Deutsche Telekom plans on becoming the world’s first ISP to roll out a hybrid router to its customers when it rolls out a DSL-LTE gateway later this year, the Speedport Hybrid router which combines landline and mobile broadband.
DT told us that the router is not DSL-only or LTE-only compatible, meaning that you have to connect both services to it for it to work, rather than use the device for either ADSL or LTE.
Instead this devices seems to target broadband redundancy, a key requirement as more and more services become internet-only, so the hybrid-box allows Deutsche Telekom to expand its subscriber base in hard-to-reach and rural areas on the back of its cellular deployments – increasing its broadband deployment footprint, and also expanding its FON cooperation with WLAN TO GO support for all the new routers, which converts LTE signals to WiFi and back again.
Instead of needing to upgrade the quality of lines for DSL, this approach lets DT use cellular towers which have by now reached most remote locations, and the combination of the two broadband networks offers a better overall aggregate throughput. Many remote regions only have access to a long loop fixed line, which cannot provide guaranteed bandwidth over DSL due to attenuation and interference on loops longer than 6.5 kilometers.
Then this because a much cheaper approach than upgrading plant and instead, DT simply ships the customer this new box.
If an existing DSL customer’s line speed can’t be upgraded due to constraints in the local loop or other physical issues, increasing their speed using LTE makes a lot of sense. The DSL bandwidth is capable of less intensive tasks, such as browsing the web and email, and the LTE allocation can be turned on when the DSL line can no longer support the user’s activity – such as when consuming OTT video. As DSL is prioritized and LTE is only turned on when needed, by turning the LTE on and off when appropriate, DT should be able to manage rural network consumption to keep costs down, as the users will not be consuming high-bandwidth LTE data around the clock.
“Hybrid is a key component of our integrated network strategy,” says Michael Hagsphil, DT’s Director of Marketing. “Our customers will automatically get the best of both worlds because hybrid unites our outstanding fixed network with our outstanding mobile communications network. The Hybrid router automatically activates the LTE turbo to boost the fixed network bandwidth. This will significantly improve our customers’ web experience.”
In our view, eventually all routers will come with a second source of broadband for when there are latency or throughput issues in the primary source. The modern home will be unable to work, watch TV, browse the internet, or in some cases work automated locks and such, when it has no broadband signal – it would be like going back to the dark ages, which is why both reduced latency and dual connection are the next horizons for broadband, rather than simply more speed.
The rollout of the Hybrid Speedport will begin in Germany, in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, Bremen, Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Brandenburg and Berlin – achieving nationwide availability by spring 2015.
The router features 2.4GHz and 5GHz IEEE 802.11ac WiFi with a maximum throughput of 1.3Gbps. The LTE connection appears to be managed by an integrated microSIM slot.
The LTE bandwidth used by the router can be 800MHz, 1.8GHz and 2.6GHz bands, and the router will support ADSL, VDSL and vectored VDSL from the fixed line. Media server support for UPnP and DLNA compatible devices is also included.