(Yicai) Jan. 8 -- China will launch a pilot program for 10-gigabit passive optical networks by the end of the year to enhance users’ broadband experience and enable new industrial applications.

The country will grant 50Gb-PON access to residential communities, schools, factories, and industrial parks participating in the pilot program, according to a document issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology yesterday.

With the pilot program, China will drive technological breakthroughs in 10Gb-PON and key equipment, build a mature industrial chain and a comprehensive industrial system based on 10Gb-PON, and guide the transition from technical trials to widespread deployment and applications of 10Gb-PON, the MIIT said.

Residential communities included in the pilot program will need to meet standards, including upstream internet access of no less than 1,000 megabits per second, the MIIT noted, adding that these specific application scenarios will be focused on new services, such as cloud storage, cloud gaming, and ultra-high-definition video.

Meanwhile, selected schools, factories, and industrial parks will leverage low-latency and high-reliability data transmission to enable the pilot program of 10Gb-PON in office operation, management, and production scenarios, according to the MIIT.

Local government authorities should recommend entities they consider suitable to participate in the pilot program to the information and communication development bureau of the MIIT by the end of February, the ministry pointed out. The bureau will then select the participants among the candidates.

Editor: Futura Costaglione