Wireless data transfer: problems and solutions
A team from UCL has demonstrated new communication capabilities. Wireless data transfer has reached a record speed of 938Gbps using frequencies between 5GHz and 150GHz. This is 9380 times higher than the average for 5G in the UK. This result opens up significant opportunities for the development of new communications standards.
University College London (UCL) researchers carried out the experiment using advanced technology. Their work led to significant results. During the test, the bandwidth was 145 GHz, which is five times higher than the results of previous tests.
The essence of the experiment
The study is an essential step in the development of wireless networks. The situation is as follows:
1. The standard approach is to transfer information via radio waves using a narrow range of frequencies.
2. Popular technologies such as Wi-Fi and 5G use frequencies up to 6 GHz.
3. The main problem is congestion due to the narrow band, which reduces the speed of data transfer.
A team of scientists at UCL has solved this problem. They experimented with radio frequency bands to extend them, succeeding by combining several technologies from the radio and optical fields. These results are important for the industry’s future development. They will make it possible to use the bands more efficiently and thus expand the possibilities for data transfer.
Prospects
According to analysts, we can expect to see improvements in the capacity and speed of wireless networks over the next 3-5 years. This, in turn, will help meet the growing demand for Internet services and mobile connectivity, which is being driven by the increasing number of mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, and other gadgets.
Team leader Zhixing Liu sees his discovery as the next step in the development of wireless transfer methods. The fundamental problem with existing approaches is the final section of the fibre-optic network. This is where bandwidth degradation occurs, resulting in lower speeds for the user. UCL’s solution allows more frequencies to be used, increasing throughput rates. At the same time, high signal quality is maintained, improving access to a wide range of devices.
The new solution is based on two technologies. The first is high-speed electronics operating at frequencies of 5-50 GHz, and the second is millimetre-band photonics with capabilities in the 50-150 GHz range. The researchers are confident that these approaches will play a key role in enabling wireless information transfer in the future.
The College team is continuing to develop its research. The plan is to make this technology available for a wide range of devices.