Japan sets world record internet speed, fast enough to download any game in a second

  • Japan set a new world record for internet speed
  • The researchers achieved a speed of 402 terabits per second
  • You could download the entire Netflix library three times over in the blink of an eye

Published on Jul 07, 2024 at 11:35 AM (UTC+4)
by Siddharth Dudeja

Last updated on Jul 07, 2024 at 11:35 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by Daksh Chaudhary

The internet just received yet another massive upgrade as Japan successfully tested groundbreaking internet speed — which is safe to say — the fastest in the world, and it’s actually much more than anyone would realistically need.

The Japanese researchers set a new world record by testing download speeds at 402 Tbps — or 402 Terabits per second.

If this number doesn’t seem absurd to you, let us provide some context for what you could do with an internet connection as fast as this.

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What could you do with this internet speed?

Imagine you want to download a movie from Netflix, but you can’t decide what to watch, and you’re running late for your flight.

Provided you have enough storage on your device, you could download the entire Netflix library thrice in less than a second.

Does the 402 Tbps number seem appealing now?

You could also download all games in your Steam library (or on your gaming console) — including the upcoming GTA VI when it comes out — in the blink of an eye, literally.

Earlier this year, a different team of scientists set a world record for internet speed at 301 terabits per second.

It’s certainly tempting, but despite it being real now, we’re still far from having speeds like this in everyone’s home.

Why is that, you ask?

The international team of researchers led by the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) in Japan set the record in a lab, and it obviously had the ideal conditions to pull it off.

Faster internet is coming to your home, but when?

Japan has been making strides in this area, as it recently developed the world’s first 6G device, which is 20 times faster than 5G.

We’re still years away from getting this internet upgrade up and running everywhere, so you might need to hold onto it for a while.

However, there’s still some hope.

According to a press release, NICT tested the record-breaking internet speed using standard optical fiber cables.

This means that they used optical fiber cables that you can presently buy to pull it off, and they didn’t have to create new ones to support it.

Ultimately, it might be a long wait until we see such groundbreaking speeds at home, but the future is certainly fast.

Some images used in this story were generated using AI.

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Siddharth is a tech nerd with a secret love of all things cars. He has been writing for a few years now, and on his free time you would find him gaming when he's not procrastinating.