How India’s broadband infrastructure is evolving toward next-gen connectivity

The broadband and optical networking ecosystem in India has undergone steady metamorphosis in the last decade—driven as much by expanding fibre rollouts, digital inclusion policies, and burgeoning data demand—as by teething problems ‘in the last mile’ of fibre penetration or even network scalability. In comparison developed markets are moving on to XGS-PON and 25G PON technology even if we are in a much less mature state. 

In this conversation Mr. Murali Sampath articulates his thoughts on how the broadband landscape in the country is evolving, on the more and more growing intermingling of AI and Automation in network operations and on the technology priorities behind Alphion’s innovations.

How do you view the broadband and optical networking landscape in India today compared to developed markets, as far as speed, scale and technology maturity are concerned?

India’s broadband and optical networking ecosystem has done extremely well over the last decade almost exclusively driven by rapid fibre investments, rapid FTTx roll out and excellent policy initiatives leaning towards digital inclusion. 

However while there are urban areas where we can procure speed and quality of network that equals many developed markets, there is comparatively a long way to go for the overall ecosystem to reach advanced market levels particularly in various areas, such as, last mile fibre penetration and scalability. Many advanced markets have already moved towards XGS-PON and 25G PON solutions while we are still reliant on GPON and Hybrid solutions. 

We see this as a big opportunity. We’re able to take legacy systems and catapult them to next-generation access technologies that are cost optimized. The focus is on bringing solutions that are globally proven and yet locally relevant so that they allow operators and enterprises in India to build a broadband infrastructure that is fit for the future.  
 

Alphion has recently deployed XGS-PON at IIT Delhi. Why is this technology important, and how does it help in improving user experience as well as network efficiency?   

The XGS-PON technology provides IIT Delhi with high speed symmetrical connectivity at both upstream and downstream and thereby enhances its digital bandwidth, user experience as well as network efficiency. It also prepares for a complete high capacity institution-wide campus network along with robust scalable infrastructure. A notable feature of the deployment was that it was designed for the education environment, optimised and customised. The benefit to the students and faculty at IIT Delhi will be an enhanced capability for research and innovation through Alphion’s deployment of the XGS-PON technology which is ideal for data intensive homework, digital learning as well as seamless cloud access and storage.     

How is Alphion investing in AI and automation for broadband network operations such as monitoring, fault detection and predictive maintenance?   

Alphion is continuing to invest in advanced R&D to incorporate AI driven intelligence in its broadband network operations. Our AI based network monitoring tools are designed to provide predictive fault detection, configuration automation, and adaptive bandwidth allocation to operators allowing them to anticipate and rectify network faults before they affect service. The ultimate goal is to aid Indian telecom operators in providing not only high reliability of network operation but also optimised performance, especially in a variety of user/non-user behaviour patterns and infrastructure limitations.  

What are the major areas of importance for Alphion’s R&D division in India, and how do these mesh with the new trends, like FTTx and IoT-driven connectivity?

The emphasis of Alphion’s R&D efforts in India is the development of cost-effective, high-capacity access technologies such as XGS-PON and 25G PON, aimed at providing an infrastructure recommended for India’s broadband market where price and growth combine painfully.  Our aim is to provide shapers for future-scabable solutions providing service providers with minimal budgetary dislocation the ability to add capacity as needed and derive full policies from existing resources.  The R&D division is also working on AI enabled network automation and predictive maintenance, with special emphasis on localization needs in order to supply various geographies, power and temperature phases in India of high relevance for reliability.

How does Alphion’s answer supply that its broadband and optical networking solutions meet the peculiar requirements of India’s infrastructures coupled with international competitiveness?

The aim of the Alphion strategy is to furnish India with cutting-edge innovation allied to physical affordability measures, which meet the peculiar needs of India’s broadband requirements.  Our purpose is to bring the latest increases in PON technologies to the Indian market, particularly XGS-PON and 25G PON, so that they can benefit India through particularly higher capacity, increased scalability and enhanced service quality and with better proof through time of India’s broadband facilities. 

Additionally, we continue to optimize existing technologies like GPON to deliver cost-effective, scalable network designs that meet the immediate needs of Indian operators. This dual-pronged approach ensures that our solutions remain globally competitive while being responsive to India’s operational realities.

What differences do you observe in how enterprises, service providers, and public institutions in India adopt advanced fibre and optical technologies?

The adoption dynamics vary significantly across these segments. Enterprises are increasingly relying on high-capacity fibre networks to support various functions like cloud migration, and data-intensive applications. On the other hand, telecom and service providers, are focusing on deploying scalable and cost-efficient solutions to serve both urban and rural markets.

Amid these trends, India's broadband and optical networking infrastructure is poised for a significant transformation over the next 3–5 years, driven by Government initiatives, private sector investments, and technological advancements. Government initiatives like BharatNet and National Broadband Mission are looking to deepen digital connectivity and bring inclusivity across India. At Alphion, we work closely with all these three key enablers. We are tailoring our optical access solutions to meet their specific operational and financial needs. Our key objective is to ensure that advanced broadband technologies reach every layer of India’s digital ecosystem.

With AI, cloud, and 5G converging, how do you see access technologies evolving over the next five years - and where does Alphion aim to lead this transformation?

The next five years will mark a major transformation in broadband access, driven by the convergence of AI, cloud computing, and 5G. Networks will need to become more intelligent and adaptive, to handle the surge in connected devices, and data-heavy applications.

For over 15 years, Alphion has been at the forefront of PON innovation, pioneering standards and bringing the latest advancements in next-generation access technologies to the Indian market. Our approach balances cutting-edge innovation with affordability and scalability, ensuring that high-speed broadband access extends beyond urban centres to bridge the digital divide.

Our goal is to accelerate broadband adoption across India by delivering affordable, high-capacity access and IoT-ready solutions that empower service providers to build future-proof, and intelligent networks supporting India’s digital growth.