Airtel recently launched vfiber check out in Chennai and coming soon in Delhi and Bangalore. Plus Airtel plans to expand it to 87 cities where it already is providing adsl broadband services. It’s giving unlimited data for first three months to new users, which shows this service is getting launched in competition to Jio fiber which is expected to provide broadband service in 2017 on pure FTTH platform.
According to Airtel:
V-Fiber is a unique combination of fiber and Vectorization technology that delivers super fast speed. That means faster downloads, less buffering, and an ultra-reliable Wi-Fi connection for all the devices in your home.
But what technology actually it is?
Airtel is rebranding VDSL technology as Vfiber. To max it can be called FTTN(Fiber to the node) as called in Australia. But nowhere near as FTTH or pure fiber where fiber comes to customer premises or house.
In V-fiber customer would get vdsl modem instead of adsl modem on same copper telephone line. Though each node (where the vdsl equipment is installed) is feeded with fiber cable. Airtel is branding vdsl tech as v-fiber or virtual fiber however with that justification even current adsl is virtual fiber because even adsl equipment is connected with fiber cable only.
Airtel is saving costs on by using existing last mile copper instead of laying fresh fiber to each house. Adsl equipment is being replaced with vdsl equipment and more pair of fiber are being fed to each for additional bandwidth.
Users would get better download and upload speed no doubt however Airtel is claiming it as V-fiber which on users to decide. To me it will always remain less than Fiber or pure FTTH(Fiber to the house) which Reliance Jio is laying.
So whatever Airtel claims this V-fiber(upto 100mbps) can never compete with Jio Fiber(upto 1gbps) on purely speed basis which all this fiber broadband tech is all about.