A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…
The year is 2002 – a period of digital darkness. The Empire introduces 512Kbps ADSL, a faint broadband spark. Citizens rejoice at escaping dial-up, yet remain shackled by data caps and a monopoly on copper lines.
In 2008, the Wireless Access Providers’ Association leads rebels to victory against regulators, granting private operators rights to build network infrastructure – weakening the monopoly and igniting competition.
By 2015, the Rebel Alliance rises: Open Access fibre networks armed with GPON technology introduce 1Gbps fibre services. GPON proves to be the reliable workhorse of the great fibre awakening.
The Empire Strikes Back: Openserve deploys its own FTTH network. By 2024, surveys from the ISPA Jedi Council reveal the old guard is delivering better service levels than rebels like Frogfoot and Vumatel.
Fears of stalled progress linger… until late 2025, when a disturbance in the Force emerges… Octotel introduces XGS-PON in the Mother City, bringing symmetrical 10Gbps speeds.
May the Force – and the fibre – be with you! Get ready for the future of fibre to the home.
What is XGS-PON?
XGS-PON is the latest evolution in fiber-optic broadband technology. The XG in XGS = 10Gbps, S = Symmetrical, PON = Passive Optical Network.
In simple terms, XGS-PON delivers blazing-fast 10 Gbps downstream and 10 Gbps upstream speeds over existing fibre infrastructure, making it ideal for modern demands like 4K/8K streaming, cloud gaming, video conferencing, remote work, and large file uploads.
XGS-PON has lower latency and less jitter. In our testing, XGS-PON had a latency of 0.6ms vs 1.2ms for GPON.
To compare, the older GPON standard provides 2.5Gbps down and 1.25Gbps up. The fibre network can now offer 10x the line speed compared to the 1Gbps maximum speed with older GPON equipment.
Atomic 2.5Gbps service on an Octotel XGS-PON line
Before You Order
If you’ve been waiting to upgrade to a 2.5Gbps Ethernet network and WiFi-7 – now is the time!
The fibre network will need to install a new fibre ONT. This can take a few days.
You will need a router with a 2.5G Ethernet WAN port and ideally you need WiFi-7. Consider getting a router with a 10G WAN port if you want the option to upgrade to a faster line speed later.
Coverage areas currently include: Cape Town CBD, Blouberg, Claremont, Newlands, Sea Point, Green Point, Bantry Bay, and Wynberg, with further expansion to be determined based on demand.
Questions?
- Do I need a whole new fibre installation? → No, you can keep the current line, you just need a new ONT
- How long does it take to get a new installation or new ONT? → Usually 2 to 10 business days
- What speed should I expect to see on a 2.5Gbps line when doing a speed test? → around 2350 Mbps
- Which ONT is used? → HALNy
- Does the XGS-PON ONT support SFP+? → No, currently the ONT has a copper 10Gbps port
- Will business fibre services be offered using XGS-PON? → Yes, soon
- Will you offer 5Gbps and 10Gbps speeds? → Follow our social media for updates
- Why is this Episode IV in the story above? → Because Dial-up > ADSL > GPON > XGS-PON
XGS-PON ONT and OLT
Order XGS-PON!
Ready to try the next generation of fibre?
- View Pricing
- Order a New installation
- Upgrade – for Atomic customers who already have an Octotel fibre line
