Breaking the web speed record
How fast could the Internet be? Many, many times faster than what we’re used to.
In Japan--where, as we've noted, customers are getting higher speeds at lower cost--scientists have set a new record for Internet speed. Using the experimental "Internet 2" system, a consortium of researchers transmitted data at 9.8 gigabytes per second, faster than data has ever moved.
To put that into perspective, note that high-speed connections in the U.S., according to FCC definitions, are no less than 200 kilobytes per second. The average U.S. high-speed user is getting the Internet at around 1 megabyte per second. A 10 gbps connection is about 10,000 times faster than a 1 mbps connection, and about 50,000 times faster than the FCC's standard.
To get even more practical, we’ll note that according to Telecom TV, on an Internet 2 connection, a full-length, high-definition movie can be downloaded in about 30 seconds. These researchers are working on an even higher-level system, Internet 3, which would cut that time down to five seconds. This isn't just about entertainment--true high speeds open the doors to applications like education, civic engagement and live high-definition telemedicine.
With such incredible potential being developed overseas, it's unacceptable that America's Internet infrastructure is mired in obsolete definitions, and that many users are still relying on dial-up.
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