MTNL VDSL @ 50 Mbps... It's alive

Purchased Asus DSL-N17U VDSL Modem from Amazon US and paid Rs. 6000 + Rs. 1000 duty.

Activated High Speed 2999 Plan through VDSL. It took them 1 week to get it activated. I had to run through lot of hoops, incorrect port changes, wrong VLAN IDs and finally today the stars aligned.



Connecting at cool 50 Mbps. For the first time I can see Interleaving on the VDSL line and I was assured that Ikanos DSLAM has been updated with new software which prevents "random sites not opening" problem faced by many previous VDSL users.




I would have to check how stable my line is at such insane sync.

Looks like Speedtest has still not fixed the bug with their BBCODE.

Speedtest.net by Ookla - The Global Broadband Speed Test points to a web page and not an image.

@kickass
A week of use and sad thing to report is my line is capable of 60 Mbps but is only stable when download profile is reduced to 30 Mbps.

Apparently, my modem (Asus DSL-N17U) used to go nuts from 6pm to midnight and kept on reconnecting every 10 minutes. There were insane number of CRC errors. From midnight till next day 6pm the line was stable. So the Server guys reduced my profile to 40 Mbps down and 2 Mbps up. But even then the same problem at 6pm. There used to be sudden bursts of CRC errors and my modem used to loose the sync.

Now they reduced the speed further to 30 Mbps down and 5 Mbps up. While I do get a random re-sync between 6-10pm, the connection has been stable lately. I also installed new CAT6 wire from MTNL junction box to the VDSL splitter in my home. This new wire with insulated patches helped tremendously.

From what I read online, the VDSL chipset Trendchip/Huawei in my ASUS DSL-N17U is the most pathetic chipset ever. It's the same chipset used in much more expensive DSL-AC68U as well. Huawei chipset favours short lines lesser than 1 km. My line is 0.9 km from exchange but clearly it does not work well with MTNL's Ikanos DSLAM.

Today I am expecting ZyXEL VMG1312-B10A VDSL modem which is based on trusted Broadcom chipset. I would be delighted if it allows me to bump the download speed to 40 Mbps.

The excellent thing to report is they have eliminated the random sites not opening problem. This means the server is now stable and VDSL can be opted if your loop length is lesser than 1km.

Calculate here
Enter your attenuation from ADSL modem.
Eg. If your ADSL modem shows attenuation as 12dB, add 3 and put 15 in the box. That would give your cable length from exchange.

VDSL modems report higher attenuation than ADSL modems. I don't know why.

How much for ZyXEL?
30 to 40 is not much difference imo. why spend more when jio ftth is expected ?

Rs. 5200.
Jio FTTH is expected. But it might take 2-3 years for mass deployment. What to do in the mean time?

BTW Zexel modem installed and working in Bridge mode. It also gives me access to it while in bridge mode. 14 hrs so far and stable on 40Mbps/5Mbps profile.

I will see how it goes.

Update:
After using it on ZyXEL VMG1312-B10A for a week, I can conclude that it is a far far superior modem compared to expensive Asus DSL-N17U

It is holding steady 23 hr sessions and does not disconnect even if the SNR falls below 4.



It allows SNR tweaking thorugh telnet and also supports DSL Stats. 40 Mbps/5Mbps is real at MTNL.

But we never get above 30 Mbps to overseas servers in EU/US/UK/Hongkong. The direct peering is pathetic and speeds are capped at 30 Mbps. So even after using download accelerator, speeds fluctuate at one second it's 40 Mbps and next second it is as low as 10 Mbps.

Hey @d5aqoëp
I have a few queries, hope you could answer.

I am about 600-800m from the exchange, how good/bad the VDSL connection would be?
Why not use a VDSL modem and buy connect a wireless router to it? This might also put some less strain to the modem. Are just ADSL modems available? Or there are just combos available?
Does MTNL provide a VDSL modem for a monthly cost?
Can i connect my current DSL/ADSL router/modem combo to their VDSL modem for wireless instead of using the combo you do?

Thank you.

@demonicult

1. You absolutely cannot tell how a VDSL connection could behave unless you have a VDSL modem and MTNL has changed your port to VDSL.
2. I am 400 mts from Prabhadevi Telephone Exchange Mothership (Line of sight). ADSL modem used to report I am 900 mts due to loop lenght. Asus DSL-N17U reported 1100 mts distance. ZyXEL VMG1312-B10A reports I am 1500 mts away. So distance is all madness.
3. I use Zyxel in Bridge mode and ASUS RT-AC88U as main router which dials PPPoE connection.
4. MTNL provides VDSL modem at monthly rent. Check on mtnlmumbai.in
5. You can connect your current DSL/ADSL/modem combo provided your device has LAN input port along with 4 LAN output ports. Some modems have a setting where you can convert one of the 4 output port as input port and use it as a plain router.

@d5aqoëp
Dude. Thank you so much.

