BackWhat Is 5Gbps Broadband and How Fast Is It?
5Gbps broadband is five times faster than 1Gbps and runs on XGSPON fibre for symmetrical upload and download speeds. Find out how fast it is, what hardware you need, and whether StarHub's $45/month plan is right for your household.
In This Guide
- What is 5Gbps broadband and how does it work?
- How fast is 5Gbps compared to 1Gbps, 2Gbps, and 10Gbps?
- What is XGSPON and why does it matter for upload speeds?
- True 5Gbps vs aggregated broadband speeds
- Who needs 5Gbps broadband?
- What hardware do you need to get full 5Gbps speeds?
- Is 5Gbps broadband the same as 5G?
- How StarHub sets up your 5Gbps broadband
What Is 5Gbps Broadband?
5Gbps broadband is a home fibre internet subscription with a data transfer rate of up to 5 gigabits per second, which equals 5,000 megabits per second (Mbps). It runs on XGSPON fibre technology and delivers symmetrical speeds, meaning your uploads are as fast as your downloads.
To put this in context: on a 1Gbps connection, downloading a full 4K movie (around 20GB) takes about 2.5 minutes. On 5Gbps, the same file finishes in roughly 30 seconds. For households where people regularly transfer large files, back up to cloud storage, or have several people on video calls at once, the difference compounds throughout the day. Every upload, every sync, and every stream runs five times faster than what most Singapore homes use today.
5Gbps broadband is not the same as 5G mobile
5Gbps refers to the wired speed of your fibre connection (5,000Mbps). 5G is a wireless cellular network standard for mobile devices. They use completely different infrastructure and deliver different real-world speeds.
How Fast Is 5Gbps Broadband?
5Gbps equals 5,000Mbps, or roughly 625 megabytes per second (MB/s) of actual data throughput. This is five times faster than 1Gbps and 2.5 times faster than 2Gbps. The table below shows what the speed difference looks like for common tasks.
Estimates assume theoretical maximum throughput on a wired connection.
Real-world speeds depend on server capacity, home network equipment, and the number of connected devices.
What This Means for You
The practical difference between 1Gbps and 5Gbps is most noticeable when multiple people are online at once. On 1Gbps, a large game download will slow down everyone else's video calls and streaming. On 5Gbps, there is enough headroom for all of those tasks to run at full speed simultaneously.
What Is XGSPON and Why Does It Matter?
XGSPON stands for 10 Gigabit-capable Symmetric Passive Optical Network. It is the fibre technology powering StarHub's UltraSpeed network and replaces the older GPON standard used by most 1Gbps plans in Singapore.
The key word is symmetric. Traditional GPON delivers up to 2.4Gbps downstream but only 1.2Gbps upstream, so your uploads are always slower than your downloads. XGSPON supports up to 10Gbps in both directions, which means your 5Gbps plan delivers the same speed whether you are downloading a file or uploading one. Learn more about XGSPON and the UltraSpeed network.
This symmetry matters for everyday tasks relying on upload speed: video calls (which send your camera feed upstream), cloud backups on Google Drive or iCloud, uploading photos and videos to social media, and pushing files to shared workspaces. On an older GPON connection, these tasks compete for limited upstream bandwidth. On XGSPON, they get the same priority and speed as downloads.
StarHub's UltraSpeed network runs entirely on XGSPON. This was previously available only on the 10Gbps plan. The 5Gbps plan now gives you access to the same underlying infrastructure at a lower price point.
What Is the Difference Between True and Aggregated Broadband Speeds?
StarHub's 5Gbps broadband delivers "true" (non-aggregated) speeds, which means you get up to 5Gbps on a single LAN port. This is a meaningful difference from how some broadband plans work.
With an aggregated plan, the advertised speed is split across multiple LAN ports. A plan marketed as 2.5Gbps, for example, might distribute its bandwidth across several 1Gbps ports. No single device on the network ever reaches 2.5Gbps because no single port carries the full speed. The total is the sum of the parts, not what any one connection delivers.
With StarHub's 5Gbps plan, at least one LAN port on the provided router delivers the full 5Gbps wired connection. If you connect a device directly to the 5Gbps port with compatible hardware, you get up to 5Gbps on one connection. The remaining ports still serve other devices at high speed, but the headline figure is not a combined total spread thin.
What This Means for You
If you transfer large files between a NAS and your PC, run a home server, or need to download massive game updates as fast as possible, true 5Gbps on one port gives you full single-device speed. Aggregated plans would cap each device at a fraction of the total.
Who Needs 5Gbps Broadband?
5Gbps is built for households with 2 to 4 heavy internet users running bandwidth-intensive tasks at the same time. If you recognise any of the scenarios below, 5Gbps gives you the headroom a 1Gbps or 2Gbps plan does not.
✓ Remote workers and video callers
HD video conferencing on Zoom or Teams uses 4 to 10Mbps per call. When two or three people in a household are on calls while others stream or download, 1Gbps starts to buckle. 5Gbps with symmetrical upload speeds ensures your camera feed stays sharp and your screen shares load without delay.
