Advanced Info Service's (AIS) fixed broadband business, AIS Fibre, is striving to gain a foothold in the market by rolling out a new router it says ensures full speed of 1 gigabit per second on WiFi with a strong signal that covers the entire home.
Saran Phaloprakarn, head of AIS's fixed broadband department, said the SuperMesh WiFi router meets the demands of customers wanting to use high-speed WiFi throughout the house with a signal distributed at 1Gbps.
The router can connect to up to eight devices, he said.
Chinese tech giant Huawei will provide the routers with technology optimised by the AIS Fibre team.
The router hits the markets tomorrow as the country is preparing for 5G wireless broadband, while demand for video streaming in 4K resolution, which requires an ultra-fast internet connection, is surging, Mr Saran.
Mesh WiFi is built to eliminate dead zones in the home, providing an uninterrupted connection, he said.
The mesh system enables devices on the network to have faster speeds, greater coverage, and a more reliable connection.
While traditional routers broadcast WiFi from a single point, mesh WiFi systems have multiple access points, said Mr Saran.
"The router accommodates a large number of smart devices and Internet of Things devices, which can turn customers' houses into smart homes where everything is controlled through smart devices," he said.
Citing a recent study about people's internet usage, Mr Saran said most customers want consistent internet connection speeds throughout their home.
Most people live in two-storey houses with only one WiFi router, meaning their entire house is not covered by a WiFi signal, he said.
From this year, the growth of video streaming in 4K resolution, new mobile applications, virtual reality technology as well as 5G technology should increase demand for ultra-fast internet connections, said Mr Saran.
The new router, he said, would help reduce electricity usage by more than 30%, compared with other models, supporting green energy.
Customers can subscribe to the AIS Fibre SuperMesh WiFi package from tomorrow for 999 baht a month.
The company services 58 provinces and plans to expand to all 77 this year.
AIS Fibre is the fourth largest operator in the fixed broadband business with 1 million household subscriptions, after True Online, 3BB and TOT.
The company aims to crack the top three by 2022.