A method of fragmented packet transmission in a multiple-channel passive optical network (PON), comprising fragmenting, by a Gigabit-PON encapsulation method (GEM)/next generation-PON encapsulation method (XGEM) engine of a network element, data into a plurality of packet fragments; encapsulating, by the GEM/XGEM engine, the plurality of packet fragments into frames; scheduling, by a bonding block of the network element, transmission of the frames on a plurality of channels, wherein an order for transmitting the frames is based in part on channel availability; and transmitting, by a transmitter of the network element, the frames to a receiver on the plurality of channels according to the scheduling.