10G Internet is Coming. Here’s how to get it.
What to expect as the next generation of cable broadband technology hits the US.
Feb 23, 2024 | Share 
Technology
The simplest way to explain 10G internet is that it’s faster, more advanced, and more capable cable internet. Think fiber internet but potentially available to many more people. The 10G platform is a group of cable internet technologies that will allow cable ISPs like Xfinity and Spectrum to provide super fast and advanced internet connections. That’s a big deal because it means most of the US could have access to very fast internet, which in turn could cultivate a boom of technological development.
We’re at the point now where 10G tech is being deployed in the field, as evidenced by Xfinity’s recent network and infrastructure upgrades. Xfinity has verified the deployment of key technologies that stand to bring widespread fiber-like speeds and performance to cable internet customers in the near future. In fact, were already seeing multi-gigabit symmetrical speeds from Xfinity’s X-Class plans.
Let’s dive a little deeper into the 10G platform, Xfinity’s upgraded network, and what it all means for the future of cable internet.
What is 10G internet?
10G internet is, essentially, better cable internet. It’s a push for advanced tech that will allow cable internet lines to deliver multi-gigabit symmetrical speeds, lower latency, better Wi-Fi, and improved security. The development and implementation of 10G internet is a collaborative effort with multiple cable ISPs and corporations playing a part.
The Xfinity 10G network vs. the 10G platform
In 2023, Xfinity briefly rebranded its internet network as the Xfinity 10G Network, which shouldn’t be confused with the 10G platform. Xfinity has since removed the Xfinity 10G Network branding from its advertising.
To be clear, the Xfinity 10G network was a brief renaming of the Xfinity’s nationwide internet network. The rebranding meant to reflect key infrastructure upgrades and coming advances for the service, however it ended up causing some confusion.
The 10G platform is a broader term that represents a group of technologies purposed at dramatically improving cable internet.
The upgraded Xfinity network
In 2023, Xfinity announced major infrastructure upgrades. Some of those upgrades include new cable internet tech that will have a big impact on the future capabilities of Xfinity’s cable internet. Currently, the most exciting Xfinity offerings are its new X-Class plans, which deliver multi-gigabit symmetrical speeds. That’s essentially fiber-quality internet over coaxial cable lines. X-Class internet plans have limited availability, but hopefully well see that change in the short term.
How to get on the upgraded Xfinity network
All Xfinity internet plans are on the upgraded Xfinity network. So, signing up for any Xfinity internet plan will get you on the upgraded Xfinity network. If you already have Xfinity internet, then you’re already on the upgraded Xfinity network.
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Future impacts of the 10G platform
Really fast cable internet
The 10G platform aims to make cable internet fast, really fast. The eventual goal is to achieve speeds of 10Gbps. We’re not there yet, but progress is really picking up; last year, Comcast achieved download speeds up to 8 Gbps and upload speeds up to 6 Gbps in a test of 10G tech. In February, Comcast announced over 10 million households will have access to recent 10G upgrades. Even more recently, Comcast delivered another announcement celebrating new successes with its virtualized network, a key piece of 10G tech.
Symmetrical gigabit speeds and low latency
Today, cable internet has slow upload speeds, usually a fraction of the advertised download speed. This isn’t a huge deal for most customers because most of the things we do online just use download speed. But it’s still a limitation of cable internet and one of the primary advantages fiber internet has over cable, especially because upload intensive activities like video calling and live streaming are on the rise. 10G tech will provide symmetrical bandwidth to cable internet customers and solve cable internet’s upload speed deficiencies.
Another advantage of fiber internet is lower latency, probably due to the newer infrastructure and more elegant tech that supports fiber internet. But with the advances being undertaken to get 10G up and running, the cable internet of the future will likely meet or even surpass the current latency advantages of fiber internet.
Common 10G misconceptions
The difference between 5G and 10G
The mobile broadband term 5G and the cable internet term 10G represent completely different technologies and concepts. 5G stands for “fifth generation” and refers to mobile and wireless internet. 10G represents the development of advanced cable internet technology.
