As a technologist and network computing professional, I read with great interest a few days ago about a breakthrough in fibre-optics research in Germany, in which a new form of laser signalling has broken the record for data speed over optical fibre, reaching 26Tbps.
| Scientists Set New Download Speed Record |
And I quote:
“The scientists used a single laser to generate 325 optical frequencies within a narrow spectral band of laser wavelengths and transmitted the data over 50 kilometres of single-mode fibre.”
Very impressive, and also note the use of the word “fibre” – you know, the fibre that the National Broadband Network (NBN) will be built from.
Have a listen to Sydney talk-back radio announcer Alan Jones, speaking today about how this new research will “make the NBN obsolete before it is built”:
According to Jones, this new “laser” research will make the fibre planned turn into a ridiculous waste of money, since this new “laser” transmission method will be massively faster than the 100Mbps promised by the NBN.
Why would we install all this fibre for 100Mbps, when these “lasers” can do 26Tbps, he suggests?
What do you propose to shoot the “laser” beam down Alan? String?
In fact, the installation of the fibre in the ground, combined with this new research actually demonstrates in the most perfect manner possible, the future-proof nature of rolling out a fibre-optic network.
They are planning for up to 1Gbps for a start – (not 100Mbps, another thing Jones got wrong) – and the research demonstrates that much faster speeds will be available in the future over that same fibre.
Including the 26Tbps reached in the research, and whatever record they set next.
I decided to make the above video to record Alan’s comments for posterity, just in case he and 2GB realise what a fool he just made of himself, and decide to yank it down.
If you are going to jump up and down, Alan Jones, make sure you do a bit of research first, instead of instantaneously jumping at an opportunity to forward your political agenda. Your idiocy will remain on the interwebz forever, Mr Jones.
Thanks to Andrew Ramadge for this article that brought the Alan Jones faux pas to attention, and for 2GB for making the audio available for download!
I’m Michael Wyres.