Vodafone fiber coverage
First, if you want to understand how Vodafone fiber works and especially if you want to activate a fiber optic line with the operator, it is check coverage available in your area. Before explaining how to carry out the aforementioned operation, however, it is my duty to illustrate the technologies in optical fiber currently used by the famous multinational operator, so you will have no doubts about the acronyms you will encounter right at the time of the verification in question. To find out more, please continue reading.
Technologies used
First, let's clarify that optical fiber is one tech, or rather a method of connecting to the Network that it uses glass cables (or precisely optical fibers) for the passage of data. This allows to ensure significantly better performance than classic ADSL lines, which instead use copper cables for data passage, which causes signal dispersion and limits the frequency band to the canonical 20 Mega.
The gap between ADSL and optical fiber, as far as download and upload speeds are concerned, is considerable: in some areas, fiber is also able to guarantee 1.000 Mega (i.e. 1 Gigabit) in download. However, it all depends on the type of coverage available. The main types of fiber currently available - on which the download and upload performance provided depend - are the following.
- FTTH (Fiber To The Home) - it is the technology that offers the best performance, as the glass cables are brought directly into the homes, making the data move exclusively on the fiber cables, from the control unit to the modem (and vice versa), which makes it possible to achieve 1.000 Mbps (1 Gbps) in download. During the activation phase, the intervention of a specialized technician is required to replace the copper cables with those in glass. When verifying coverage, you can recognize FTTH fiber from green bollino on which the inscription is reported Fiber.
- FTTC (Fiber To The Cabinet) - offers lower performance than FTTH fiber, as in this case the data travels on glass only from the central to the cabinet on the street: from there to the building i copper cables and, therefore, the dispersions I mentioned earlier occur, especially if the wardrobe is very far away. Be that as it may, in this case it is possible to have quite fast connections, capable of reaching 100 Mbps or, in some cases, i 200 Mbps in download. When verifying the coverage, you can recognize the FTTC fiber from the yellow dot which bears the wording Mixed Fiber-Copper.
- FTTE (Fiber To The Exchange) - it is a technology that exclusively uses copper transmission carriers starting from the local exchange switch up to the house. Theoretically it would allow to reach even 200 Mbps in download, but usually it does not go beyond 20-40 Mbps. FTTE technology is marked by red dot which bears the inscription Copper.
For further technical information on the technologies listed above, I suggest you take a look at this page on the Vodafone website.
Check coverage
Taking into account what has been said in the previous lines, to concretely carry out the verification of coverage fiber optic, go to the Vodafone website and click on the red button Activate online located on the right. Provide, therefore, the your full address in the appropriate text field, taking care to select the correct suggestion from the list that appears on the screen, so as to avoid errors, and click on the button Check your coverage and activate online.
In the new page that has opened, you will be shown the outcome of your request and you will be able to find out by which technology your home is reached. More precisely, in the upper part, you will be shown a message like this Compliments! In [your address], you are covered by FTTH FIBER / FTTC FIBER technology up to [speed].
Also, if the address of your interest is covered by the optical fiber, by clicking on the link Speed detail that appears at the top right you can view more information about the speed in download for free e upload that it is possible to reach, in addition to the ping.
For more information on how to check Vodafone coverage, I refer you to reading my in-depth analysis which I have dedicated entirely to the subject.
Vodafone fiber prices
Now that you have a clearer idea of how Vodafone fiber works, let's move on to the chapter prices. As for the monthly fee of Vodafone's fiber offers, know that these vary according to the offer you subscribe to and, above all, the period in which you do it. However, typically Vodafone's fiber offerings have costs that fluctuate between 25 and 30 euros per month.
During promotional periods, the operator could offer fiber offers even at lower prices, but usually after 12 months from the signing of the contract the fee increases (unless you decide to downgrade the line and switch to ADSL). During the promo periods theactivation is free, otherwise it has a cost of 48 €.
Currently, the main plan for the optical fiber present in the operator's price list is the one called Vodafone Unlimited, which offers unlimited Internet connection, unlimited calls to national landlines and mobile phones and calls to international landlines (Zone 1: Western Europe, USA and Canada) with a connection fee of 19 cents. The service is also included in the plan Vodafone Ready, which allows you to obtain the Vodafone Station (the proprietary modem), to receive immediate activation, remote assistance and configuration and to call and surf in all circumstances. Furthermore, in most cases, the offer also includes a entertainment service for a limited time (eg Amazon Prime with Prime Video).
Depending on your needs, the Vodafone Unlimited offer can also be combined with the activation of a mobile phone plan, which allows you to obtain a bundle with unlimited Internet traffic (at a maximum speed of 10 Mega and with the possibility of using the smartphone as a hotspot) and unlimited minutes and SMS, and in this case the promotion is called Giga Family Infinito Edition, or by activating the Vodafone TV, a special set-top box to be connected to the television through which you can watch all the digital terrestrial channels, the best of cinema through the Chili platform, the contents offered with the NOW TV Entertainment and TV Series tickets and other online contents.
