WPA enabled out of the box.

It also has new power-saving options that allow users to turn off the wireless radio when the device is not in active use, saving around 20% in energy, according to BT.

The new Hub will be distributed for free to new BT customers and to existing customers when they renew their contract. Those who are under contract but desperate to get hold of the new hardware can buy the device for £45.