Japan sets new record for highest internet speed with a 319Tbps data transfer

Japanese scientists at the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology have achieved data transfer over the internet at a speed of 319Tbps. For context, that is almost 7 million times faster than the average internet speed in the United States, and about 24 million times faster than the average internet speed in India. This not only breaks the global record for the highest internet speed but sets it at double the previous record. 

Japan sets the record for highest internet speed

Achieved through a lab test using high-end equipment

NICT, short for National Institute of Information and Communications Technology has achieved a speed of 319Tbps, which seems to be the new world record for highest internet speed. They managed to achieve it by upgrading every stage of the optics pipeline. As per a report on Engadget, the fibre optic line was upgraded to four cores instead of one. Additionally, the researchers used a 552-channel comb laser, which was fired at several wavelengths and was aided by rare earth amplifiers. While the test was conducted indoors in a lab, the test transferred data through a coiled fibre and simulated a distance of 1,865 miles.

The record speed is 16,000 times faster than 5G

The internet speed achieved by scientists in Japan is approximately 16,000 times faster than the speed of 5G technology, which is still available in some parts of the world. However, to implement the experiment at a national or even a regional scale, the setup will be extremely costly. One of the key aspects of a large scale internet setup is the cost, as users cannot pay a very steep amount. The scientists at NICT envision the technology to be beyond 5G and more practical than 5G.

Data transfer speed, more commonly referred to as internet speed is the most discussed aspect of the telecom industry. Internet speeds are advertised everywhere, from the monthly plans of a service provider to the basic requirement to run online games, internet speeds cannot be ignored in 2021. High-speed internet is what everyone needs to survive the current situation of pandemic and consequent work & learn from home situation.