- So how does one find the distance in their router? Any idea how to find it in a TP-Link Router?
- I have a TP-Link W8968 ADSL2+ Modem-Router combo, and it does have the LAN/WAN for using it as a router with another modem.
- All I can find online are VDSL modem-router combos. Any idea where I could only get a wired VDSL modem? Any recommendations? That would be a much cheaper way for me to get it.
- So since Jan 20th, how good is the connection? You still having as low as 10mbps connection speed? Would you recommend someone to get it or wait it out?

I am still considering as the data cap is quite low and beyond that speed is pathetically slow. But then again at same cost I can get this 5x speed. Sigh.
I am on 8mbps (90/135GB). With the usage and number of devices connected, I need at least 100GB, so 90GB was/is manageable.
10-50mbps for 75GB is a bit too tight to be honest.

PS : 400mts is spitting distance. Living near Prabhadevi's exchange is like a wet dream to a MTNL user.

PPS : You've a badass number of good routers.

Calculate your loop length by clicking here.

Your best bet would be to take VDSL modem from MTNL on rental. If you are having problems with connectivity or stability, you can return it and go back to ADSL. That would save you a lot of money.

My connection is good since I got ZyXEL and MTNL changed me to 40/5 Mbps profile. My line is capable of 60 Mbps but those copper wires were laid in 1970 as per MTNL's linesman. So I cannot do much.

The data cap is idiotically low on high speed. The MBA guys using calculators in MTNL's planning dept are clueless.
Example:
Plan 1: 1 Mbps with 100 GB FUP for Rs. 100
Plan 2: 100 Mbps with 1 GB FUP for Rs. 100

The above example is a bit extreme but it clearly explains the sorry state of MTNL's plans. It's high time MTNL stops artificially limiting data by speed.

They hope that people on higher speed will use up less allotted data faster and opt for data top-up packs. But as a customer, when I am paying Rs. 2999, I can't be bothered with paying even more just to get high speed data. This has actually caused people to downgrade to low speed plans.

But anyway, why bother as once Jio FTTH is publicly available, MTNL will have to shut it's non competitive services.

That loop length calculator looks kinda finicky.

I totally agree, the FUP cap is totally bonkers. Higher speed warrants higher caps but they tend of just be meh.
But compared to other shitty FUP plans by ISPs(ISPs available freely), MTNL looks quite okay for now.

I don't think MTNL would ever shut down their plans, they would improvise. I wish MTNL Delhi's FTTH plans[1] come to Mumbai. And as the trend goes, they might arrive soon.

Jio FTTH even though it arrives soon we do not know what service to expect. Nobody is and will complain about Jio in general for now as you aren't paying anything for their services. Only a year later we can know what Jio has in store for us. Hope its good as their infra is solid.
Same with Jio FTTH, people who are getting FTTH from Jio are getting the first 3 months free. So only by the end of the year I would consider switching if its worth. As switch to FTTH would mean shelling out atleast 3000-4000 for installation + about 4000-5000 for hardware.

I guess better to get the MTNL's VDSL modem on rent and test it out.

But thats why I asked you the question, should I pay 2000 for installation + modem and test it out, is it good so far? Anyway if I start moving the gears over a switch now, it would take MTNL at least 2-3 weeks to get rolling with the installation. So I hope you keep updating this thread every week or at least 15 days about how things are going.

PS : You can and should try Jio FTTH as you might get in your area. Its available in many areas of South Bombay for now.


[1] MTNL Delhi - Customer SelfCare Portal : Online Book Landline, Broadband and other services

The FTH-2990 Plan of MTNL Delhi is unstoppable. If you pay yearly, it works out under 2500 per month. You also get 75 GB extra as well as 5 Mbps post FUP. Now this is called REAL Fair Usage Policy.

MTNL Mumbai once used to be pioneers in broadband and Delhi MTNL used to play catch-up all the time. But now the roles have reversed. Maybe Kejru effect in Delhi?

@d5aqoëp Wow, Thanks a ton for the Informative Post's all along. I also subscribed to the 2049 Plan (50MB/s-5MB/s)
Here are my results & Line stat.









Would be highly Obliged i you could advise if anything I have to do at my end. I have the Digisol VDSL Modem DG-VG4300NU. Shoud I try Bridge Mode like you mentioned, would that help?

@saifbukhari
I think you are getting maximum out of your line. If this current setup is working fine, there is no need to be in bridge mode. If you want to do heavy torrenting then only use bridge mode. Your speed or latency will remain the same.

@d5aqoëp Thanks Dear for responding.

Yeah things were Fine, until I too experienced sudden fluctuations post 6pm and the CRC Erros, the Speed is now hovering at 26mb/s and 5mb/s

Dont know if the Digisol Router/Modem is good enough or not, had bought this to address the shortage of mtnl cpe back in the days, Until yesterday the MTNL guy told me we have plenty now.

What do you say? Should I give mtnl cpe a try? as it is my stats per my router showing attainable speed not more that 33mbps ( which im thinking i will have to be content with)

Please advise