Posted by New Delhi: In a move set to significantly boost campus connectivity and digital infrastructure, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has become the first educational institution in India to deploy XGS-PON (10 Gigabit Symmetrical Passive Optical Network) technology. Alphion India, a domestic provider of broadband and optical networking solutions, deployed XGS-PON technology.
The upgrade to XGS-PON technology provides IIT Delhi with symmetrical 10Gbps speeds for both upstream and downstream data, offering a substantial improvement over previous generations of fibre access technology. The campus network now supports high-speed, two-way data transfer, making it more suited for data-intensive research, digital learning platforms, and future smart campus initiatives.
Alphion completed the deployment within four months, integrating the XGS-PON system with IIT Delhi’s existing GPON infrastructure to ensure compatibility and preserve past investments. The project currently serves 1,300 residential units, including faculty and administrative housing, and is expected to scale up to 6,000 connections.
“This is a proud moment for Alphion,” said Dr. Bharat Dave, Founder of Alphion India. “IIT Delhi is a prestigious institution that nurtures some of the brightest minds in the country and we are delighted to play a catalytic role in its digital evolution with a robust, future-ready infrastructure at the core of this leap.’’
The deployment includes a strong ‘Make in India’ component, with 70% of hardware manufactured locally. Alphion also maintains two R&D centres in Chennai and Noida, and plans to extend similar next-generation broadband solutions to other IIT campuses.
From a technical standpoint, XGS-PON represents a leap forward from its predecessors GPON and XG-PON, that offered asymmetrical speeds. The newer technology delivers equal bandwidth in both directions, addressing a growing demand for high-performance, bidirectional data flow, critical for online research, video collaboration, and cloud-based applications.
Dr. Ajay Guleria, Senior System Manager at IIT Delhi, said, “Our strategic decision to upgrade from GPON to Alphion’s cutting-edge XGS-PON technology was motivated by the escalating demand for high-speed, symmetrical bandwidth and the imperative to develop a scalable, future-proof network infrastructure.”
“Alphion’s stellar and comprehensive portfolio of XGS and Next-Generation PON solutions exemplifies technological excellence, offering unparalleled performance, reliability, and adaptability,” added Guleria.
Beyond deployment, Alphion will provide ongoing maintenance, technical support, and training for IIT Delhi, continuing its long-standing engagement with academic institutions such as IIT Kharagpur and IIT Madras.
The initiative is aligned with the broader Digital India vision, aiming to digitise public infrastructure and empower educational institutions with next-generation technologies. Alphion also hinted at expanding its solutions to enterprise and smart city use cases, leveraging XGS-PON’s scalability and performance.