China has unveiled an ultra-high-speed internet network that is now the fastest in the world. The new “backbone network” is capable of reaching speeds of 1.2 terabits per second (1,200 gigabits per second), making it over 10 times faster than the fastest internet network in the United States.
The network is a result of collaboration between Tsinghua University, China Mobile, Huawei Technologies, and the China Education and Research Network (CERNET) Corporation. It utilizes 3,000 kilometers of fiber-optic cables connecting the cities of Beijing, Wuhan, and Guangzhou.
According to Huawei Technologies Vice President Wang Lei, the network has the capability to transfer the data equivalent of “150 high-definition films in just one second.”
China opened the world’s first 1.2TB/s capacity ultra-high-speed backbone network connecting Beijing, Wuhan, and Guangzhou on Monday, aiming to provide high-speed and stable Internet infrastructure for Chinese network users. pic.twitter.com/h48OZ4haKq
— China Science (@ChinaScience) November 13, 2023
Experts say the new technology defies predictions that an internet speed of 1 terabit per second would not be available until at least 2025. The network, 20% faster than the prediction’s benchmark, first launched in July 2022, and was formally unveiled to the public at a press conference at Tsinghua University.
Project leader Wu Jianping stated that the backbone network provides China with “advanced technology to build an even faster internet,” adding that the project is the first of its kind globally.
The hardware and software used in the system were domestically produced in China. Developers say the network replaces 10 regular tracks to carry the same amount of data, enabling a more cost-effective and manageable system which, unlike previous iterations, relies completely on domestically-produced components.
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