Researchers in China have established a new real-time data transmission milestone, hitting 3.2 petabits per second across a 24-core optical fiber. This capacity theoretically allows the equivalent of more than 20,000 4K movies to move through the connection in a single second. The accomplishment surpasses the team's previous benchmark of 2.5 Pb/s set earlier this year using similar multi-core infrastructure.
The successful test stems from a partnership involving the National Key Laboratory of Optical Communication Technology, China Information and Communication Technologies Group, Pengcheng Laboratory, and Fiberhome Fujikura Fiber Optic Technology. To achieve the record, the engineering groups merged spatial division multiplexing with S+C+L multi-band transmission. Spatial division multiplexing carves out separate data streams within a single fiber strand, while utilizing the S, C, and L wavelength bands widens the usable optical spectrum.
Merging these methods required engineers to solve significant hardware hurdles, specifically managing cross-talk interference between adjacent channels and balancing differing specifications across the three wavelength bands. Crucially, the test relied on hardware architectures described as compliant with commercial requirements and operated continuously in real time, setting it apart from isolated laboratory setups that depend on specialized experimental signal-processing gear.
While academic laboratory experiments have previously reached higher speeds like 5.29 Pb/s using comparable fiber, those setups often remain unsuited for routine telecommunications deployment. Despite the commercial hardware compliance claimed in this latest test, no official deployment schedule or pricing framework has been announced. Long-term reliability and large-scale infrastructure compatibility under demanding everyday operating conditions still require extensive validation before consumer networks adopt such capacity.
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