10G internet is cable internet, not fiber
Fiber internet is currently the fastest type of internet connection you can get, but 10G is actually being designed to run on cable internet networks. Cable ISPs and entities like Xfinity and CableLabs are the ones developing the tech and putting in the upgrades to make 10G speeds a reality for the masses. In the near future, 10G may close the gap and even push cable internet ahead of fiber as the best type of internet in the US.
The tech behind 10G internet
DOCSIS 4.0
DOCSIS is a standard and protocol used for cable internet in the US and Europe. Right now, cable ISPs use DOCSIS version 3.1. DOCSIS 3.1 is largely responsible for the gigabit cable internet speeds we’ve seen develop rapidly in the past few years.
But, DOCSIS 3.1 doesn’t quite cut it for our grand 10G internet plans. While DOCSIS 3.1 can reach 10 Gbps downstream speeds, it only reaches 2 Gbps upstream speeds. A new DOCSIS, version 4.0, has been developed, which allows for higher speeds, symmetrical speeds, and a ton of other improvements that make 10G internet possible.
DOCSIS 4.0 has been used in tests and labs, and for some residential internet plans.
Ultralow latency with hollow-core fiber-optic cable
One of Comcast’s 10G internet tests included the deployment of 40 kilometers of a new kind of fiber-optic cable: hollow-core fiber-optic cable.
With traditional fiber cable, light signal data transmissions travel through a solid glass core. The glass cores of hollow-core fiber create air-filled channels; so, instead of passing through solid glass, the light signals travel through air. Because light travels a lot faster through air than it does through solid glass, hollow-core fiber increases the speed of light signal transmissions by as much as 50%.
Comcast is exploring deploying more hollow-core fiber in key areas of its network throughout the country. However, since a big perk of the 10G push is using existing infrastructure, it’s unclear how big of a part hollow-core will play in 10G internet.
When will 10G internet be available?
Because 10G involves several different bits of tech, the arrival of 10G internet is likely to be a gradual one.
That being said, it’ll probably feel like we have 10G when we receive widespread multi-gigabit symmetrical speeds over cable internet.
What will 10G internet be like?
The most important part of 10G isn’t the speeds, it’s the accessibility of those speeds.
Multigigabit symmetrical internet speeds are already available via fiber ISPs. The problem is that fiber internet isn’t yet available widely, and it’s a slow, costly process of installing the infrastructure to bring fiber to more place.
Cable internet, on the other hand, is already widely deployed all over the US. And since 10G utilizes most of that existing infrastructure, including the cable jacks already installed in so many homes today, it means a lot more people can access super fast internet speeds.
When it’s fully realized, 10G internet could have a huge impact in how we go about our daily lives.
Streaming VR/AR experiences
One of the most exciting developments likely to accompany the creation of a 10G network is the ability to stream virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) experiences. For our work lives, this means the ability to connect and collaborate in virtual settings that mimic sharing a space. This goes beyond everyone wearing a headset and sitting in a virtual office. Holographic tools like light fields, holo rooms, and AR lenses will integrate these experiences more naturally into work environments.
It’s easy to imagine how the mass streaming of VR and AR experiences will impact other areas. Students will have access to information in more dynamic and impactful ways, like VR labs or real-time information displays in museums. Online shopping will almost certainly be transformed; you might be able to check out an interactive hologram of a new car or see what a piece of furniture really looks like in your home through an AR lens. You’ll be able to meet, interact, and share with your family and friends in more ways as well.
More bandwidth means more possibilities
With the ability to transmit massive amounts of data, we’ll be able to achieve a new standard of technological advances.
The medical field will be able to perform remote diagnostics and imaging that could help get care to more people. Transportation services like taxis and highway shipping may become completely automated. Convenience information, like contact info, navigation, and translation, can be displayed throughout the cities and appear in real-time when it’s needed.
We’ve all heard of a lot of these things before, but right now, while we have some of these technologies, we don’t have the network to deploy them in earnest. The 10G internet is aimed at creating a network that will glue these various pieces of the future together.
FAQ
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Author - Austin Aguirre
Austin worked as a broadband technician installing and troubleshooting countless home internet networks for some of the largest ISPs in the U.S. He became a freelance writer in 2020 specializing in software guides. After graduating with a BS in technical communication from Arizona State University, he joined the team at HighSpeedInternet.com where he focuses on home network improvement and troubleshooting.
Editor - Aaron Gates
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