- Researchers at Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), in collaboration with Sumitomo Electric and European partners, achieved a staggering internet speed of 1.02 petabits per second (Pbps)
- That speed is 3.5 million times faster than the average U.S. connection and about 16 million times faster than India’s average (approximately 63.55 Mbps)
Data in Action 🧮
- At 1.02 Pbps, you could download the entire Netflix library in just one second—the commonly cited example in headlines
- A similarly dramatic claim is that the English Wikipedia (about 100 GB) could be downloaded 10,000 times in one second
How the Test Was Conducted
- The experiment used optical fiber cables with 19 cores, each measuring 0.125 mm in thickness—equivalent to standard fibers already in use
- Data traveled through 19 loops of 86.1 km each, repeated 21 times, spanning a total of 1,808 km, handling 180 simultaneous data streams and achieving 1.86 exabits per second per kilometer, the highest ever recorded
🧠 Why It Matters — And Its Limitations
- While the headline figure is astonishing, this experiment was conducted in a controlled laboratory environment. It’s not yet available for consumer homes or standard network infrastructure
- Experts emphasize that this breakthrough is aimed at future infrastructure like 6G networks, undersea cables, national broadband backbones, and cross-country data links—not residential broadband
Realism Check: Reddit Reactions
On Reddit, some users discussed the underlying assumptions behind these dramatic numbers:
“This means the entire Netflix catalog is 1.02 petabit.”
“ComCypher: I did the math even more and that’s 127.5 TB, surprisingly small.”
One comment cautioned:
“This won’t be for individual users but for trunk fibre connections and sub‑sea cables.”
Summary Table
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Speed Achieved | 1.02 petabits per second |
| Home Use Availability | Not yet — experimental research |
| Current Applications | Data centers, backbone infrastructure, future 6G |
| Key Benefit | Proves ultra-fast transmission possible over standard fiber |
| Comparable Examples | Download Netflix library or Wikipedia 10,000× in 1 sec |
Final Thought
The “download Netflix library in one second” is a vivid illustration—but it’s not meant literally for users right now. It’s a proof of concept that showcases how long-distance, ultra-high-capacity data transmission may shape infrastructure in the coming years.
