Adtran and Netomnia partner to launch UK’s first 50G PON services

News summary:

Service providers are now looking to deploy networks beyond 10G PON to meet the data needs of tomorrow’s homes and businesses
Adtran and Netomnia’s partnership will deliver 50G PON to support the UK’s evolving bandwidth demands and future growth
50G PON technology now seamlessly integrates with GPON and XGS-PON, enabling simple, low-cost upgrades

Adtran and Netomnia today announced their strategic partnership to bring 50Gbit/s passive optical network (50G PON) services to the UK market. The collaboration promises to transform the broadband landscape and meet the growing bandwidth needs of homes and businesses. 50G PON technology will provide the capacity to handle multiple Gigabit services in parallel, providing a robust framework for data-intensive applications such as online gaming, smart home devices and remote working setups. It will also meet the demands of enterprise cloud computing, ubiquitous public Wi-Fi and advanced applications such as multi-modal generative AI.

“We’re proud to introduce 50G PON services to the UK in collaboration with Adtran,” said Jeremy Chelot, Netomnia and Group CEO. “This technology will provide immense value for enterprise applications, supporting multiple high-speed Ethernet services for smart campuses, data centers and cloud-centric businesses. It’s also ideal for backhauling Wi-Fi and small-cell deployments. With a focus on delivering the most reliable and capital-efficient network in the UK, 50G PON enables us to scale efficiently, aiming to serve 1 million customers by 2028. It enhances performance, increases capacity and supports sustainable network operations.”

As 10Gbit/s access connectivity becomes standard, the demand for 50G PON is rapidly growing to accommodate increasing bandwidth requirements. Previously, integrating 50G PON with existing PON technologies posed a major challenge. However, the addition of a new upstream band now allows 50G PON to coexist seamlessly with GPON and XGS-PON, ensuring a smooth transition for service providers. This advancement enables network upgrades without disrupting existing optical distribution systems, making the process simple and cost-effective.

Following its recent merger, Netomnia and brsk is now the UK’s fourth-largest full-fiber network. With an ambitious rollout plan backed by over £1.3 billion in funding, Netomnia and brsk is on track to reach 3 million premises by 2025. Netomnia’s collaboration with Adtran to pioneer the country’s first 50G PON rollout is a significant step toward fulfilling its mission to supercharge internet access across the UK.

“By empowering Netomnia to introduce the UK’s first broadband offerings based on 50G PON, we’re helping them address the escalating demand for multigigabit connectivity. The new services will deliver superior performance, expanded capacity and a clear path for future network growth,” commented Christoph Glingener, CTO of Adtran. “50G PON technology will provide the robust infrastructure needed for smart cities and 5G mobile base stations. It will also support advanced applications such as virtual and augmented reality and industrial digitization. Our collaboration represents a significant leap forward for the UK, addressing today’s connectivity needs and preparing for tomorrow’s high-speed demands.”