You've probably already guessed that your own internet connection doesn't have to be as slow as it sometimes seems. For example, even an average value of 250 megabits per second in the US is sufficient for almost all needs.
After all, you can simultaneously watch ten streams in 4K quality or send about 10,000 emails per second. Of course, it's faster with a fiber optic connection, which often delivers a gigabit or more.
However, this does not compare to the 301 terabits per second achieved at Aston University in Birmingham, England. This corresponds to over a million average links. According to the university, up to 4.5 million connections are needed in the UK.
Therefore, the total bandwidth of all households in a city of 1 million people would not be sufficient to achieve this transmission speed. Despite the fact that this was achieved through an ordinary fiber optic network.
This required newly formed teams on both sides. However, these can only transmit and receive on a different wavelength. Generally, C and L bands are used for transmission.
However, the researchers used the E band. Not only is it three times wider than one of the other bands. Due to its shorter wavelength and higher frequency, more information can be packed into it.
Until now, this band was avoided due to the high attenuation of fiber optic cables in this wavelength range. More energy must be used and the range is reduced.
After years of research this problem has also been solved. As a result, sufficient bandwidth must soon be available for future improvements and increased data transmission, which will undoubtedly be the case with home fiber optic connectivity.
