Singapore has always been at the forefront of digital innovation, and that includes our home broadband networks. As our internet usage grows more intensive – multiple users, smart devices, and video streaming becoming part of daily life, the technology powering our connections must evolve too.

GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Network) served Singapore well during the early days of fibre broadband. It continues to support many day-to-day online activities reliably. However, with rising demands for higher speeds, lower latency, and seamless smart living, GPON’s limitations are starting to show, especially as we move toward applications like 8K streaming, cloud-first workflows, and increasingly connected homes. Its maximum speed of 2.5Gbps and asymmetrical design may soon fall short of what tomorrow’s digital lifestyle will require.

Enter XGS-PON (10-Gigabit Symmetrical Passive Optical Network), the next-generation fibre technology that’s already setting the new standard. Backed by Singapore’s national commitment to upgrading our broadband infrastructure, XGS-PON is not just the future. It’s the present.

Today, most major internet service providers (ISPs) have transitioned to XGS-PON, delivering fibre broadband plans starting from 3Gbps and above, with symmetrical upload and download speeds built for everything from hybrid work to smart homes and cloud-first living.

In this guide, we’ll explain:

• What GPON and XGS-PON are, and how they differ

• Why XGS-PON is becoming essential for tomorrow’s digital lifestyle

• How ViewQwest is leading the charge toward faster, smarter broadband experiences in Singapore

TL;DR – XGS-PON vs GPON at a Glance

Features	GPON (Legacy Technology)	XGS-PON (Current and Future Standard)
Maximum Speed	Up to 2.5Gbps (download), 1.25Gbps (upload)	Up to 10Gbps (symmetrical upload and download)
Symmetry	Asymmetrical (upload slower than download)	Fully symmetrical (equal upload and download)
Typical Usage Today	Legacy broadband plans, now being phased out	Powers 3Gbps, 5Gbps, 8Gbps, and 10Gbps broadband plans
Network Performance	May struggle with multiple users and devices	Handles heavy multi-device, multi-user smart homes easily
Suitability for Smart Homes and Hybrid Work	Limited support for growing demands	Built for smart homes, cloud work, gaming, and 4K/8K streaming
Future Readiness	Outdated – currently being phased out in Singapore	Designed for the next decade of internet usage
Availability (in Singapore)	Currently only offered by a few Telcos	Adopted by most ISPs
Costs	Previously cheaper, but limited performance and speed	Competitively priced, offering better value and performance

What Are GPON and XGS-PON?

GPON

GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Network) is a widely used fibre-optic technology that delivers high-speed internet directly to homes and businesses. As the technology that powered Singapore’s first wave of fibre broadband adoption, it provided a massive leap forward at the time – offering speeds up to 2.5Gbps for downloads and 1.25Gbps for uploads, helping homes move beyond traditional cable or DSL services.

However, today's digital lifestyles have quickly outpaced GPON's original capabilities. With more devices, smarter homes, higher resolution content, and cloud-based work becoming the norm, GPON’s limited speeds and asymmetrical performance may become increasingly insufficient, making it harder to keep up with future digital demands.

Key Features of GPON

• Speeds: Supports download speeds of up to 2.5Gbps and upload speeds of up to 1.25Gbps. These limits restrict GPON from supporting newer high-speed broadband plans beyond 2Gbps.

• Asymmetric Data Transfer: GPON delivers faster download than upload speeds. This asymmetry can affect performance for activities that require high upstream bandwidth, such as cloud backups, video uploads, or livestreaming.

• Limited Scalability: GPON was designed for early-stage fibre broadband usage and have limited support for next-generation applications like 8K streaming, multi-device smart homes, or AR/VR, which demand higher bandwidth and symmetrical connectivity.

XGS-PON

XGS-PON (10-Gigabit Symmetrical Passive Optical Network) is the next evolution of fibre broadband. It delivers up to 10Gbps speeds, with symmetrical upload and download capabilities – meaning that uploading large files to the cloud, livestreaming, or operating smart security systems is just as seamless as downloading a movie or streaming high-definition content.

More importantly, XGS-PON has become the new industry standard in Singapore. Backed by national infrastructure investments and adopted by leading broadband providers, XGS-PON is powering fibre broadband plans starting from 3Gbps and above, ensuring households are future-ready for the next decade of digital innovation.

Key Features of XGS-PON

• Blazing-Fast Speeds: Delivers up to 10Gbps for both downloads and uploads, ensuring seamless performance for high-bandwidth activities.

