Japan has achieved a groundbreaking milestone in internet technology, setting a new world record for data transmission speed.
Researchers from Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, in collaboration with Sumitomo Electric, successfully transmitted data at an astonishing 1.02 petabits per second, equivalent to over one million gigabytes per second, across a distance of 1,118 miles.
How It Was Achieved
The feat was accomplished using a newly developed 19-core optical fiber, marking a significant leap forward in high-speed communication. While petabit-level speeds have been achieved before, they’ve typically been limited to short distances due to signal degradation over long ranges.
The Japanese team overcame this challenge by designing a multi-core fiber that increases data capacity without increasing the cable’s physical size. To preserve signal strength across the extended distance, the researchers implemented a sophisticated amplification system capable of simultaneously boosting signals across all 19 cores and multiple light bands.
This system relied on advanced recirculating loops and a MIMO-based processor to maintain signal integrity over long-haul transmission.
Major Breakthrough
This innovation not only breaks speed records but also offers a practical pathway toward scalable, ultra-fast networks. Because the 19-core fiber maintains the standard diameter of existing optical fibers, it can potentially be integrated into current infrastructure with minimal disruption.
As demand grows from technologies like artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and the Internet of Things, this breakthrough positions Japan at the forefront of building the next generation of high-capacity internet infrastructure.
