Airtel is working on "Xstream AirFiber 5G", a home Internet service based on 5G

Earlier this year Jio unveiled “JioAirFiber”, a home Internet solution that relies on the carrier’s 5G network instead of running a cable to your house. Now rival Airtel is preparing a competing service dubbed “Airtel Xstream AirFiber 5G”.

This hasn’t been officially announced yet, but due to a slip up the Android app was posted on the Play Store too early, which leaked a lot of details about the new service.

Xstream AirFiber 5G will be centered around a Wi-Fi 6 (ax) router. To set it up, you first pick a good spot in your house with a strong signal, then put in a SIM card at the bottom of the device and power it up. It looks like the app will have some AR function to help you pick the best spot.

Airtel Xstream AirFiber 5G setup instructions from the app

The router will work on 4G networks too, of course, but 5G will offer a much better experience with higher bandwidth and lower latency. There are a handful of Ethernet ports on the back of the device, if you want to wire in a few desktop computers, consoles, smart TVs, etc.

The app revealed the pricing scheme for the service too – a 6-moth subscription with 100Mbps speed will cost ₹2,994 (which works out to ₹499 a month). The price of the 5G router itself should be ₹6,000.

Airtel may have various promos and combo deals in mind, we’ll just have to wait for the official announcement to find out. By the way, the app was here but has since been pulled down.

For comparison, you can get Airtel Xstream Fiber (i.e. wired) at 40Mbps for ₹499 a month, this includes a free Wi-Fi router. There are Internet + TV deals too, you can check the available plans here. Anyway, the AirFiber version will offer higher speeds for the same price and a simpler installation.

Source | Via