✓ Gamers who download large titles
Modern AAA games regularly exceed 50GB, and patches often run 10 to 30GB. On 5Gbps, a 50GB game downloads in about 1.5 minutes. Fibre also delivers lower latency than wireless connections, which helps in competitive multiplayer where every millisecond counts.
✓ Content creators and cloud-heavy users
Uploading a 12GB video to YouTube or syncing a project folder to Google Drive takes under 20 seconds on 5Gbps. If you regularly work with large media files, the symmetrical upload speed removes what is usually the biggest bottleneck.
✓ Households with many connected devices
Smart TVs, security cameras, robot vacuums, smart speakers, phones, tablets, and laptops all draw bandwidth. A typical Singapore household runs 10 to 20 connected devices. On 5Gbps, even if every device is active, there is more than enough capacity so no single device slows the others down.
What Hardware Do You Need
for Full 5Gbps Speeds?
Your broadband speed is only as fast as the weakest link in your home network. StarHub's 5Gbps plan includes a free TP-Link HB710 WiFi 7 router (Tri-band BE18000) for the wireless side, but reaching full 5Gbps on a single device requires the right wired setup too.
What This Means for You
You do not need all of this hardware on day one. Even without WiFi 7 devices or a 10GbE adapter, you benefit from the increased total bandwidth across your household. Every device gets more headroom, and shared bandwidth means less congestion. The dedicated hardware upgrades are for when you want to push a single device to the full 5Gbps limit.
View compatible routers.
Is 5Gbps Broadband the Same as 5G?
No. Despite the similar-sounding names, 5Gbps broadband and 5G mobile are completely different technologies. They use different infrastructure, connect in different ways, and deliver different performance levels.
Another term often confused is 5GHz, which refers to a WiFi frequency band your router uses to transmit wireless signal. It has nothing to do with either 5Gbps broadband speeds or 5G cellular networks. Your WiFi 7 router uses both 5GHz and 6GHz bands to deliver the fastest possible wireless performance.
How Does StarHub Set Up Your 5Gbps Broadband?
StarHub handles the full installation at no extra cost. The installation and activation fee (worth $152.72) is waived for all UltraSpeed 5Gbps and 10Gbps plans. Here is what happens after you subscribe.
Your existing Fibre Termination Point (FTP) will work with the 5Gbps plan in most cases. If the FTP is faulty or you need it relocated, third-party NLT charges apply separately.
The plan also includes 12 months of free CyberProtect 3, which covers up to 3 devices with virus protection, browsing security, and VPN. After the free period, it renews at $5.08/month unless you cancel.
WiFi tips for better home coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about 5Gbps broadband in Singapore.
5Gbps delivers theoretical speeds of 5,000Mbps (about 625MB/s). In practice, wired connections on compatible hardware typically reach 4,500 to 4,900Mbps. Wireless speeds depend on your device and distance from the router but are significantly faster with WiFi 7 than with older WiFi standards.
StarHub provides a free TP-Link HB710 WiFi 7 router with the plan. For full 5Gbps on a single wired device, you need a 10 Gigabit Ethernet adapter and Cat6a (or higher) cables. Without these, you still benefit from the larger total bandwidth shared across your home network.
5Gbps broadband is a wired fibre connection delivering 5,000Mbps symmetrical speeds to your home. 5G is a wireless mobile network standard (fifth generation) used by phones and mobile routers. They are separate technologies with different infrastructure, speeds, and use cases.
XGSPON stands for 10 Gigabit-capable Symmetric Passive Optical Network (ITU-T G.9807 standard). It is the fibre technology delivering symmetrical upload and download speeds of up to 10Gbps, replacing the older GPON standard. StarHub's UltraSpeed network is built entirely on XGSPON.
Aggregated speeds combine the bandwidth of multiple LAN ports. A plan advertised as 2.5Gbps aggregated might split the total across several 1Gbps ports, so no single device reaches 2.5Gbps. StarHub's 5Gbps plan delivers true (non-aggregated) speed: the full 5Gbps is available on at least one LAN port.
Your existing FTP should work. If it is faulty or needs to be relocated, third-party NLT charges apply: $163.50 for high-rise or $294.30 for landed properties (installation), with similar rates for repair, replacement, or removal.
No. Your monthly subscription price stays the same after the 24-month contract period. You continue at the same rate you signed up at.
All-inclusive 5Gbps Broadband at $45/mth
UltraSpeed 5Gbps: $45/mth
With ONT + WiFi 7 router. Seamless connection for 2 to 4 users. Includes 1 free TP-Link HB710 WiFi 7 router (Tri-band BE18000) and 12 months free CyberProtect 3.
Disclaimer:
This content is provided for general information and convenience. While we take care in preparing our articles, readers should refer to official sources or professional advice for specific, up-to-date details.
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