China trials 10-Gigabit internet speeds in Xiong’an

The Chinese city of Xiong’an has become the first in the world to pilot a commercial 10-gigabit broadband service, made possible by Huawei and China Unicom’s deployment of 50G-PON (Passive Optical Network) fibre technology.

Early tests recorded download speeds of around 9.8 Gbps and upload speeds approaching 1Gbps.

In practical terms, that speed is enough to “snag a full-length 4K movie in just a few seconds, or make cloud gaming feel like playing offline”.

These speeds could make live streaming, sharing massive project files, and experimenting with real-time collaborations much easier.

According to China Daily, the new 10-gigabit network is ten times faster than the gigabit networks many people are used to, with almost no delay.

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The underlying 50G-PON technology is largely produced within China, and its impact extends far beyond faster home internet. It paves the way for ultra-high-definition video, holographic calls, and next-generation gaming.

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Pilot programs are already testing “10-gigabit communities” for households, “10-gigabit factories” for industry, and “10-gigabit campuses” for education and research.

Meanwhile, China is also rolling out 5G-Advanced across more than 300 cities, targeting mobile speeds that rival those of the new fibre network.

This could mean 8K streaming, VR concerts, and even live DJ sets without lag.

Via: RADII

Image via Wang Jing (China Daily)

Amira Waworuntu is Mixmag Asia’s Managing Editor, follow her on Instagram.

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