Nokia conducted a field trial in the US with Google Fiber’s research division to demonstrate how 50Gb/s PON would be deployed over an existing fibre broadband network.

Google Fiber’s GFiber Labs, which was launched in 2023, used Nokia’s Lightspan fibre access platform to test 50Gb/s PON over a live broadband fibre network in Kansas City, Missouri, Liz Hsu, senior director, product and billing wrote in a blog.

The US company simultaneously ran 10G/25G PON coupled with a 25G/50G PON broadband service over its fibre network during the trial.

Nokia claims the live 50G PON test is the first live demonstration in the US and its second overall.

Hsu stated Google Fiber deployed commercial 25G PON services with Nokia in 2023 as part of a goal to eventually push broadband speeds to 100Gb/s.

She noted 50G PON has the advantage of “co-existing with XGS-PON and 25G PON to make the technology transition easier, which may make it the solution for the future”.

Nokia stated once 50G PON matures “the step to 100G is straightforward”.