Singtel pilots 50Gbps fibre broadband in Singapore
Singtel's 50Gbps trial works over existing fibre infrastructure. Here's what I found out.
Just when I thought my 10Gbps home connection is the best I can get, Singtel announced that it is piloting 50Gbps fibre broadband. Here's what I found out.
Singtel's 50Gbps trial
In 2023, I tested Singtel's symmetric 10Gbps broadband service, which necessitated the use of high-end 10Gbps networking gear to fully maximise.
Well, Singtel just announced the launch of its 50Gbps broadband technical trial, meant to ensure quality of service remains robust in future deployments.
Singtel says the new 50Gbps services should be available over the next three to five years and is in line with Singapore's Digital Connectivity Blueprint to keep its digital infrastructure world-class.
Supports multiple devices
Singtel's press release highlighted many use cases such as 8K and 12K streaming, AR/VR experiences, and low-latency connectivity.
But really, these are perfectly served with current 10Gbps or even older 1Gbps fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) connectivity accessible from every home.
When I enquired, Singtel furnished a statement highlighting multiple, data-intensive usage and a focus on "whole home" support.
In a nutshell, 50Gbps ensures more than enough bandwidth, so nobody ever notices anything else happening on the network.
Works with existing fibre network
What would an upgrade to 50Gbps entail? Based on Singtel's implicit response and my own research, it will work over Singapore's fibre infrastructure operated by NetLink Trust.
This means users will simply need to swap in new equipment in their homes, and telcos simply need to plug the other end into newer equipment that supports 50Gbps.
It will probably be based on the new 50G-PON standard, which uses a mixture of higher line rates, physical layer enhancements, and optical improvements to achieve the higher speed.
50G-PON isn't inherently symmetric like the 10G XGS-PON standard deployed in Singapore today. This will be profile and equipment dependent.
It certainly looks like the Nationwide Broadband Network (NBN), initially announced in 2007 to roll out a nationwide fibre-optic infrastructure, continues to serve Singapore well today.
Do you see a point in going 50Gbps in a few years' time?
