Bell Labs breaks data transmission speed record

Scientists at Bell Labs have broken records with a new data transfer technique that allows up to ten times the data transmission rates over long distances.

The system has achieved speeds of 100 petabits per second per kilometre over a similar distance to that between Paris and Chicago. The technology will be used to lay much faster international data cables and speed up the global network infrastructure.

“There is no question that this record breaking transmission is a milestone in achieving the network capacity and speeds and a key step forward in satisfying the ongoing explosion in demand,” said Gee Rittenhouse, head of Bell Labs Research.

“This is a prime example of Bell Labs preeminent research and demonstrates the ability of our researchers to solve complex problems.”

The technique uses standard Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) technology but adds 155 lasers, each operating at a different frequency and carrying 100 Gigabits of data per second each.

Repeaters, spaced around 90km apart (around 20 per cent further than are currently used), are used to boost the signal and maintain clarity.

Bell Labs also designed receivers which can disentangle the data from the eventual signal contained in the light.