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Photonic Switching to Boost Internet Speeds

Da Massive writes "Researchers at the University of Sydney have developed technology that could boost the throughput of existing networks 100-fold without costing the consumer any more, and it's all thanks to a scratch on a piece of glass. After four years of development, University of Sydney scientists say the Internet is set to become, on average, 60 times faster than existing networks. According to the Centre for Ultra-high bandwidth Devices for Optical Systems (CUDOS) at the University's School of Physics, the scratch will mean almost instantaneous, error-free and unlimited access to the Internet anywhere in the world."

25 of 207 comments (clear)

  1. Yeah? by the_mind_ · · Score: 5, Funny

    "without costing the consumer any more"

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

    after reading the prices on Telstras new iPhone plans i needed a good laugh

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  2. In this house we respect the laws of physics by A+beautiful+mind · · Score: 2, Funny

    Speed of light, anyone?

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    1. Re:In this house we respect the laws of physics by A+beautiful+mind · · Score: 3, Funny

      Disregard that, I suck cocks - err the article was talking about throughput not speed of transfer.

      --
      It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
      Be yourself no matter what they say
    2. Re:In this house we respect the laws of physics by cbiltcliffe · · Score: 2, Funny

      A great reference.

      --
      "City hall" in German is "Rathaus" Kinda explains a few things......
  3. i for one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    welcome our photonic switching internet overlords

    1. Re:i for one by JustOK · · Score: 3, Funny

      You can blame me. I voted for CUDOS

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      rewriting history since 2109
    2. Re:i for one by theheadlessrabbit · · Score: 2, Funny

      Photonic Switching?

      is there any chance this technology could be used in torpedoes?

      --
      -I only code in BASIC.-
    3. Re:i for one by Kamineko · · Score: 2, Funny

      Screw that, I voted for GLADOS.

    4. Re:i for one by zolaar · · Score: 2, Funny

      If so, it would serve as a jumping-off point for quantum computing in our lifetimes -- scientists would simply paint the bits blue instead of red.

      --
      One man's constant is another man's variable.
  4. 1 picosec/switch != 1 million switches/second by tomtomtom777 · · Score: 4, Funny

    "... this switch takes only one picosecond to change tracks. This means that in one second the switch is turning on and off about one million times. We are talking about photonic technology that has terabit per second capacity.

    I guess accurate reckoning was no requirement to be a part of the team...

    1. Re:1 picosec/switch != 1 million switches/second by bunratty · · Score: 4, Funny

      It's that darn metric system again. My car gets 40 rods to the hogshead and that's the way I likes it.

      --
      What a fool believes, he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away.
    2. Re:1 picosec/switch != 1 million switches/second by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Well maybe it switches in one picosecond and then waits for 1 million picoseconds before switching again. :)

    3. Re:1 picosec/switch != 1 million switches/second by 4D6963 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Million, trillion, same thing!

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      You just got troll'd!
    4. Re:1 picosec/switch != 1 million switches/second by Albanach · · Score: 4, Funny

      Are you driving a Hummer? You go five meters on 238 litres of petrol?

    5. Re:1 picosec/switch != 1 million switches/second by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Million, trillion, same thing!

      (Score:4, Informative)

      Crap, so that's why I failed math.

    6. Re:1 picosec/switch != 1 million switches/second by Cosworth · · Score: 2, Funny

      He drives the space shuttle crawler.

  5. Australian Optical Last Mile by Centurix · · Score: 2, Funny

    To get to the more remote areas of Australia, sheep stations, mines etc., we will be retaining the same media delivery, but at a much slower rate, dictated by how fast Larry can turn his flashlight on and off...

    --
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    1. Re:Australian Optical Last Mile by Bearpaw · · Score: 2, Funny
      G...'...d...a...y... ...m...a...t...e....... ...W...o...u...l...d... ...y...o...u... ...l...i...k...e... ...a... ...v...e...g...i...m...i...t...e... ...s...a...n...d...w

      NO CARRIER

  6. Re:These advances will allow by Ngarrang · · Score: 2, Funny

    lively.com might even feel faster with this new switching technology!

    --
    Bearded Dragon
  7. Re:Is it just me by morgan_greywolf · · Score: 2, Funny

    or does this article leave everyone else a little hungry in the "details" department?

    Details schmetails! Who needs details? This is a breakthrough! We should all be investing serious money in this "scratch photonics" switching technology! We'll be billionaires! Who cares how it works, all you need is hype!

  8. I corrected your typo. by kimvette · · Score: 2, Funny

    I corrected the typo in this summary. See following:

    "Researchers at the University of Sydney have developed technology that could boost the throughput of existing networks by 100-fold without costing the provider any more, but consumers can expect to continue to deal with unpublished usage caps and limited bandwidth. It is all thanks to a scratch on a piece of glass. After four years of development, University of Sydney scientists say the Internet is set to become on average 60 times faster than existing networks. According to the Centre for Ultra-high bandwidth Devices for Optical Systems (CUDOS) at the University's School of Physics, the scratch will mean almost instantaneous, error-free and unlimited access to the Internet anywhere in the world."

    Oh, and addition to the obvious typo in the article, I fixed an incorrect its/it's situation.

    But seriously - when have advances in the internet infrastructure benefited the customer's bottom line in recent years? As it is fibre is supposed to be available to every address in the US but the telcos pocketed the grants and fees without providing what they were contractually obligated to -- AND consumer costs have increased.

    --
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  9. Re:The Scratch by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Back in my day we didn't call it a "press release", we called it "bullshit". Whilst walking uphill, backwards, in the snow.

  10. But don't their Killer NICs fix that? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Throughput != Latency

    It has always amused me how commonly businesses play fast and loose with the meaning of the word 'speed' when it comes to internet connections. Yes, higher bandwidth will result in a 'faster' internet experience, but the data is not actually getting to you any faster - you're simply getting more of it at a time, so the webpage/download whatever completes in s shorter space of time.

    You can drive faster than a truck, but if you're delivering more than your vehicle can carry, that slow ass truck is still going to complete the delivery in less time.

    Argh, pet peeve, bad car analogy and all, brought about by years of listening to online gamers brag about how they've got the fastest connection and then crying when it makes no difference to thier gaming experience.

    Anyway, the article is a bit light on details - can't quite make out if they're talking about increased bandwidth or increasing routing efficiency.

    cause, you know, they've got a fan and plastic shrouding - sort of like red paint makes a car go faster.

  11. Re:Anywhere in the world. by tgd · · Score: 4, Funny

    Someone go invent an x-ray connection, or something.

    I think the governments will see right through that plan.

  12. Re:Without costing the consumer any more? by doc_doofus · · Score: 3, Funny

    nad parts do break

    I hate it when that happens.

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