AIS’s Innovative FTTR Deployment:Leading Thailand’s All-Optical Transformation for Smart Living

As global digitalization accelerates, Thailand’s fixed broadband market has reached a highly mature stage. In 2023, household broadband penetration reached 52.5%, FTTH adoption rate exceeded 95%, and user growth became saturated. Competition has shifted from a multi-player landscape to an emerging duopoly, while ARPU continues to decline. At this critical point, leading operator AIS has taken the lead by launching FTTR solutions through technological innovation, driving high-quality growth in its home broadband business and achieving contrarian ARPU growth. As of July 2025, AIS FTTR home subscribers exceeded 37,000, with an average monthly increase of nearly 3,000 users, setting a benchmark for industry transformation and highlighting new trends in smart home living.

Why Did AIS Choose FTTR for Strategic Transformation?

As Thailand’s fixed broadband market enters its mature phase, user growth has peaked, and competition is concentrating among leading operators. The continuous decline in ARPU creates an urgent need for new pathways to growth. Although technologies like 10G-PON were once seen as the direction for broadband upgrades, their commercialization is hampered by a lack of high-demand application scenarios. Meanwhile, Mesh Wi-Fi, based on multi-AP networking, rapidly gained popularity with households starting in 2019. Building on this, FTTR—with its fully optical, seamless roaming capability, higher bandwidth, better latency, and increased stability—has emerged as the preferred choice for enhancing the in-home network experience.

Recognizing this trend, AIS swiftly adjusted its strategy, shifting from “growth driven by price competition” to “growth driven by user value.” Instead of relying solely on aggressive pricing to capture market share, AIS now focuses on technological innovation and differentiated services to deliver superior user experiences, achieving sustained ARPU growth and further strengthening its leadership position within the industry.

How Does AIS Operate Its Innovative Products to Boost FTTR Awareness?

AIS understands that efficient marketing is essential for enabling a healthy industry cycle for innovative technologies. Thus, AIS has adopted a progressive and multi-dimensional market strategy to comprehensively drive the rollout of its innovative FTTR products:

• Multi-Channel Promotion

Firstly, AIS has launched a dedicated FTTR section in a prominent position on its official website, using differentiated packages to highlight key advantages such as “whole-home gigabit” and “seamless connectivity,” which challenge conventional broadband perceptions. In addition, AIS releases promotional videos on YouTube and major social platforms, using content such as user unboxing and celebrity demos to widely showcase the superior “gigabit-to-every-room” FTTR experience.

Moreover, AIS integrates offline service centers, advertising, and speed-test zones, offering users the chance to experience next-generation FTTR services firsthand and strengthen brand awareness.

• Attractive Differentiated Services

In terms of package design, AIS has introduced flexible FTTR bundles tailored to the diverse needs of users, raising the overall service threshold and targeting high-value customer segments. In the initial phase, FTTR focused on the “Home FibreLAN” brand, promising “gigabit access to every room,” launching exclusive Wi-Fi 6 FTTR devices, and providing 1 Gbps symmetric broadband service. Compared to traditional Mesh APs, FTTR users enjoy waived installation fees, device rental fees, and service activation fees, dramatically lowering barriers to adoption. With two-year contracts and reasonable monthly fees, ARPU has been significantly increased.

Currently, AIS has further upgraded FTTR packages to “Home FibreLAN PLUS,” offering users complimentary value-added benefits including ATV video, 20 GB of mobile data, and unlimited Super Wi-Fi, fully leveraging the advantages of being an integrated operator to enhance user stickiness and satisfaction.

• Professional Installation and Maintenance Team

To guarantee premium user experiences, AIS has established a professional FTTR installation and maintenance team, providing one-stop services including on-site surveying, network planning, standardized wiring installation, and speed testing verification before residents move in. This ensures the efficient and worry-free delivery for every household.

Outstanding Results of AIS’s FTTR Strategy

“Whole-home gigabit, smart living” has become the new benchmark for household broadband in Thailand, continuously optimizing AIS’s broadband revenue structure. Technological upgrades not only improve user satisfaction and network loyalty, but also create new business value for AIS. FTTR targets the top 10 high-value user segments, and as of July 2025, the number of FTTR users surpassed 37,000, with a sales success rate of 87.9% and an annual growth rate reaching 5.8 times. Compared with Mesh AP packages, each new FTTR user brings approximately $5.08 additional monthly ARPU.

This successful experience has been extended to the small and medium-sized enterprise market, with AIS innovatively launching the "Office FibreLAN" all-optical business solution. By utilizing a unified fiber-optic network architecture, this solution provides gigabit high-speed access to every office space, simplifying network operations while creating a seamless digital workspace.

AIS’s innovative FTTR deployment provides a model for operators to shift from scale-driven to value-driven growth. Through technological innovation, targeted marketing, and differentiated services, AIS has made FTTR a key driver of ARPU and user stickiness. As technologies such as Wi-Fi 7, AI, and smart home integration continue to advance, FTTR is expected to become the foundation of the digital home and support operators in achieving higher-quality growth.