20 Gig: How our 25G PON investment shatters the limits of today’s internet

Small but mighty: The new, more efficient GFiber 20 Gig ONT hardware—now three times smaller than the last iteration—enabling up to full 20 Gig symmetrical speeds for our customers. Image from a new installation performed November 10, 2025.


When we launched our 20 Gig early access program, we set an audacious goal to break the 10 Gig barrier that limits existing broadband architectures. Today, we’re announcing a significant milestone in that journey: our latest 20 Gig installation of our new hardware, and a giant leap forward in delivering the network that leaves the status quo behind.


Bringing 20 Gig to life

This is about more than just rolling out our new GFiber 20 Gig ONT device. It highlights the tangible results of our strategic, long-term investment in 25G PON technology. As of now, due to this approach, ~90% of the homes and businesses in our network footprint are already 20 Gig capable. The deployment of this new, next-generation ONT is the key to unlocking that capacity for the home and enabling us to serve customers more broadly than ever before. It also means upgrading the experience for those already on the journey with us; we have several 20 Gig early access customers today, and we will be automatically upgrading them to this new hardware. As we ramp up operations for this new ONT, we expect to move 20 Gig out of our early access program and into a generally available product next year. That’s a really big deal!


Results of a real-world speed test performed on November 16, 2025, by a GFiber 20 Gig customer using the new GFiber 20 Gig ONT. Achieving symmetrical speeds of 19.9 Gbps download and 19.6 Gbps upload, the result—typical sample from multiple tests—validates GFiber’s strategic investment in a 25 Gig network foundation needed for future-proofing both residential power users and advanced commercial applications.

Beyond the 10 Gig Limit: A single, future-proof foundation for every user

This investment delivers truly future-proof speed and capacity, densifying our network without laying down new lines and driving down latency to support the coming tidal wave of multimodal AI growth, immersive video experiences, cloud computing, and more. This capability surpasses traditional XGS solutions (current 10 Gig PON technology) and any DOCSIS (cable internet) network.

What it means for customers

This level of performance is a dream come true for residential power users like Nathan, the newest GFiber 20 Gig customer (Nathan works for GFiber's parent company, Google), whose recent speed test is pictured above. But critically, this foundational leap also turbocharges our commercial product offering. Whether it’s supporting complex institutional research—like that led by Dean Kevin Truman at UMKC—or the next wave of enterprise innovation, our network is ready for whatever businesses and developers build next.

Check out the video below to hear more from GFiber 20 Gig customers about what the leap to 20 Gig means in the real world right now and what it could mean for the internet for years to come.



Posted by Liz Hsu, Senior Director, Product & Billing


Understand it, make it, survive it and do it. Here’s what Kiwis searched for in 2025

Alt Text: Tablescape illustration of Google Year in Search 2025 for Aotearoa New Zealand by Kiwi artist Brogan Scott.



New Zealand’s 2025 Year in Search paints a picture of a population that is pragmatic, hyper-vigilant and digitally aware. 


We’re deeply engaged in local matters, from weather warnings, engagement in political processes, to the sporting games, matches and tournaments. We’re still sports mad—the All Blacks are the most referenced search term of the past five years and our ‘Kiwis’ list is dominated by our star athletes.


Simultaneously, we kept an eye on the global stage—whether it was a CEO on a jumbotron, singing our hearts out to KPop Demon Hunters, or a fascination with Labubu. From spotted dick recipe to the pink salt trick, with a whitebait fritter for good measure, our culinary adventures were vast and surprising. We searched for conversation starters, commentators and controversial figures, in the likes of Charlie Kirk, Ed Gein and Belle Gibson. While mourning the loss of legends like Jane Goodall and Diane Keaton. And, what on earth is 6 7? 


Every day Kiwis turn to Google Search to learn, discover and get stuff done. Here are the four themes that defined the year:


1. Searching for Safety

Search isn’t just a library anymore; it’s a real-time safety tool. Our desire for information about immediate weather hazards has never been more pronounced, with wind warning, rainfall warning and tsunami warning topping our local moments. We remained vigilant around natural disasters like Cyclones Tam and Alfred, and monitored health threats like the resurgence of measles.


2. Shift from spectator to participant

This year we moved from passive reading to active doing. Kiwis were looking for actionable paths to civic engagement, not just headlines, with how to make a submission to the Treaty Principles Bill and politicians piqued our interest. 


