Utilizing spectrum that is not yet used in fiber optic systems, Birmingham, England’s Aston University researchers have sent data at a rate of 301 terabits or 301 million Mbps using a single, standard optical fiber, according to a university press release. The speed is 4.5 million times faster than the average U.K. broadband network, which is just 69.4 Mbps.
The researchers used two additional spectral bands, known as E-band (60 GHz to 90 GHz) and S-band (2 to 4 GHz), alongside the commercially available C-band and L-band. Over the last few years, Aston University has been developing optical amplifiers that operate in the E-band, which sits adjacent to the C-band, but is about three times wider.
“Such bands traditionally haven’t been required because the C- and L-bands could deliver the required capacity to meet consumer needs,” according to the university. “Before the development of our device, no one had been able to properly emulate the E-band channels in a controlled way.”
The team that transmitted the data included Professor Wladek Forysiak, Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies, and Dr. Ian Phillips, Aston School of Computer Science and Digital Technologies, who both worked in collaboration with researchers from National Institute of Information and Communications Technology in Japan and Nokia Bell Labs in the U.S. Phillips led the development of the optical processor at Aston University.
“By increasing transmission capacity in the backbone network, our experiment could lead to vastly improved connections for end users,” said Forysiak. “This groundbreaking accomplishment highlights the crucial role of advancing optical fiber technology in revolutionizing communication networks for faster and more reliable data transmission.”
By J. Sharpe Smith, Inside Towers Technology Editor
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