New Internet tech transmits data at 26 terabytes per second

[Playinghardball]

Source: raw story
By Stephen C. Webster

In a dramatic breakthrough, scientists have learned how to use optical fiber to transmit data over a single laser at speeds that dwarf even today's fastest Internet connections.

Using techniques called "fast Fourier transform" and "orthogonal frequency division multiplexing," scientists at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany were able to stitch 300 individual data streams into colors beamed by a single laser, which were then picked apart at the other end.

The result of their experiment was a blazing fast transfer rate of 26 terabytes per second.

A terabyte is the equivalent of 1,000 gigabytes -- the measurement used to grade most consumer level computer hard drives.

More at: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/05/23/new-internet-tech-transmits-data-at-26-terabytes-per-second/

[From The Ashes]

1. That's nice...

...but as long as there's a big difference between download and upload speeds, it won't make much difference.

With the ISP I have, I get 15Mbps down and 2Mbps up. If I'm downloading a file from the internet, I can get it at 15, but the page that I'm getting it from doesn't send it at 15. So I'm effectively throttled at the speed it can upload the info to me.