Discussion Expansion of Jio & Airtel Fiber no longer happening?

[TheAndroidFreak]

As I'm moved from excitel to Jio airfiber.
Excitel is very worst in my area. Frequent disconnections.
After taken Jio AF. No issues.
In my colony 30-40% are using Jio AF only.

I'm suggesting you, if your area have proper jio 5g coverage. take feedback from neighbors. take 3months pack 2100rs. You'll back your words about JIo AF. 100%.

There was noone in FTTH segment apart from Excitel in your area?

 

[Bapun]

Are you sure about it? Which city you are talking about? In Navi Mumbai, Airtel has stopped completely and Local FTTH providers have tied up with Airnet something and iON(which is strong in Navi Mumbai from Panvel to Airoli).

Yes, I am sure about it. I have talked to the Airtel sales team as well as LCO and they all have confirmed it. In Mumbai or any other metro cities, Airtel Fiber is managed by themselves, similar to Jio Fiber. So expansion might have stopped there.

The expansion with local cable operators happening mostly on smaller cities e.g. Tier-II and Tier-III cities.

 

[TheAndroidFreak]

So I have two queries now.

Your area will have Airtel FTTH as well as Airtel Airfiber?

I can give you some idea why Airtel is finding it hard to enter some areas.

While Jio manage their expansion and infrastructure by their own people, Airtel is dependent on LCOs (local cable operators) for their last mile connectivity.

Though this article is old, but it should give you idea what I am talking about: Airtel to expand home broadband through LCO model over the next 6 to 12 months: Gopal Vittal

They are doing this since year 2020 to avoid cable cutting and other problems given by LCOs. However, some areas still have LCOs who either doesn't want to pay the security amount that Airtel needs for materials and other stuff or don't want to work as per Airtel's agreement. So Airtel can not enter those areas.

I can give you example of my city. My city has 30% Airtel Xstream Fiber coverage since quite some time. The rest areas, including my area, falls under different LCO whom Airtel was approaching since 2020 for tie up and he was hesitant. Now after AirFiber launched, he finally agreed to allow Airtel Fiber expansion in our area because Airtel started installing AirFiber in our locality which he couldn't stop. And this is not only my area, in many cities LCOs are now agreeing to allow Airtel tie up with them because of AirFiber entry.

While Airtel only give some commission share to the LCOs for the last mile connectivity and installations, Airtel themselves manage their fiber network similar to Jio. Airtel also keeps the OLT (optical line terminal) access with themselves, it is placed near the towers similar to Jio Fiber OLT and those things are configured by their own engineers. Due to this, the network up time and stability remains top notch.

If Jio is not going LCO model, why it's not cheaper than Airtel by huge margin? As Airtel must be paying huge commissions to LCO for expansion.


Same thing was happening for Airtel/Jio in prepaid segment, in 2019-2020. To poach customers from Vi(as they were doing integration of their network), Airtel promised 90 rupees on FRC for retailers for porting out to Airtel from Vi(from Jio, it was different rate). For Vi to Jio, retailer was having 50-60 rupees. Why such things doesn't exist in FTTH and get cheaper? It will ease a lot of load on mobile networks and Jio+Airtel will get lot of revenue as quality networks will appear. Imagine if 6Ghz band delicenced, then what 320Mhz 8*8MIMO can do for Wifi 6E and 7.


Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 launched two days back supports Wifi 6E. Motorola will be using it. 7s Gen 3(Maybe Moto Edge 60 Fusion might use it) also supports Wifi 6E(Not sure about Wifi 7). People can utilise it at maximum potential.

 

[TheAndroidFreak]

Yes, I am sure about it. I have talked to the Airtel sales team as well as LCO and they all have confirmed it. In Mumbai or any other metro cities, Airtel Fiber is managed by themselves, similar to Jio Fiber. So expansion might have stopped there.

The expansion with local cable operators happening mostly on smaller cities e.g. Tier-II and Tier-III cities.

Mumbai ROI is close to nil now. Airtel won't be able to poach customers from Jio FTTH and Tata Play in Mumbai(Till Borivali-Mulund-Chembur)(These are most used in SOBO along with LCO).

Despite of whatever you said above, is not helping Airtel. Yes, Airtel stability is top notch and above Jio FTTH and Tata FTTH.

OffTopic: I believe Airtel Airfiber in Mumbai is using SA. Latency is top notch, close to Jio SA 5G network.

 

[Bapun]

Your area will have Airtel FTTH as well as Airtel Airfiber?

Yes. Just like Jio, since they also have both Fiber and AirFiber in my area.

If Jio is not going LCO model, why it's not cheaper than Airtel by huge margin? As Airtel must be paying huge commissions to LCO for expansion.

I don't know the answer for this. Jio officials will be in a better state to answer this question.

Despite of whatever you said above, is not helping Airtel. Yes, Airtel stability is top notch and above Jio FTTH and Tata FTTH.

It should be state/city specific case. In Bihar, UP, MP, CG, WB etc. regions Airtel Fiber is hugely popular and captured the market more than Jio due to their wider reach.

Tata Play Fiber is not even available in many states, keep area or cities apart. It is only for metros as of now.

 

[TheAndroidFreak]

Yes. Just like Jio, since they also have both Fiber and AirFiber in my area.


I don't know the answer for this. Jio officials will be in a better state to answer this question.


It should be state/city specific case. In Bihar, UP, MP, CG, WB etc. regions Airtel Fiber is hugely popular and captured the market more than Jio due to their wider reach.

Tata Play Fiber is not even available in many states, keep area or cities apart. It is only for metros as of now.

You said about Mumbai, so said about Mumbai. Tata Play fiber is widely available from Prabhadevi to Borivali(Tata is operating through LCO in Bandra). Airtel is famous in Andheri East and West. Nowhere else. Don't know about central line.

 

[Jio Lover]

There was no one in FTTH segment apart from Excitel in your area?

Wired fiber Airtel. Hireach, You Broadband are available. but, didn't used them.
Earlier Airtel used my neighbor. he got many cable cut, frequent disconnections. resolution takes 24-48hrs.
That's I choosed Jio AF. to avoid frequent disconnections. & cable cut issues.
Now, no cable coming from outside to home. AIR FIBER Is Very good when your area have good 5g coverage.

 

[Bapun]

You said about Mumbai, so said about Mumbai.

Because you are in Mumbai, I said how Airtel operates there without LCOs and compared it to smaller cities.

 

[TheAndroidFreak]

Wired fiber Airtel. Hireach, You Broadband are available. but, didn't used them.
Earlier Airtel used my neighbor. he got many cable cut, frequent disconnections. resolution takes 24-48hrs.
That's I choosed Jio AF. to avoid frequent disconnections. & cable cut issues.
Now, no cable coming from outside to home. AIR FIBER Is Very good when your have good 5g coverage.

Ok. Hireach is good not best.

 

[Zuke]

I can give you example of my city. My city has 30% Airtel Xstream Fiber coverage since quite some time. The rest areas, including my area, falls under different LCO whom Airtel was approaching since 2020 for tie up and he was hesitant.

Here the same LCO provides RailWire, BSNL and Airtel connection.

He only provides RailWire here and nothing else.