Terabit fiber optic technology gets closer to commercial use

Terabit-speed fiber optic technology is far from mature for commercial use, but recent tests have moved it a step closer.  Image INQUIRER.net

While researchers have been developing terabit speed fiber optics technology for several years, it has yet to approach a maturity that will make it viable for commercial use. The latest field test, however, shows promise that commercially ready terabit speed fiber optic data connections may not be far off.

A recent field test conducted by Nokia Bell Labs, Deutsch Telekom and the Technical University of Munich displayed 1Tbps data transmission speeds under “real conditions” where channel conditions and traffic were varied, Engadget reports.

The feat was achieved using a new modulation technique called Probabilistic Constellation Shaping. It works by having the system prefer networking constellation points that have lower amplitudes and are less susceptible to noise as opposed to the typical fiber method of using all points. This new modulation technique thereby allows for transmissions to reach up to 30% as the system adapts the transmission rate to fit the channel. It proved effective enough to go near the theoretical peak data speeds for fiber optic connections.

Fiber optic terabit technology may have taken a step forward but it is still by no means commercially ready. It will still take some time before all the bugs can be ironed out and the technology viable for commercial use. And with 5G cellular data just around the corner, the wired backbone of the internet is about to need even more bandwidth.  Alfred Bayle