Japan has set a new global benchmark for internet speed after researchers successfully transmitted data at 1.02 petabits per second, equal to more than 125 terabytes every second. The achievement was made by scientists from National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, marking the fastest data transmission ever recorded over a long distance.
Distance Meets Power
The data traveled across 1,808 kilometers of optical fiber, proving that extreme speed can be sustained over real-world distances. This range is comparable to traveling across an entire country, not just inside a laboratory. The total data-distance product reached 1.86 exabits per second per kilometer, the highest ever achieved in fiber communication.
The 19-Core Fiber Breakthrough
At the heart of the record is a 19-core optical fiber, designed to carry far more data than standard single-core fibers. Despite its advanced design, the cable has the same thickness as existing fiber cables, about 0.125 millimeters, meaning it can fit into today’s infrastructure without major changes.
How the Transmission Worked
Researchers used 180 parallel data streams, sent through looping fiber paths that repeated the journey 21 times to simulate long-distance travel. Advanced signal amplification kept the data stable and clear across the full route. This balance of speed and stability is what set the new record apart from earlier attempts.
Why It Matters
At this speed, it would be possible to download the entire English Wikipedia thousands of times in one second or stream millions of ultra-high-definition videos at once. The technology could support future 5G and 6G networks, large-scale cloud systems, and fast-moving AI platforms that depend on massive data flow.
From Research to Reality
The fiber itself was developed by Sumitomo Electric, while the transmission system was built by NICT with international partners. Although this speed is not yet available to the public, the experiment proves that future ultra-fast networks can run on cables already installed around the world.
