It seems only yesterday companies were advertising the immense speeds of 5G with tech demos and long-distance, latency-free robotic surgeries.
Now, China has reportedly pushed the industry even further forward by launching the first 10G broadband network in its futuristic megacity, Xiong’an.
Huawei and China Unicom collaborated to deliver the service using 50G-PON technology.
The new broadband technology will enable incredibly smooth connections, allowing users to download large movie files in seconds and stream games via the cloud with almost zero input lag.
More than that, China believes 10G will enable the interconnected smart city of the future.
China’s new 10G network
China’s Xiong’an was devised as a new tech innovation hub and a high-tech metropolis. The urban district of Xiong’an, located 70 miles southwest of Beijing, was first introduced to the world in 2017 as a visionary project under the patronage of President Xi Jinping.
Now, it is the location of the fastest internet network in the world, according to a report from MSN. 10G connectivity allows for download speeds of 10 gigabytes per second. This will enable incredibly fast download speeds and smooth 8K video streaming.
It will also unlock a suite of futuristic applications. These include self-driving car networks, online virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) spaces, and powerful smart city applications. High-speed internet will also allow for innovations in large language models (LLMs) and other AI applications.
Xiong’an: Futuristic metropolis or deserted ghost town?
China has long sought to be the world leader in technology innovations. Its 10G broadband rollout in Xiong’an is part of a nationwide initiative. The service is likely to be expanded to other areas in the near future.
China describes the district of Xiong’an as the ideal location to start this rollout. The city was planned with green, smart, innovative infrastructure at its core.
According to a recent Xinhua report, Xiong’an was developed with the ’15-minute life circle’ urban planning concept in mind. The idea behind this concept is that every resident will have their required shopping and leisure needs met within a 15-minute walk.
However, some reports have suggested that Xiong’an is a ghost town, completely missing the human element. According to a Bloomberg report, the city’s construction cost more than $100 billion, but it doesn’t attract the private sector interest required for people to make the move.
While most countries are still working on expanding their 5G networks, China has seemingly provided a glimpse into the future with its new 10G network. Whether its own people believe in the utopian vision driving the country’s tech push is another question altogether.
