All hope is not lost thanks to the Germans

[sycogrim]

Berlin - Computer users who despair over slow internet connections should take heart. German scientists have broken a speed record, sending data contained on 700 DVDs over a single laser beam, in one second.
The scientists at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) on Monday said they had broken the world record by sending data at a speed of 26 terabits per second.
The data, sent over 50km on a single laser beam, was coded thanks to a system known as orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) in which the laser beam is divided into separate colour streams.
"With 26 terabits per second, you can simultaneously transmit up to 400 million telephone calls per second," said Professor Juerg Leuthold of the institute in a statement.

Sauce

Now how's that for a world record!!!

[Murph]

Yeah I read that yesterday. Incredible.

[axon1988]

400 million telephone calls per second? How many phones do I want to use at the same time? :O Currently at max I use 1... don't know about you folks. I know he means on a national scale but still... does Germany have 400 million people living in it's borders?

[simon]

400 million telephone calls per second? How many phones do I want to use at the same time? :O Currently at max I use 1... don't know about you folks. I know he means on a national scale but still... does Germany have 400 million people living in it's borders?

I think its there to give people the choice. So if Germany has 80 million people they have the choice to use 5 phones at once. Group chats are awesome lol

[to0kenZA]

Wow, this is some awesome stuff! Now it just needs to start being implemented . Screw the fibre upgrades Telkom, go lasers!

[Gimaru]

Wonder if it will ever be implemented into general internet usage. Though if SA gets it, it will be 10 years after the first world countries.

[iOverflow]

FIRING MAH LASERS!
Imagine the internet powered by only lasers O.0

[sycogrim]

Ah man we can attach frikken laser beams to sharks!!!!

[to0kenZA]

Ah man we can attach frikken laser beams to sharks!!!!

We'll call them repeater sharks! HAHAHA

[DenSweeP]

Ah man we can attach frikken laser beams to sharks!!!!

Brilliant idea. It's also not like someone is going to try steal the lasers either.