As regards the contractual permanence, usually the offers of the operator have a contractual obligation of 24 months. In case of early withdrawal, you have to pay 28 € to deactivate the line. If the migration to another operator is then carried out or if the termination of the line is requested, the deactivation fee always equal to 28 €.
For more information on the best Vodafone fiber offers, I refer you to reading my in-depth analysis dedicated to the topic. Instead, if you need some clarification on the constraints and costs of Vodafone offers, I refer you to this page on the operator's website, so that you can view the updated general conditions of the contract and check everything (remember to download those relating to the fixed network, by clicking on the tab Fixed network at the top of the page).
Vodafone fiber modem
As regards the Vodafone fiber modem, as I told you, the operator's offers include the modem Vodafone Station, which at the time of writing is available in variants Vodafone Station Revolution, Vodafone Power Station e Vodafone Wi-Fi 6 station, depending on the offer you subscribe to and the technology available.
The modem is included in the option Vodafone Ready, to which I have already mentioned. The cost of the option amounts to 288 €, to be paid in a single installment or by installments: 6 euro / month to 48 months, 6 euro / month to 24 months + 144 euros in a single solution or 6 euro / month to 12 months more 216 € in one solution.
In the event of early withdrawal, as I told you, Vodafone requires the debit of the remaining installments as consideration for the sale of the Vodafone Station. These installments can be paid in a single solution or with the same frequency and payment method agreed upon when signing the contract (if no choice is expressed, the amount is charged in a single solution).
If you want, you can activate one of the Vodafone offers without including the Ready option and use a third party modem / router, like the ones I pointed out to you in my buying guide. In this case, you will need to configure the device by setting the configuration parameters shown on this page of the Vodafone website.
How to activate the Vodafone fiber
If you have read up to this point of the guide, it means that you are actually interested in knowing how the Vodafone fiber works and, above all, to find out how to proceed to activate the Vodafone fiber. Well, know that basically it is possible to do this in the following ways.
- Online - you can activate the offer by going to the Vodafone website, by clicking on the item Fiber and ADSL offers on your pulse Activate online placed on the right. After providing the address at which you want to activate the line and clicking on the button Check your coverage and activate online, click the button once again Activate online located on the right, fill in the form that is proposed to you with all the requested information and follow the instructions given to you on the screen to complete the procedure.
- Calling 190 - by contacting the operator's customer service, you can request the subscription of a new offer and make the optical fiber available in your area by providing all the relevant data to the consultant who will manage your practice.
- In the store - by going to one of the many Vodafone Stores on the in your languagen territory, you can subscribe to a new offer by filling out the form that will be provided to you by the consultant who will assist you.
Regardless of how your fiber offer is activated, you will be asked for one copy of a valid identity document to complete the task: keep it handy.
As regards the activation times, instead, these depend on various factors, but according to what was declared by Vodafone, everything happens within 60 days from the sending of the request. When your line is active, you will receive an SMS informing you of the fact on the mobile number you provided when signing the contract.
How to manage the Vodafone fiber
After activating the line, you can manage the Vodafone fiber and / or your Vodafone Station using theDo it yourself area and l 'app Vodafone Station.
- DIY area - go to the Vodafone website, click on the green button do-it-yourself located at the top right and then on the button Subscribe. Then fill out the registration form that is proposed to you by following the instructions that appear on the screen (if you have difficulty, you can help you with the information I have given you in this in-depth study). On the right you should find the box My line: in addition to indicating the number of the same and the type of Vodafone Station in your possession, you can receive instructions on how to configure the Vodafone Station by clicking on the link Configura la station (if you need clarification about it, you can refer to my guide on the subject). If your offer does not include a Vodafone Station but a third-party modem, click on the link Alternative modem credentials you will have the possibility to have indications on how to configure it correctly. Opening the menu Line managementinstead, you can do a line test, report line problems, to have instructions on Vodafone Station and ask for the take over. To manage the Vodafone Station modem from a computer, instead, you need to enter the device management panel: to do this, type the address http://vodafone.station/ or http://192.168.1.1/login.html in the browser and provide username e Password indicated on the label of the modem in your possession. In this way, visualize status and links line, check the calls received at phone, act on the settings of the Wi-Fi etc., using the buttons at the top.
- Vodafone Station app - if you have already configured the Vodafone Station, know that you can manage it with the official app available for Android (downloadable from the Play Store and from alternative stores) and for iOS / iPadOS (downloadable from the App Store). To do this, after installing the application and having read the brief introductory tutorial that is proposed to you at its first start, provide the Password of your Vodafone Station in the appropriate text field and press the button Send password. Subsequently, presses on the wording Launch app, press the side button of the Vodafone Station, so as to put the router and your mobile device in communication, and that's it. On the screen Dashboard of the app, you will be able to access the section dedicated to the management of Wi-Fi, to the one dedicated to connected devices and to the sections to do it speed test, manage the phone line diagnostics and check it network status.
