▾Japanese scientists have achieved a new world record in internet speed, reaching 402 terabits per second. The result is 1.6 million times faster than the average internet speed in the USA. To achieve this result, they used commercially available optical fiber and a combination of various technologies. Although the speed was achieved only in laboratory conditions, the research is expected to help further develop optical networks.
Imagine if you could download the entire Netflix library in just a second. Does it sound like sci-fi? For Japanese scientists, it's reality. A team of researchers from the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) in Japan recently achieved an incredible milestone in internet connection speed.
A speed that will take your breath away
Japanese scientists set a new world record in data transfer speed, a staggering 402 terabits per second (Tbps). For comparison, such a connection is 1.6 million times faster than the average broadband speed in the USA. At such a speed, you could download about 12,500 movies in a single second.
The key to success was using commercially available optical fiber and a smart combination of various technologies. Researchers employed all transmission bands of standard optical fibers and deployed various amplification technologies. This allowed them to unlock the potential of previously unused wavelengths.
What does this mean for the future of the internet?
NICT sees great potential in this advancement for expanding the capacity of optical communication infrastructure. With the growing demand for data services, this technology could significantly contribute to meeting the increasingly high demands for internet connections in the future.
However, before this astonishing speed reaches our homes, many hurdles need to be overcome. Although the record was achieved with regular optical fiber, it was under optimal laboratory conditions. Translating this success into a real-world application will require further research and resources.
For comparison, the average broadband speed in the USA in May 2024 was 248.27 Mbps for downloads and 34.23 Mbps for uploads. The fastest provider, Cox, achieved the highest average speed in the fourth quarter of 2023. The difference between these regular speeds and the Japanese record is, therefore, truly astronomical.
Although the path to practical use of the new technology is still long, this breakthrough gives us a fascinating glimpse into the future of the internet. Who knows, maybe one day we will all be surfing online at speeds we can't even dream of today.
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