The global memory shortage is no longer limited to high-performance hardware like graphics cards, computers, consoles, mobile phones, or SSDs. It’s now impacting more common household devices, specifically the routers provided by internet service providers. According to BandaAncha, Movistar has begun distributing new units of their Smart WiFi 7 router with a significant internal hardware alteration. While the initial units, manufactured by Askey, were equipped with 1 GB of Micron DDR4 RAM, newer models have reportedly switched to DDR3 memory.
This change does not affect the router’s external design or the advertised commercial features of the model. However, it does represent a technical downgrade from the original configuration. The Smart WiFi 7 was designed as a substantial upgrade from the Smart WiFi 6, with Movistar promoting it for its support of up to 10 Gbps fiber connections, WiFi 7 on 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, a 10 Gbps Ethernet port, EasyMesh, WPA3, and an internal configuration of 10 antennas. Let’s explore how this memory shift might impact its performance.
Movistar’s Smart WiFi 7 Routers Now Shipping with DDR3 RAM
Telefonica had previously upgraded the router’s hardware precisely to better handle high-speed connections, households with numerous connected devices, and future XGS-PON lines. The Movistar Smart WiFi 7, manufactured by Askey, features a quad-core 64-bit ARM Airoha processor. This is complemented by an NPU for network task management, a MediaTek Filogic 660 WiFi module, and 1 GB of DDR4 RAM, which was four times the memory found in the previous generation Smart WiFi 6.
The issue arises from the current market context. The immense demand for memory in AI servers, data centers, and servers is straining the entire supply chain. It’s notable that this crisis has now reached consumer devices with limited memory. While high-performance hardware, computers, and mobile phones, which utilize substantial amounts of RAM, were initially hit harder, the trend is now evident in other devices.
In this environment, the switch from DDR4 to DDR3 appears to be a decision driven by availability and cost savings. DDR3 memory has less demand as it’s largely phased out in modern hardware. Furthermore, it’s less susceptible to price increases as it doesn’t share the same lithographic processes or manufacturing chains. However, DDR3 memory operates at a lower frequency and is also less efficient than DDR4. Consequently, it’s indicated that Telefonica has had to implement hardware and firmware adjustments.
Were Early Routers Failing Due to the Use of DDR3 Memory?
Discussions on the official Movistar forum suggest that an update to version 2.17 of the Movistar Smart WiFi 7 router added support for DDR3 memory. It’s mentioned that without this support, the routers were “burning out.” It’s understood that hardware modifications were made, not software, leading to the memory not functioning correctly. This might have involved forcing it to operate at a higher frequency or voltage, potentially causing damage and rendering the router inoperable.
Meanwhile, the company maintains that the change does not affect the equipment’s performance. It remains to be seen whether the switch to DDR3 memory will lead to performance degradation under heavy load scenarios. This includes situations with many connected devices, intense traffic, the use of advanced features, Mesh networks, business profiles, or very high-speed connections.
