World's first 10G broadband network launched in China: How fast is 10G

China has reportedly marked a significant advancement in its internet infrastructure as it launched its first commercial 10-Gigabit (10G) broadband network in Sunan County , Hebei Province. The project, a collaborative effort between telecommunications giant Huawei and state-owned operator China Unicom , aims to deliver dramatically faster internet access.

According to a report by The Economic Times, official specifications target download speeds of up to 9,834 Megabits per second (Mbps) – nearly 10 Gigabits per second (Gbps) – upload speeds around 1,008 Mbps, and network latency as low as 3 milliseconds.

This ultra-fast network utilises next-generation 50G Passive Optical Network (PON) technology, which enhances data transmission capabilities over existing fiber-optic infrastructure .

How much faster is 10G internet compared to current common broadband speeds
To illustrate the speed increase, downloading a large 20GB 4K movie, a task that might take 7-10 minutes on a typical 1Gbps connection, could potentially be completed in under 20 seconds using the new 10G service.

The leap in speed enables easy handling of demanding high-bandwidth applications . Activities like cloud computing, immersive virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) experiences, streaming ultra-high-definition 8K video, and managing complex smart home ecosystems are expected to run significantly smoother.

This deployment essentially positions China at the forefront of commercially available broadband technology, surpassing currently advertised top speeds in other leading nations like the UAE and Qatar.

Beyond enhancing entertainment and consumer applications, the implementation of 10G broadband is anticipated to drive innovation across various sectors. Faster and more reliable data transmission is expected to facilitate advancements in fields such as telemedicine, remote education and data-intensive smart agriculture.