Bbox: a new 10 Gbits, Wi-Fi 6 and scalable fiber box at Bouygues

Bbox: a new 10 Gbits, Wi-Fi 6 and scalable fiber box at Bouygues

Bouygues Télécom held a press conference on January 14. Without warning signs, the operator presented a new Internet box. Compact and design, it is compatible with 10G fiber, Wi-Fi 6 and will be upgradeable.

This new fiber Bbox does not yet have a name. It will be available at the end of the month, at the same time as the exit from Bouygues’ Ultym offer. It will also be the box which will be associated with this high-end subscription billed € 42 per month (€ 25 the first year) which will soon enter our comparison of fiber offers.

Image 1: Bbox: a new 10 Gbits, Wi-Fi 6 and scalable fiber box at Bouygues

After the Freebox Delta at the end of 2018, the SFR Box 8 unveiled last summer and more recently Orange’s Livebox 5, Bouygues is therefore the latest thief in the telecoms industry to offer a renewal of its high-end box.

It should be noted at the outset that this is only a fiber box. The multimedia part remains in a separate element already in the catalog.

A Bbox ready for 10 Gbits

As said in the preamble, this fiber router is compatible with a 10 Gbits connection, the same one that Free put forward when launching its Freebox Delta. However, a year later, this technology is far from being democratized, the offers stagnating mainly at 1 Gbits, or even 2 Gbits shared by Orange with its Livebox 5. This same Orange also declared last December that will launch 10 Gbits fiber within 2 to 3 years.

Image 2: Bbox: a new 10 Gbits, Wi-Fi 6 and scalable fiber box at Bouygues

At Bouygues, 10 Gbits arrives via a small revolution. The access provider offers a device of which at least one component can be changed: the fiber inlet which is associated with a removable fiber transponder module, enough to easily switch to 10 Gbits when it becomes available.

The boxes are ready for ultra high speed, but in the meantime we will have to wait with their other features.

Box 4G: Bouygues, SFR, Orange, Free, who has the best plan?

Wi-Fi 6 quickly and easily accessible

And it does not matter since the new Bbox seems to be full of good ideas. First of all, it is Wi-Fi 6 compatible, a standard that Orange has not seen fit to adopt on its Livebox 5. However, there are more and more compatible devices, such as the iPhone 11, Galaxy S10, for example, or some laptops. From a consumer point of view, the advantage of this wireless connection is about performance. Theoretical values ​​promise a speed down to 4.8 Gbits on the 5 GHz network and 1.15 Gbits on the 2.4 GHz network. Performances capable of supporting 100% the best fiber connections of the moment in wireless.

Image 3: Bbox: a new 10 Gbits, Wi-Fi 6 and scalable fiber box at Bouygues

The new Bbox has an LCD screen on the front, it overlooks a command dial that allows you to interact simply with a few options of the box. Associated with a presence sensor, the screen lights up when the user approaches. It displays a QR code that can be used to quickly and easily connect to the Wi-Fi network. It also presents alerts in case of network problems and even a speed test. The whole is placed on a design all in height which could make think of a Bluetooth speaker. On its back, rest a 10 Gbits Ethernet socket as well as four others 1 Gbit, a telephone socket and two USB 3 ports.

Image 4: Bbox: a new 10 Gbits, Wi-Fi 6 and scalable fiber box at Bouygues

Source: Bouygues