Not long ago, 5G was the poster child of futuristic tech. Today, China has launched the world’s first 10G broadband network, propelling the digital age into its next phase. In the heart of Xiong’an, a city designed to be the symbol of modern innovation, this new network is more than an upgrade—it’s a technological statement. It is built in partnership between Huawei and China Unicom using 50 G-PON technology.
Xiong’an, located roughly 70 miles southwest of Beijing, was first introduced in 2017 as a “city of the future” under the guidance of President Xi Jinping. Built from the ground up with smart infrastructure in mind, the district was envisioned as a green, tech-driven metropolis. Now, it’s home to the fastest internet service on the planet, capable of download speeds up to 10 gigabytes per second. These speeds don’t just mean faster streaming or shorter download times; they unlock the door to a new wave of innovation.
China sees this 10G rollout as essential for building interconnected smart cities. With such bandwidth and low latency, self-driving car networks can run in real time, immersive virtual reality and augmented reality spaces become more seamless, and cloud-based AI models operate with greater speed and efficiency. The tech could even help in managing city services like traffic lights, garbage collection, and emergency responses—all remotely, and instantly.
Xiong’an was planned with a unique urban model in mind. The “15-minute life circle” is a city design strategy where every resident can meet their daily needs—whether it’s shopping, dining, or healthcare—within a 15-minute walk. This compact, efficient style of urban living is made even more powerful when paired with advanced connectivity, allowing citizens to engage with digital services without delay, no matter where they are in the city.
Despite all the innovation, not everyone is convinced Xiong’an is the urban utopia it aims to be. While state-run media like Xinhua praise the district’s forward-thinking planning, reports from outlets like Bloomberg suggest a more complex reality. With over $100 billion invested in its construction, the city has struggled to attract enough private sector participation and residents to justify its massive scale. Critics have described it as eerily quiet, lacking the very human energy it was meant to empower.
Still, while much of the world is busy rolling out 5G, China’s experiment with 10G places it several steps ahead. Whether the people of China fully embrace this high-speed vision remains uncertain. But the signal is loud and clear: the future is here—and it’s running at 10 gigabits per second.
