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First 25G PON Internet Outside Laboratory Conditions

This marks the very first demo of 25G PON technology in the Czech Republic on a live network—outside the controlled lab conditions where such speeds have previously been achieved. Nokia, a leading network solution provider, enabled Vodafone to trial the technology on its existing infrastructure, demonstrating that Vodafone’s network is ready today and for whatever comes next.

The choice of Vodafone PLAYzone Arena was no coincidence—where better to showcase ultra-fast internet than in an environment where stable and fast connectivity is essential for gamers and esports enthusiasts? Beyond gaming arenas, this unique technology will primarily be used in IoT, backbone networks for 5G, smart cities, and data centers. The 25G PON technology can deliver speeds close to 25 Gb/s and at the PLAYzone Arena, a blistering speed of 23.5 Gb/s was measured.

“Demonstrating 25G PON internet represents a leap into a new era of connectivity—and Vodafone and Nokia clearly showcased this at the PLAYzone Arena. Thanks to easy integration into existing infrastructure, this technology offers the possibility of delivering multi-gigabit services without costly rebuilds,” said Miroslav Bula, Vice President for Network Technology at Vodafone Czech Republic.

Marika Mentula, Vice President for Network Infrastructure North Europe at Nokia said: "This milestone demonstration of 25G PON on Vodafone Czech’s live commercial network marks another significant step forward in our shared commitment to delivering next-generation broadband experiences. As the first live 25G PON demo in the Czech Republic — and a first for Vodafone globally — it showcases not only the power and maturity of Nokia’s PON technology, but also the pace of innovation Vodafone Czech is driving across the region. While today’s focus is on high-performance consumer applications like gaming, this technology lays the foundation for a future of ultra-fast enterprise connectivity, 5G backhauling, smart cities, and more."

“25G PON technology is a major step forward and part of our philosophy of continuous innovation. We are extremely proud that Vodafone, in collaboration with Nokia, was the first in the Czech Republic to successfully test this groundbreaking technology in real-world conditions. Moreover, this represents a first across the entire Vodafone Group. The demonstration at the Vodafone PLAYzone Arena clearly shows our commitment to offering our customers the best services on the market,” says Violeta Luca, CEO of Vodafone Czech Republic.

2 Gigabit Internet Soon Available to Over One Million Households

Vodafone is currently the largest provider of high-speed internet in the Czech Republic, with the widest network of gigabit connections (covering 2 million households) and is expanding its 2-gigabit coverage—currently available to over 800,000 households. The company continues to invest in its infrastructure, both in building new connections and especially in modernizing its existing network.

Three years ago, Vodafone launched a modernization investment exceeding CZK 3 billion and has already upgraded more than half of the original infrastructure acquired from UPC in 2020. In the near future, more than half of all DOCSIS-specified connections will support speeds of 2 Gb/s, benefiting over 800,000 customers.

As part of its ongoing service development, Vodafone will also launch 2Gb/s connections on a purely optical network (FTTH), meaning that by the end of summer, in addition to gigabit speeds for 2 million households, it will offer 2Gb/s speeds to more than one million Czech households.

The new internet plan with download speeds of 2 Gb/s and upload speeds of 400 Mb/s costs CZK 299 per month for the first year, and this promotional price also applies to lower-speed plans. Available speeds at specific addresses can be checked at www.vodafone.cz/internet. For top-tier connectivity, Vodafone is also offering the new FRITZ!Box 6690 modem from renowned German manufacturer AVM, available for a monthly rental fee of CZK 120.

Internet That Meets Influencer Standards

The test event took place in the informal and friendly atmosphere typical of the Vodafone PLAYzone Arena. Two well-known influencers, Mikýř and Janek Rubeš, tested the 25G PON technology and described the 25Gb/s internet as a dream come true—not just for YouTubers. They praised the extremely fast download and upload speeds, which significantly simplify production collaboration with colleagues and, of course, uploading content to the internet.

Vodafone PLAYzone Arena with Unique Internet Speed

The largest gaming arena in the Czech Republic has now added another first to its list of achievements. Not only did it host the first real-world deployment of this unique speed, but the 25G PON connection will remain in place for the arena’s ongoing operations. "Thanks to the new 25G PON technology, we're moving closer to the global elite while leaving the competition far behind. Our customers, including professional teams, can look forward to unmatched conditions for gaming and streaming," said Tomáš Zdražil, Operations Manager of the Vodafone PLAYzone Arena. According to him, the speed advantages will also benefit companies that rent the studio for livestreams or podcasts.