For some weeks now, it has been possible to contract a new ultra-fast fiber optic modality in some parts of Spain (with XGS-PON technology). This fiber will allow symmetrical speeds of up to 10Gbps. This news is surprising and very positive; however, several specialists, including Actelser engineers, consider that this new 10Gbps speed does not make much sense for a home, at least for now.
It's not that we don't want to have all the possible power in our homes, but we believe that in practice, it's too soon to take full advantage of it. At least with the technology and domestic use of the vast majority of people. In this article, we will explain the reasons why in 99% of cases we would not recommend contracting "theoretical" 10Gbps fiber.
1- Most home local networks are 1Gbps
Most homes are not prepared for this. Luckily, we have Gigabit equipment via Ethernet or Plastic Optical Fiber, so we can achieve a maximum theoretical speed of 1Gbps in our local network. It is possible that more "modern" and advanced homes have backbone networks with speeds of 2.5Gbps, more than double the speed of the typical interface, but they are still far from 10Gbps. Very few.
2- The most advanced Wi-Fi cannot reach that speed
Assuming we have the most advanced wireless devices, the maximum speed we can achieve with WiFi6, which uses two antennas and 160MHz channel width, would be 2.402Mbps theoretical, a speed that translates to about 1200Mbps real via WiFi. Therefore, we will not be able to take advantage of higher speeds, much less aspire to reach 10Gbps. Simply put, this is not possible today. Moreover, in most homes, we do not have state-of-the-art Wi-Fi but rather older, much slower and less efficient versions.
3- Most computer network cards do not even reach half the capacity of 10Gbps
New high-end Intel and AMD computer motherboards usually incorporate Multigigabit network cards. Some models have 2.5Gbps ports, other boards support up to 5Gbps Multigigabit, and only the most expensive top-of-the-range ones include an integrated 10Gbps network card. It is possible to install a network card that supports it, but not all users can undertake the entire installation process to achieve these internet speeds.
4- Network equipment will need to be upgraded
Assuming we want to have a backbone network that supports 10 Gbps, we will have to buy additional network equipment, taking into account that we already have a 10Gbps network card and the corresponding cabling that supports it (minimum Cat 6). Only a switch with 10Gbps port support, starting from 300 euros in many cases and up to 700 or 800 euros, will be able to maintain speeds close to 100% of what is contracted. It is also necessary that our PC has a powerful processor capable of managing all network traffic, which at most can be 3 or 4 years old.
5- The advertised 10Gbps is "shared" with neighbors
Our 10Gbps connection will actually run at a real speed of between 5Gbps and 8Gbps, because each connection point of the OLT operator (the device that the operator has outside your house) is distributed among other neighbors connected to the operator, up to 32 clients per OLT port. The reality is that with this technology, we will achieve a maximum speed of up to 8Gbps real download and upload, with a minimum speed of 5Gbps. Although it is an incredibly fast connection, we are not getting the promised 10Gbps, which we believe should be pointed out. This maximum speed would only be achieved if no other neighbor is downloading anything.
6- 10Gbps speed is only possible within the operator's network
In the hypothetical case that neighbors are not downloading or uploading data at the same time as you, these speeds will only be achieved within the operator's own network. If we perform a speed test using a server hosted on the same network, we will likely achieve ultra-fast speeds; however, if we perform this same test outside the operator's network, we will not exceed 1Gbps in the best case.
7- The monthly fee will be considerably more expensive
A higher internet speed usually entails an increase in the operator's monthly fee. For now, there is only one operator offering this speed; it is expected that in 2022, others will arrive due to the "marketing battle" we have pointed out on other occasions.
Conclusion
In our opinion, we believe that these extremely high speeds do not make sense today. In the same way, we already pointed out that even 1Gbps was already an incredible speed that very few can truly use. The key is always to have good optimization. Even 100Mbps, well optimized, can offer a highly reliable and high-quality internet experience.
At Actelser, we celebrate and applaud the advancement of these technologies and see it as something positive, but at the same time, we invite consideration of how much of it is "anecdotal" and marketing, and whether it is relevant in practice.
