In a monumental leap for optical communications, Japanese researchers from NICT in partnership with Sumitomo Electric Industries have shattered previous fibre‑optic speed records. They successfully transmitted 1.02 petabits per second—enough to download the entire Netflix library 30 times over—through a single ultra‑thin, 19‑core optical fibre spanning the equivalent of a continental journey, approximately 1,808 km
🧠 How It Works
- 19‑core fibre design: Each independently functioning channel boosts data throughput, essentially turning one hair‑thick fibre into a “19‑lane data highway”
- Continental simulation loop: An 86.1 km segment was looped 21 times to simulate real-world, long‑haul distances.
- Intelligent amplification: Dual‑band amplifiers managed C and L transmission bands, with up to 180 simultaneous wavelengths using 16QAM modulation .
- Core signal separation: A 19‑channel MIMO receiver untangled the complex multi‑core data signals— akin to a multi‑party conversation separated by technology.
📣 What They’re Saying
The announcement garnered attention from tech circles worldwide:
“Time to patent my idea for 20‑core fibre,” joked network engineer Brian McGahan on LinkedIn .
And on Reddit, users shared mixed awe and humility:
“Nice. I still get like 200 megabits,” joked Deloused, before correcting to megabits .
🎥 Watch: Explained
Although this 402 Tbps video details a different speed record, its visuals and narration help illustrate the scale, science, and sophistication behind these fibre‑optic breakthroughs.
🕵️ Why It Matters
- Easing future upgrades: The use of standard 0.125 mm cladding means current infrastructure can support these fibres, reducing overhaul costs
- Commercial scalability: Meeting continental transmission without bespoke cables signals potential for real‑world networks—and lower cost‑per‑bit for ISPs .
- Versatile wavelength spectrum: Utilisation of C and L bands with intelligent signal‑loss reduction improves reliability and global applicability .
🚀 The Road Ahead
While the achievement is enormously promising, several challenges remain before we reach everyday speeds measured in petabits:
- Infrastructural demands: Building continental‑scale fibre links still requires massive investment in laying, amplifiers, and receivers.
- Equipment scaling: Commercial player adoption depends on cost-effective production of amplifiers, lasers and MIMO receivers.
- Operational complexity: Managing high‑core fibres with advanced modulation will require sophisticated network orchestration.
Nevertheless, with data usage expected to grow by orders of magnitude over the next decade, these breakthroughs are critical for the next generation of internet backbone technology.
🔍 Final Word
This 1.02 petabit milestone isn’t science fiction—it’s a tangible revolution in how we send data across continents. By pushing the limits of fibre architecture, amplification, and signal processing, this research paves the way for ultra‑high‑capacity networks. The prospect of cost-effective, petabit‑scale infrastructure could redefine global connectivity standards within years.