Heads up for Google Fiber customers, you may soon have more control over your home internet connection. Just recently, Google Fiber announced its partnership with Nokia, a telecommunications company. Through this partnership, Google Fiber and Nokia have begun testing network slicing, a technology that will allow customers to personalize and have more control over their network. This technology promises many benefits, particularly for gamers.
Google Fiber Head of Product Nick Saporito tells CNET that "network slicing could give customers more control over how their internet performs based on what they're doing."
"Instead of treating all traffic the same, we're exploring how customers could dedicate bandwidth to the activities that matter most to them. Think of it like putting your connection in a 'gamer mode' or 'video call mode' that you control." Saporito said.
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Many of the biggest names in broadband, including T-Mobile 5G Home Internet and Verizon, are not new to this technology. Since 2023, these 5G home internet giants have begun working to establish network slicing for their services. However, this is the first time we've seen a fiber internet provider explore the potential of this technology. Once established, network slicing could push the boundaries of what fiber internet has to offer.
Google Fiber has only begun testing this technology in its labs so it's still too early to say whether it can deliver on its promise.
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Read more: I Think Fiber Is the Gold Standard of Internet. But Here's Why I Can't Always Recommend It
What is network slicing?
According to TechTarget, network slicing is a technique that creates many virtual networks on top of a shared network, allowing more flexibility and control over your network. This technique is often used for 5G technology, which can be divided into different slices, each tailored to meet a specific need. This technology can be promising for 5G home internet, because this connection type often suffers from network congestion. So, using this technology can help allocate bandwidth and network resources. According to Verizon, 5G network slicing benefits not just for faster connectivity but can also support the enabling of Internet of Things in a manufacturing environment. For example, network slicing can help factory workers remain safe by establishing autonomous forklifts in a factory during a surge of communication traffic.
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