This represents the highest speed ever delivered by opening up new specific wavelength bands that are not yet used in fiber optic systems.

As part of an international collaboration, the academics transferred data at a speed of 301 terabits or 301,000,000 megabits per second, using a single standard optical fiber.

In comparison to Ofcom's report on UK domestic broadband performance, published in September 2023, which stated that the average broadband speed is only 69.4 Mbit/s megabits per second.

Professor Wladek Forysiak of the Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies and Dr. Ian Phillips were part of the team that successfully transmitted the data. They collaborated with researchers from the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) in Japan and Nokia Bell Labs in the United States.

As the demand for data increases, the new technology is expected to help meet it. Scientists used optical fibers, tiny glass tubes that transmit information via light. Ordinary copper cables cannot carry data at those speeds.

The feat was achieved by opening up new wavelength bands not yet used in fiber optic systems. These different wavelength bands correspond to different colors of light transmitted through the optical fiber.

To achieve this, they developed new devices called optical amplifiers and optical gain equalizers.
Dr. Phillips led the development of a management device, or optical processor, at Aston University. "Generally speaking, the data was sent through an optical fiber, like a home or office internet connection," he explains.

"However, in addition to the commercially available C and L bands, we use two additional spectral bands called the E band and S band. These bands have not traditionally been used for data transmission. Traditionally, these bands have not been necessary because the C and L bands could provide the capacity required to meet consumer needs.".

"In recent years, Aston University has developed optical amplifiers that operate in the E-band, adjacent to the C-band in the electromagnetic spectrum, but three times wider. Before the development of our device, no one had been able to adequately emulate the E-band channels in a controlled manner.".

Professor Forysiak added: "By increasing transmission capacity on the backbone network, our experiment could greatly improve connections for end users."

"This unprecedented achievement highlights the crucial role of fiber optic technology in the revolution of communication networks for faster and more reliable data transmission.

"Increasing the system's capacity by using more available spectrum, not only in the conventional C band, but also in other bands such as L, S and now E, can help keep the cost of providing this bandwidth low.".

It is also a "greener solution" than deploying more new fibers and cables, as it makes greater use of the existing fiber network, increasing its data-carrying capacity and extending its lifespan and commercial value

The results of the experiment were published this month by the Institute of Engineering and Technology, the IET, and were presented as a paper following the European Optical Communications Conference (ECOC) held in Glasgow in October 2023.