Researchers at Aston University have helped set a new world record for internet data transmission, sending information at 430 terabits a second over standard telecoms fibre, in a breakthrough that could ease pressure on global networks strained by AI and data-heavy services.
The result, achieved by an international team led by Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, surpasses the group’s previous record of 402 terabits a second, while using almost 20% less overall bandwidth. The advance suggests that existing fibre-optic infrastructure can be pushed significantly further without the need for costly upgrades.
Aston University said its contribution came from scientists at the Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies, including Dr Aleksandr Donodin and Professor Sergei Turitsyn. The Institute was also involved in the earlier record-setting experiment.
At 430 terabits a second, the transmission speed dwarfs consumer connections. A typical home broadband line operates at around 10 megabits a second, highlighting the gap between core network capabilities and end-user access.
The researchers used standard single-mode optical fibre, which accounts for the majority of the more than five billion kilometres of fibre installed worldwide. By improving how efficiently different wavelengths and transmission modes are used within the fibre, the team increased capacity without expanding the spectral bandwidth or laying new cables.
Dr Donodin said the work showed that higher performance did not always require ever wider bandwidth. “We can improve how efficiently we use existing spectrum,” he said, adding that the approach extended the capabilities of standard-compliant optical fibres well beyond their original design.
The technique could be deployed in urban networks and data centre interconnects, where demand for high-capacity links is rising sharply as Cloud computing and AI applications proliferate. Using fibre already in the ground could lower costs and speed up network upgrades, avoiding disruptive civil engineering work.
The findings were presented as a post-deadline paper at the 51st European Conference on Optical Communication in Denmark on 2nd October 2025 and were partly supported by the Japan–Germany Beyond 5G/6G collaboration initiative.
The project involved 12 partners, including research institutes and universities in Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas, alongside industrial groups such as Sumitomo Electric Industries and Nokia Bell Labs.
The Japanese institute said it would continue to focus on extending transmission range and ensuring compatibility with fibres already deployed, as operators look to meet surging demand without rebuilding the physical foundations of the internet.
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