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World-First VDSL2 Demo Gets 500Mbps Data Transfers
pnorth writes "Ericsson has achieved data transfer rates of more than 500Mbps in what it said is the world's first live demonstration of a new VDSL2-based technology. The demonstration achieved data rates of more than 0.5 Gbps over twisted copper pairs using 'vectorized' VDSL2. Vectoring decouples the lines in a cable (from an interference point of view), substantially improving power management, and reduces noise originating from the other copper pairs in the same cable bundle."
Now I know what will be deployed around here 300 years from now. I can't wait.
"I use a Mac because I'm just better than you are."
FTA: "It showed aggregated rates of above 0.5Gbps at 500 metres, bonding six lines."
So if you happen to have six unused lines lying around and happen to be within half a kilometer of the fiber node and nothing else goes wrong you could get 500Mbps. Realistically you won't be that close to the node, you won't have that many spare lines, and for the sake of a "consistent user experience" (hi AT&T!) you'll get the same craptastic service that someone at least 1km out with at most two pairs would get.
But some PHB will decide to deploy it because his spreadsheet says that FTTH is too expensive, even if it is a one-time expense, and marketing swears that most people can't tell that their upstream is slow and their HDTV channels have been recompressed into mush. The only people who would notice are the ones who'd buy high-end service tiers if they didn't suck...
It will just be throttled.
---- Booth was a patriot ----
VDSLv2 gives you 100mbps. Technically, they would only need 5 lines to reach 500mbps, but I imagine ther "500mbps" is actual throughput, thus the requirement of a 6th line to reach this figure. However, this is with bonding. They could have just as easily claimed 10gbps speeds, by bonding 20 lines. VDSL2 bridges are readily available and bonding isn't anything special. The summary, the article, and the whole press release is just bull.
As for if this is good idea or not, it depends on the distance. This only makes sense for distances between 100m and 300m. Otherwise, there are better options. If your distance is shorter, run Ethernet. If your distance is longer, you're either going to lose performance or consider running fiber.