What's the Fastest Possible Internet Speed?

The video opens by establishing a framework for discussing internet speeds, noting that everyday things like roads and airplanes have speed limits and asking where the roof on internet speed might be. It then surveys the current state of the internet backbone, highlighting that while home connections of a few gigabits per second exist, the truly massive capacity resides in national and international infrastructure. A key focal point is the undersea cable named MAREA, which connects Virginia Beach to Bilbao and can transfer data at an astonishing rate, the video stating 160 terabytes per second as the speed of that link. The host explains the mechanism behind these vast speeds, including optical fiber, signal attenuation, and the role of optical amplifiers positioned along long cables to refresh the signal. The discussion then broadens to future possibilities, suggesting that by packing more wavelengths into a single fiber and using multiple fibers per cable, petabyte-per-second speeds could be achievable, provided that the rest of the network can process and separate the signals efficiently. The host also notes that infrared is the common carrier frequency today, but higher energy forms such as ultraviolet light could potentially carry more information if transmission challenges can be overcome, while also warning about safety and health considerations. The conclusion emphasizes that while there is no identified upper limit in theory, practical constraints like cost, energy consumption, and safety will shape what is feasible for residential connections relative to what large-scale backbones can support. The video finishes with a promotional note about a sponsored game and encourages viewers to like, subscribe, and explore related content as new rapid-speed topics continue to be explored in future episodes.

Topics · technology · internet_infrastructure · science