Rural Fibre Co plans 21Gbps symmetrical service on 25G-PON from February 2027
Latrobe Valley operator Rural Fibre Co intends to bring 25G-PON to its Gippsland network in February 2027, with symmetrical speeds of up to 21 gigabits per second. The company describes the service as an Australian first.
Rural Fibre Co, a fibre operator headquartered in the Latrobe Valley, intends to start offering 25G-PON in February 2027. It says connections will reach up to 21 gigabits per second and calls the rollout an Australian first. Download and upload speeds will match.
Founder Phillip Britt said the technology has been tested in Australia but has never been sold commercially here. Business and enterprise users are expected to account for much of the early demand, though Britt said some households may want the service too. Retailers that have signed up to the Rural Fibre Co network will sell the plans.
The service needs equipment upgrades but runs over fibre already installed, so no cable has to be replaced. The operator's footprint is in the Latrobe Valley, and it recently announced a regional build called the 90 Mile Loop.
Only one retailer, Splice Internet, has signed on so far, and the company has not released pricing for the new plans. Britt said the aim is to deliver technology already being rolled out overseas to Australian customers, with Gippsland among the first areas to benefit.