Tag: NICT

With the rapid expansion of applications such as AI, cloud services, and video streaming, and the continued surge in global network data traffic, the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) of Japan recently broke records again, successfully achieving an astonishing transmission rate of 1.02 Pbps (Petabit) per second using a single optical fiber over a distance of 1808 kilometers, setting a new milestone for the world's fastest and longest fiber optic transmission. This breakthrough not only surpasses the previous record of 1.71 Exabit/s·km for long-distance high-capacity transmission, but also pushes it to a new record of 1.86 Exabit/s·km, highlighting the enormous growth potential of current fiber optic infrastructure and implying that large-scale upgrades in the future may not require a complete replacement of communication infrastructure. The key to this breakthrough lies in the implementation of a "19-core fiber" design. The research team embedded as many as 19 independent optical channels (cores) within a shell of the same diameter as existing optical fibers (only 0.125mm), instantly increasing transmission potential by as much as 19 times compared to traditional single-core fibers. This design not only improves speed and capacity but also maintains high compatibility, making future deployments more flexible and cost-effective. The Japan Information and Communications Technology Research Institute (JICT) emphasized in its report that this achievement lays the foundation for meeting the demands of future high-capacity, scalable networks, particularly as the needs of AI, data center synchronization, global cloud applications, and multinational backbone networks grow exponentially, making transmission efficiency a core competitive advantage. Why is such speed necessary? While the average user may not fully grasp how fast "1.02 Pbit per second" is, consider Netflix, whose complete library is estimated to be tens to hundreds of terabytes. Theoretically, this transmission speed could download the entire Netflix service in one second. Although this data represents laboratory-level backbone network performance and differs significantly from typical home broadband, this technology is expected to be gradually applied to data centers, multinational corporations, and cloud nodes, thereby achieving even faster massive data transfer speeds. Furthermore, according to Nielsen's Law, a principle frequently cited in the telecommunications industry, home users who heavily utilize broadband network services will see their network connection speeds increase by 50% annually, or double every 21 months. With 10Gbps becoming standard for most home networks, and with frequent use of technologies such as 8K video streaming and AI model training, the market demand for high-speed and stable transmission has increased significantly. Facing the ever-increasing pressure of data flow, this Japanese experiment demonstrates not only a breakthrough in speed but also a possible route for "long-distance fiber optic system upgrades." Compared to laying entirely new next-generation fiber optic cables, achieving higher capacity through structural adjustments and multi-core integration technology helps reduce overall construction and maintenance costs, providing a more flexible solution for global communication infrastructure. With the full-scale development of the AI ​​era, whether for personal AI PCs, enterprise-level edge computing, or global cloud service connectivity needs, a "fast, long-range, and stable" fiber optic backbone will become the "central nervous system" of the digital economy. This Japanese innovation undoubtedly writes a crucial chapter in the evolution of global high-speed communication technology.