First 100 Gbps Transatlantic Internet Connection Demonstrated

Everyone takes it for a given that internet connections will get faster. Granted, ISPs in many countries are not exactly rushing to upgrade speeds, but they fall in line eventually.

The internet is not limited only by the last mile connections though, the backbone has to grow as well. Which is why experiments like the one undertaken by Hibernia Atlantic are encouraging.

The company along with China's Huawei has managed to get a 100 Gbps connection going across the Atlantic, the fastest such connection yet. The cable spans from Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada to Southport in the UK.

It's only a trial, the connection is not live yet, but the plan is to have it working by 2012.

The speed was achieved thanks to the use of single wavelength coherent technology a new fiber optics technology which improves the quality of the light going from one place to the other, essentially meaning more data can squeeze through.