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Most people would be happy to learn that 1 gigabit per second fiber service is coming to their area. Well, try imagining what it must feel like to be hooked up with broadband service capable of hitting 52.2Gbps! Some residents in South Korea don't have to imagine it because Nokia and SK Broadband have connected the first customers with what they're pitching as the "fastest fiber access speeds ever."

In order to reach that speed, SK Broadband is using multi-dwelling units (MDUs) from HFR and Nokia's universal next generation passive optical network (PON) technology. That approach makes it possible to enable different technologies over an existing fiber network to reach an aggregate speed of 52.2Gbps.

The technologies in question are:

TWDM-PON: 40Gbps symmetrical

XGS-PON: 10Gbps symmetrical

GPON: 2.5Gbps symmetrical

It's a cost-saving endeavor because SK Broadband doesn't have to dig in the ground and build out a new network. And it enables SK Broadband to commit to bringing 10Gbps speeds to all of its customers (South Korea is already aiming to have 1Gbps available to all of its citizens by 2020).

"As a new era looms that demands gigabit Internet, ultra high definition video and virtual and augmented reality services, SK Broadband will establish a network infrastructure that provides the best customer value. Following the world's first commercialization of an ADSL service and the two-pair LAN cable 500M service, we will establish a top-class optical Internet platform to create the best gigabit broadband service environment for our customers," said Yoo Ji-chang, head of SK Broadband's network division.

This is another high point for South Korea's effort to deploy increasingly faster Internet service. Back in 2006, SK Broadband was the first to commercialize 2.5Gbps GPON technology, and in 2014 it launched 10Gbps service.

"All eyes in the world are focused on South Korea as it moves ahead with rolling out ever-faster broadband networks. Nokia's innovation edge and our portfolio of next generation fiber technologies help customers like SK Broadband realize the true Gigabit societies of the future," said Federico Guillen, president of Nokia's Fixed Networks Group.

In other news, Maximum PC EIC Tuan Nguyen has gone missing. Last somebody saw, he was looking up apartment complexes in South Korea...