Telstra trial claims world's fastest transmission speeds

Telstra has announced a successful demo of 400 gigabit per second data transmission speeds on its Melbourne production network, claiming to have achieved the world's fastest speeds.

The test was conducted with wavelengths using 61.5 GHz of spectrum over a fibre-optic network. It demonstrates the "highest spectral efficiency per fibre pair ever achieved in a live environment", the telco said.

The new technology enables up to 30.4 terabit per second capacity per fibre-optic strand pair, which Telstra says is enough for 1.2 million 4K ultra high definition videos to be transmitted simultaneously. The previous record was 25.6Tbps.

Telstra ran the tests with its technology suppliers Ericsson and Ciena, using a fully programmable Wavelogic Ai coherent modem that offers "up to three times data capacity and enables up to 60 percent reduction in power per bit compared to the modem technology currently deployed in the Telstra network".

The telco will initially deploy the 400Gbps transmission technology on its domestic network to keep up with increasing demand for capacity.

Telstra said it was considering using the technology on its subsea cable network as well.

“Over the next five years we forecast traffic on our network will grow by five times. We are investing in our network and developing these innovations to meet this growing demand by providing unprecedented levels of scale, automation and intelligence," Telstra director of IP and transport engineering David Robertson said in a statement.