National Institute of Information and Communication Technologies of Japan (NICT)

History

2025: Demonstration of the world's first fiber-optic network with 1.02 petabits per second data transmission

On May 29, 2025, an international research group announced a new world record for the speed of data transmission in a fiber-optic network. The communication channel capacity with a length of 1808 km exceeded 1 petabit per second (Pbit/s).

The project was implemented under the guidance of specialists from the Photon Network Laboratory as part of the National Institute of Information and Communication Technologies of Japan (NICT). Scientists have developed a new 19-core optical cable with a standard shell diameter that solves the problem of signal attenuation when transmitting data over long distances.

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Фото: Freepik

The study participants managed to ensure low losses in several wavelength bands that are used in commercial fiber optic networks. In addition, a special optical amplification system has been developed that makes it possible to simultaneously amplify signals in all 19 fibers without mixing them.

The created data platform included 19 closed circuits with a length of 86.1 km each. Information passed through them 21 times, which corresponds to a total line length of 1808 km. A 19-channel receiver was used to receive the signals. The researchers also integrated a digital processor with MIMO technology into the system to eliminate interference. As a result, a total throughput of 1.02 Pbit/s was achieved, which is a new record. The record for transmission performance is also shown, measured as the product of throughput by distance: this value reached 1.86 exabits per second per kilometer.

It is expected that in the future, the developed technology can make a significant contribution both to increasing the bandwidth of communication channels and to expanding the infrastructure of fiber-optic lines.^[1]

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