It’s now common knowledge that fiber optic connections allow breathtaking Internet data speeds. It truly is an amazing technology.
Fiber cables are now being installed in many rural areas that were previously only served by traditional copper lines, but for practical reasons the fiber will stop at the nearest pole for many users.
This means that copper wires will still have to be used for the last few yards of the connection. Unfortunately that means those users will not be able to take full advantage of the speed delivered by the fiber lines.
But that could change soon thanks to breakthrough technology recently developed by Bell Labs. The company claims that in laboratory tests they have managed to transmit data at a mind-blowing 10 Gbps over a 98 foot long pair of standard copper telephone wires!
The implications here are clear. Your ISP might soon be able to deliver a super-fast connection to the outside of your home via fiber, then complete the connection using your home’s existing copper wiring with no loss in data transmission speed.
True broadband Internet seems to finally be making its way to the rural areas, and this new technology from Bell Labs will eventually ensure that those amazing fiberesque speeds will make it all the way to your computer!
Image credit: Rayne Bair