City testing networks up to 50 times faster
Shanghai is spearheading a nationwide push to deploy next-generation optical networks in offices and factories, promising high-standard stability with speeds 10 to 50 times faster and lower latency.
The advanced networks, featuring 10 Gigabit Passive Optical Network (10G-PON) and the cutting-edge 50G-PON, are poised to transform key sectors that include smart manufacturing, fintech and logistics, driving Shanghai's smart city ambitions, according to city officials.
While most households currently rely on up to 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps) broadband, Shanghai is building 10G-PON networks in numerous residential communities, industrial zones, and smart factories. Telecommunications giants China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom are leading the deployments.
"Shanghai is not only popularizing 1 Gbps citywide but also pioneering 10 Gbps trials, placing it at the forefront of optical network development in China," said Dai Bing, vice chairman of the Shanghai Communications Administration.
Winners of a competition for application development on the advanced optical networks pictured in Shanghai.
The city is exploring new applications for these next-generation networks in finance, healthcare, and manufacturing, aiming to create "Shanghai Samples of innovation," he added.
Shanghai is taking a global lead with its 50G-PON trials across diverse industries, said Ao Li, chief engineer of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT).
To foster innovation, Shanghai and CAICT recently hosted a competition for application development on these advanced optical networks. Companies, researchers, and universities showcased groundbreaking applications in robotics, artificial intelligence and smart manufacturing.
These next-generation networks will provide the backbone for the cities continued technological advancement, industry officials said.
