Hollow-core fiber trial pushes 51.3 TB/s over 128mi with out signal regeneration
Chinese researchers have achieved a data transmission rate of 51.3 terabits per second over 128 miles using hollow-core fiber optic cable without the need for signal regeneration. The trial aims to address networking bottlenecks in the AI era by leveraging hollow-core fibers that reduce signal latency and loss compared to conventional solid-core fibers.
Background
- China's CAICT (national research institute) tested "hollow-core fiber" — optical cable with an air-filled center instead of solid glass. Light travels ~50% faster through air, drastically reducing latency.
- The trial hit 51.3 Tbps over 128 miles (206 km) without any signal regenerators. Standard fiber needs amplifiers every ~50-80 miles.
- This matters because AI clusters and 6G networks demand huge bandwidth with minimal delay. Traditional fiber is hitting physical limits, and interconnects between GPUs/data centers are now the bottleneck.
- Still experimental: splicing hollow-core to standard fiber is tricky, signal loss must be reduced further, and mass production remains a challenge.