The new record for the fastest Internet speed has been set at a very-fast 44.2 Terabits per second, based on a study undertaken at Monash University (Australia). To put the speed into perspective, the speed is the equivalent to downloading 1,000 high-definition movies in just a single second (a feat that puts into perspective what is offered through conventional broadband provisions).
The record speed is also of sufficient capacity to provide Internet provision to around 1.8 million households. At the heart of the technology is a device called a micro-comb. This device has the equivalent power of 80 lasers. Not only is the device powerful, it is far smaller and lighter than existing telecommunications hardware.
At present the new technology is at the trial stage, and it has been examined in the context of existing infrastructure, designed to mirror current infrastructure systems. The technology is still based on fibers, although a special type of dark fibers have proved optimal for achieving the highest levels of Internet speed.
There is a longer term aim is to develop integrated photonic chips and to build a new Internet system to meet the demands and expectations of future generations.
Looking at the trial, lead researcher Dr Bill Corcoran states: “We’re currently getting a sneak-peak of how the infrastructure for the Internet will hold up in two to three years’ time, due to the unprecedented number of people using the internet for remote work, socialising and streaming.”
The concern, and the reason for future preparation, is that the Internet is not as fast as it once was. According to Corcoran: “It’s really showing us that we need to be able to scale the capacity of our internet connections.”
The research has been published in Nature Communications, where the study is titled “Ultra-dense optical data transmission over standard fibre with a single chip source.”
