Airtel has launched its latest product in India, called the Airtel Xstream AirFiber which is a fixed wireless access (FWA) offering, on 5G for consumers in Delhi and Mumbai. Airtel claims that this one is India’s first wireless home Wi-Fi service that is powered by Airtel’s 5G Plus service. Read further to know what the device is and how it works.
What is Airtel XStream AirFiber?
Airtel Xstream AirFiber is a Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) solution. This home internet device operates wirelessly on Airtel’s 5G Plus network to which you can connect your devices to so they can access internet at 5G speeds. Such FWA solutions provide access to fixed locations or buildings, using wireless technology instead of traditional wired connections such as fiber optic cables or copper lines. They are connected to a nearby cell tower or base station.
How does FWA work?
FWA solutions, as the name suggests, work wirelessly, thanks to a transmitter or receiver that gets installed at the user’s premises. It is connected to an Antenna that communicates with a nearby cell tower through wireless signal that is transmitted over airwaves.
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Features of Airtel Xstream AirFiber
The features of Airtel Xstream Fiber include Wi-Fi 6 support, and Xstream AirFiber App support using which you can control the device’s settings. Airtel claims that it offers 50% higher speed than Wi-Fi 5 routers, has wider range and better coverage, and a lower battery consumption of connected devices. Of course, as it provides 5G speeds, the downloads and uploads work faster also. Just like a Wi-Fi, multiple devices can be connected to the AirFiber.
How much do Airtel Xstream AirFiber plans cost?
Airtel Xstream Fiber comes with a 6 month plan which allows users to enjoy 100Mbps speeds at Rs 4,435 (exclusive of GST). There is also a one-time refundable security deposit of Rs 2,500 on the device.
Where can you purchase the device?
Airtel says that the new device is slowly rolling out in the market. It is available at select Airtel retail stores in Delhi and Mumbai. Moreover, one has to keep in mind that it may not be available in your area as there could be no support for 5G in that particular locality yet. “The feasibility depends on the 5G network availability in your area”, says Airtel.
Where’s the competition at?
Reliance Jio, Airtel’s biggest competitor, is working on a similar device called Jio AirFiber that was unveiled during the company’s 2022 Annual General Meet. However, there was no news about the device after that and now, with Jio’s upcoming AGM 2023, it is expected that the telecom company will unveil the Wi-Fi hotspot device to compete with Airtel.