• Symmetrical Connection: Unlike GPON, XGS-PON offers equal download and upload speeds, making it perfect for tasks that require fast two-way communication, such as cloud computing and large file transfers.

Why XGS-PON Is the Future of Fibre Broadband

1. Speed and Symmetry

   XGS-PON delivers fibre broadband speeds up to 10Gbps, with symmetrical upload and download performance.

   This means whether you're uploading large files to the cloud, livestreaming a gaming session, or simply streaming multiple 4K/8K videos at once, your connection stays consistently fast in both directions.

   It's built for households where multiple users and multiple devices are always online.

2. Designed for Smart, Multi-Device Living

   Today’s homes are more connected than ever, with smart security systems, voice-activated assistants, remote learning platforms, IoT appliances, and cloud storage all running simultaneously.

   XGS-PON is engineered to handle high device density without lag or congestion, ensuring a seamless smart home experience.

3. Future-Ready for New Technologies

   From 8K streaming to AR/VR applications and AI-driven home automation, future tech demands higher bandwidth and lower latency.

   XGS-PON provides the headroom needed to adopt and enjoy next-generation digital innovations without running into the limitations that older technologies may face.

Practical Applications for Residential Users

When choosing between GPON and XGS-PON, the real question is not whether GPON works. It’s whether it’s ready for what your household needs next. While GPON has supported many households over the years, it is quickly becoming inadequate as our digital demands evolve.

Why GPON Is No Longer Sufficient

• Suitable only for basic online activity, such as light browsing, SD/HD video streaming, and emails (typically 1–2 users).
• Supports a small number of connected devices, but struggles with smart home integrations, cloud-heavy usage, or high-res streaming.
• Lacks the ability to scale with modern demands like 8K content, AR/VR applications, and real-time collaboration tools.

While GPON is still capable of supporting many everyday online activities with speeds up to 2.5Gbps, it is increasingly limited when it comes to emerging demands like high-definition video streaming, virtual reality, and smart homes with dozens of connected devices.

For households aiming to future-proof their internet experience, XGS-PON is a more scalable and long-term solution.

Why XGS-PON Is the Smarter Choice

• Has multiple users or smart devices running simultaneously across multiple rooms.
• Streams in 4K/8K, plays online games, hosts Zoom meetings, and uses cloud services heavily.
• Needs symmetrical speeds for smooth uploads, fast cloud backups, and real-time collaboration.
• Wants a future-proof network built to support the next generation of tech like AR/VR, smart cities, and AI-powered living.

To summarise, while GPON served the early days of fibre broadband, XGS-PON is the essential technology for modern Singaporean homes.

If you're already experiencing slower speeds, buffering, or device congestion, upgrading to XGS-PON ensures your home stays connected, stable, and ready for tomorrow.

ViewQwest’s Commitment to a Future-Ready Network

Since July 2024, ViewQwest fully transitioned its fibre network to XGS-PON technology, offering it exclusively to all new and existing customers.

By going all-in on XGS-PON, we ensure that every customer benefits from the latest in fibre technology – with speeds of up to 10Gbps, low latency, and a more stable, consistent connection.

Existing customers can request an upgrade easily through our customer portal. Some additional costs may apply depending on your current plan, but the process is smooth, seamless, and hassle-free. Plus, with XGS-PON plans now priced very competitively to older 1Gbps or 2Gbps tiers, switching to 10Gbps has never been easier or more affordable.

For those looking for a balanced option, our 3Gbps plan delivers flexibility and power for homes that want high performance without going all the way to 10Gbps.

The Future of Fibre Broadband Is Here – and It’s XGS-PON

GPON technology helped launch Singapore’s fibre broadband revolution, but the demands of today’s digital homes have quickly outgrown its capabilities. With more users, more devices, and higher expectations for speed and reliability, it’s clear that XGS-PON is no longer just the future. It is now the standard for fibre broadband.

Offering symmetrical speeds up to 10Gbps, seamless performance for smart homes, and scalability for tomorrow’s digital innovations, XGS-PON is built for the way we live, work, and connect now.

At ViewQwest, we’ve already made the leap by upgrading our network to XGS-PON to ensure our customers enjoy the best possible broadband experience. Whether you're streaming, gaming, working from home, or powering a full smart ecosystem, our fibre broadband plans are designed to fit a wide range of needs for the modern internet user.

Make the switch today, and enjoy a faster, smarter broadband experience with ViewQwest.