February 28, 2023, 7:15 am | Read time: 5 minutes
At the end of February, the major players in the mobile industry gather in Barcelona. At the MWC, they showcase their latest developments and products. Router manufacturer AVM is participating again this year and has brought along three new Fritzboxes. TECHBOOK was able to take a look at the devices on-site.
With the Fritzbox 5690 Pro, the 5690 XGS, and the 6860 5G, AVM is introducing three new Fritzboxes this spring. The Fritzbox 5690 Pro combines fiber optics and DSL in one device for the first time, while the XGS model is a router for pure fiber optic connections. The 6860 5G model, on the other hand, is intended for use in mobile networks. But what do the new Fritzboxes offer in detail?
Overview
Fritzbox 5690 Pro combines (V)DSL and fiber optics
Visually, the Fritzbox 5690 Pro differs from all previous AVM routers. Like the cable routers, it stands upright on the table, but unlike them, it has significantly rounded corners and is wider. The router combines fiber optics and (V)DSL for the first time, allowing it to be used with both connection types. This is especially practical for users whose fiber optics are still being expanded and will only be available in the future. They can use the Fritzbox 5690 Pro on the DSL connection for now and later switch to the new connection type.
Technically, the Fritzbox 5690 Pro is state-of-the-art. The AVM router supports WLAN Mesh not only in the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands but also over 6 GHz. The Fritzbox 5690 Pro even covers the new WLAN generation 7. This is backward compatible and is also referred to as IEEE 802.11be or WLAN be. Wifi 7 is backward compatible and is expected to arrive in 2023, but is not yet actively used by any devices. The new standard allows speeds of up to 46 Gbit/s theoretically and offers better latency.
Also part of the equipment is DECT ULE, the transmission standard previously used by AVM in the Smart Home sector. Additionally, it supports Zigbee and the new Matter standard. The router also offers a home center for telephony and an analog telephone connection.
The equipment at a glance
- Fiber optic and DSL router
- Supports fiber optic standards GPON up to 2.5 Gbit/s, AON up to 1 Gbit/s
- Usable with fiber optic modem (ONT) at 2.5 Gbit/s (WAN)
- Supports DSL including Supervectoring 35b up to 250 Mbit/s
- Triband Mesh, 4×4 on 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz / Wi-Fi 7, 6E, 6
- WLAN speeds: 2.4 GHz – up to 1200 Mbit/s, 5 GHz – up to 5760 Mbit/s, 6 GHz – up to 11.53 Gbit/s
- 1x 2.5-Gigabit LAN/WAN port and 4 LAN ports with 1 Gbit/s
- Telephony via DECT, IP/SIP, and 1 analog telephone connection (FXS)
- Smart Home via DECT ULE and Zigbee, Matter in preparation
- 1x USB 3.1 (Gen 2) for mobile sticks (5G/4G) as well as storage media and printers
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Fritzbox 5690 XGS for new fiber optic network
The Fritzbox 5690 XGS is a pure fiber optic router, visually almost identical to the new Pro model. The abbreviation in the name stands for XGS-PON, a fiber optic network used here with particularly high upload data. X stands for the Roman numeral 10, G for Gigabit. In the network, speeds of up to 10 Gbit/s are possible. The S stands for “symmetric” and indicates that these data rates can be achieved not only in download but also in upload. In Germany, XGS networks are currently being expanded, including by Deutsche Telekom.
Like the Pro model, the Fritzbox 5690 XGS supports Wifi 7 as well as DECT ULE, Zigbee, and Matter. It also offers the aforementioned speed of up to 10 Gbit/s via WAN/LAN. A DECT base station is also integrated, as well as an analog telephone connection and a USB 3.1 port.
The equipment at a glance
- Fiber optic router for up to 10 Gbit/s
- Supports the fiber optic standard XGS-PON
- Usable with fiber optic modem (ONT) at 10 Gbit/s (WAN)
- WLAN Mesh, 4×4, on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, Wi-Fi 7, 6
- WLAN speeds: 2.4 GHz: up to 1200 Mbit/s, 5 GHz: up to 5760 Mbit/s
- 1x 10-Gigabit LAN/WAN port and 4 LAN ports with 1 Gbit/s
- Telephony via DECT, IP/SIP, and 1 analog telephone connection (FXS)
- Smart Home via DECT ULE and Zigbee, Matter in preparation
- 1x USB 3.1 (Gen 2) for mobile sticks (5G/4G) as well as storage media and printers
Also read: Fixing the most common WLAN issues with the Fritzbox
Fritzbox 6860 5G for mobile use
For those who cannot receive fast internet at home via DSL, cable, or fiber optics, mobile networks are an alternative. Numerous providers offer stationary 5G plans that allow surfing within the home. The Fritzbox 6860 5G is a router that can be used with these connections. The box is considered the successor to the 6850 5G, which has been on the market since 2021. It operates on all common European frequencies with a maximum speed of 1.3 Gbit/s and offers Wifi 6 as well as a Gigabit LAN port. Telephony is possible via VoLTE and alternatively via VoIP for DECT and IP phones.
The equipment at a glance
- Router for on-the-go and at home via 5G and LTE up to 1.3 Gbit/s (4×4 MIMO)
- Support for 5G SA/NSA (3GPP Release 16) and LTE Advanced Pro (CAT19)
- 5G Carrier Aggregation (5G-CA), Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS), Nano-SIM, 5G over Band 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 75, 78
- 4G (LTE) over Band 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43
- Also supports 3G (UMTS)
- WLAN Mesh: Wifi 6 2×2 for 2.4 and 5 GHz
- 1x Gigabit LAN port with Power over Ethernet (PoE)
- Telephony via VoLTE, VoNR (5G), and via VoIP
- Telephone system for DECT and IP phones
- Removable stand for wall/window mounting
AVM has not yet provided further details on the availability and prices of the new Fritzboxes, except that a launch is planned for Q2 2023.