Researchers from Nokia and GFiber Labs (the experimental arm of Google Fiber) successfully achieved 41.89 Gbps download speeds on a live Google Fiber network. This marks the first time that Nokia’s 50G PON (passive optical network) technology has been used on a Google-owned network, and its one of the only examples of live 50 Gig networking in the United States.
This wouldn’t be for a single customer. It’s 50 gig PON, which would serve 32-64 different customers. I’m not an engineer, but I’m assuming it will pave the way for 2.5-5 Gbps services.
Most companies are currently switching from GPON (2.5 gig shared 32 ways), to XGSPON (10 Gbps split between 32-64 customers).
The company I work for has been deploying XGSPON on Nokia transport for a few years now. It’s very nice.
Edit: I wasn’t real specific on how it’s split. So that 50 Gbps feed is sent down a single fiber to a splitter, which is often in the field in an AP cabinet. From there fiber that actually goes to the customer’s premise gets connected. It feels a little dirty splitting like some sort of old coax system, but it makes rolling out fiber to the home much, much quicker.