3. The "Homesteading" and Self-Sufficiency Shift

Cost of living pressures brought us back to basics. We swapped convenience for kitchen skills, searching for how to make butter, buttermilk, sourdough starter, bread, and—surprisingly—soft boiled eggs from scratch. Searches for chicken breast and pink salt trick could be driven by broader health trends. 


This "financial self-defense" extended to our wallets, with spikes in searches for the revenge saving financial trend, how to calculate tax refund, how to invest money in shares and how to make a YouTube channel. 


4. From Feed to Reality: Culture, Generated

Viral trends dictated real-world habits in 2025, with global internet culture dictating consumption habits. Evidenced by our desire to make dubai chocolate, pistachio cream and matcha. We also swapped intellectual word games for generative AI. Mainstream adoption arrived as Kiwis embraced AI-driven aesthetics like Barbie AI and viral photo prompts.


Here’s the top trending lists:


Overall Searches

  • Charlie Kirk

  • COPD treatment

  • Osteoporosis treatment

  • Tom Phillips

  • All Blacks vs France

  • Ozzy Osbourne

  • Cyclone Alfred

  • Iran

  • Ed Gein

  • Club World Cup


Kiwis

  • Joseph Parker

  • Benjamin Doyle

  • Lorde

  • Liam Lawson

  • Daniel Hillier

  • Kai Kara France

  • David Nyika

  • Brooke Van Velden

  • Chris Wood

  • Stuart Nash


Loss

  • Charlie Kirk

  • Tom Phillips

  • Michelle Trachtenberg

  • Gene Hackman

  • Hulk Hogan

  • Diane Keaton

  • Val Kilmer

  • David Lynch

  • Robert Redford

  • Jane Goodall


People

  • Belle Gibson

  • D4vd

  • Diogo Jota

  • Pope

  • Andy Byron

  • Luke Combs

  • Jimmy Kimmel

  • Tyler Robinson

  • Kendrick Lamar

  • Prince Andrew


Local Moments

  • Wind warning

  • Rainfall warning

  • Tsunami warning

  • Thunderstorm warning

  • Cyclone Tam

  • Treaty Principles Bill Submission

  • Metallica Auckland

  • Tongariro Fire

  • Measles

  • Sail GP Auckland


Global Moments

  • Cyclone Alfred

  • Iran

  • Day of the Dead

  • LA Fires

  • Labubu

  • Russia Earthquake

  • KPop Demon Hunters

  • Bianca Censori Grammys

  • 67 

  • Air India Crash


How To…

  • How to make butter

  • How to invest money in shares

  • How to make buttermilk

  • How to get rid of bed bugs

  • How to screenshot on Macbook

  • How to watch All Blacks vs France

  • How to soft boil an egg

  • How to say Happy Matariki in te reo Maori

  • How to clear cache on Chrome

  • How to calculate a tax refund


Definitions:

  • Plancha

  • Taki

  • Parens

  • Loris

  • Hubris

  • Atria

  • Ziti

  • Ouroboros

  • Orgo

  • Seitan


Internet Trends/Memes

  • Viral Ice Cream

  • Action Figure Trend

  • Mango Ice Cream

  • Barbie AI Trend

  • Revenge Saving Financial Trend

  • Peach Ice Cream

  • What is the 6 7 Trend

  • Squishy Toy Trend

  • Polaroid Trend

  • Starter Pack Trend


Sports Events

  • All Blacks vs France

  • Club World Cup

  • India vs England

  • Auckland FC

  • India vs Australia

  • Champions Trophy

  • New Zealand vs Pakistan

  • Super Rugby Fantasy

  • All Blacks vs Australia

  • New Zealand vs West Indies


Post content Posted by Carrie Jones, Communications and Public Affairs Manager Google New Zealand

Chrome for Android Update

Hi, everyone! We've just released Chrome 143 (143.0.7499.52) for Android. It'll become available on Google Play over the next few days. 

This release includes stability and performance improvements. You can see a full list of the changes in the Git log. If you find a new issue, please let us know by filing a bug.


Android releases contain the same security fixes as their corresponding Desktop releases (Windows & Mac: 143.0.7499.40/.41, Linux: 143.0.7499.40) unless otherwise noted.


Krishna Govind
Google Chrome