BELL LABS SET SPEED RECORD USING COPPER LINES

Internet Record Could See Copper Lines Bring Speeds of 1 Gbps to Your Door

A team of researchers from Bell Labs has set a new record for data sent over copper telephone lines. The team based in Belgium transmitted data at a new record speed of 10 Gigabits per second (Gbps). They used two pairs of standard phone lines measuring 30 m (98.4 ft). To achieve these new speeds the research team at Bell Labs developed a technology called XG-Fast.

It has been suggested the technology could eventually be used to provide customers with high speed internet of up to 1 Gbps (1 gigabit per second). This would lessen the need for fibre optic cable which is expensive. Bell Labs believe providing internet this way would be feasible; fibre optic cables could be brought to a building, wall or basement and the existing copper infrastructure would carry the signal the last few metres.

However others disagree, Chris Green of Davies Murphy Group consultancy believes that any gains in line speed are quickly nullified the further you are located from a telephone exchange. To benefit from the increased speeds Bell Labs are speaking of you would need to be within touching distance of an exchange or be connected to it via fibre optic cable. This is unlikely, particularly for rural based properties. For now it seems ultra-fast internet will come exclusively from fibre optic technology.