Aston University engineers break internet speed barrier record with fibre technology

Aston University researchers have reached internet speeds of 430 terabits per second (Tb/s). This was accomplished using standard telecom fibre, setting a new record and surpassing their previous benchmark of 402 Tb/s.

The team, led by the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) in Japan, includes Dr. Aleksandr Donodin and Professor Sergei Turitsyn from Aston's Institute of Photonic Technologies (AIPT). Their technology uses nearly 20% less bandwidth than before, simplifying system design and demonstrating that upgrades to internet infrastructure can be achieved without costly changes.

This approach leverages single-mode fibre technology. The technique is particularly viable for networking urban areas and interconnecting data centres where demand for high-capacity links continues to rise.

Dr. Donodin articulates the significance of the achievement, noting the potential to expand data transmission capacity using existing fibres. The strategy showcased involves transmitting data in multiple modes within the O-band and the fundamental mode in ESCL-bands, allowing an increase in spectral efficiency. 

The increasing demand for bandwidth, driven by data-intensive internet services and burgeoning AI applications, underscores the importance of this research. The team's work, supported by the Japan-Germany Beyond 5G/6G initiative, intends to further refine these systems and enhance compatibility with existing fibre networks.

Last month, this achievement was presented as a post deadline paper at the 51st European Conference on Optical Communication (ECOC) 2025 in Denmark. This collaborative features contributions from 12 global institutions including Fraunhofer Heinrich-Hertz-Institut and Nokia Bell Labs.

Aston University's involvement is backed by the EPSRC Programme grant TRANSNET, reinforcing the university's commitment to advancing photonic technologies within the evolving digital landscape.