NUMERAMA INFO – SFR will launch the Box 8X on Tuesday, February 8, an evolution of its Box 8 released in 2019. Featuring a similar design with four Ethernet ports instead of two, it stands out thanks to XGS-PON technology which allows it to reach 8 Gbit/s downlink and 1 Gbit/s uplink in fibre.
When the Freebox Delta was launched in 2018, the other operators had fun with the “10 Gbit/s” fiber speed put forward by Free. They accused him in particular of lying about the figures (10 Gbit/s is a rounding, it is 8 Gbit/s in reality) while discrediting the usefulness of such a high theoretical speed. For a long time, all remained at 1 Gbit / s descending to the maximum, before rising to 2 Gbit / s between 2019 and 2020.
SFR, the first French operator to have launched a WiFi 6 compatible box in 2019, is ahead of Orange and Bouygues and is attacking Free. According to our information, it will launch on Tuesday February 8 the Box 8X, high-end evolution of its Box 8. This new box will offer a download speed of 8 Gbit/s and an upload speed of 1 Gbit/s.
SFR, the only operator with 8 Gbit/s and Wi-Fi 6
The technology used by SFR is different from that of Free, which should satisfy network enthusiasts. SFR has chosen to opt for the standard XGS-PON, while the Freebox Delta is content with 10G-EPON, an older protocol. Thanks to this more modern technology, SFR can, technically, offer symmetrical 8 Gbit/s to its customers. However, the operator has chosen to limit the upload speed of its Box 8X to 1 Gbit/s, which still allows it to claim performance superior to that of Free (700 Mbit/s in upload). In the future, it could technically unlock this meter up to 8 Gbit/s. As far as download speed is concerned, SFR is in line with Free and its 8 Gbit/s with its Box 8X.
As in 2018 with the Freebox Delta, the question of the usefulness of 8 Gbit / s arises. The Box 8X offers 4 Ethernet ports, with a maximum speed of 1 Gbit/s each. Do the math, the account is not good.
To take advantage of the 8 Gbit/s speed, a customer can ask SFR for an SFP module (available on request), in order to add a fifth Ethernet port, this time compatible with 10 Gb/s. If he has a compatible machine, he can then use the 8 Gbit/s of his connection on this port. Remember, however, that this speed is theoretical, shared between your different devices and that all homes eligible for fiber are not necessarily eligible for XGS-PON fiber. In short, even if the SFR Box 8X is the fastest box on the market, it will not necessarily divide your working time by 10.
In terms of Wi-Fi, SFR should indeed offer the best box on the market when the 8X is launched. Thanks to Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), SFR maintains a lead over Orange and Free, still in Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac). Only Bouygues also offers equipment compatible with the technology which, let us remember, makes it possible in particular to streamline the connection of many devices at the same time. Wi-Fi 6 is not to be confused with Wi-Fi 6E, not yet launched in France.
The TV box remains the same
If the router is in the spotlight of this new Box 8X, the TV part remains the same as with the box 8. The SFR decoder still includes speakers, two voice assistants (OK SFR and Alexa) and supports the 4K as well as Dolby Vision (HDR) and Dolby Atmos (sound) technologies.
Who is eligible for the SFR Box 8X?
According to our information, the SFR Box 8X will be available on February 8 at a price equivalent to that of the Box 8 with a Power offer, i.e. around 50 euros per month. Important point : the new Box 8X will be reserved for customers eligible forthe XGS-PON Fiber which, when ordering, will have to enter their address to verify that the technology works for them. In the event that their home is not compatible, it will be the Box 8 of 2019 which will be sent, with its two Ethernet ports. We can regret that SFR complicates its offer in this way, but we imagine that it is above all a question of logistics. For existing subscribers, SFR should set up a way to request the new box.
Finally, what about the compatibility of your home? The SFR fiber eligibility simulator will tell you from February 8 the maximum speed to which you are entitled. If you’re lucky, you should therefore be compatible with the theoretical 8 Gbit/s, and therefore eligible for the Box 8X. Otherwise, you will have to settle for the 2 Gbit / s of yesteryear and the Box 8.
