Researchers from the University of Cambridge and BT have established the maximum speed at which data can be transmitted through existing copper cables. This limit would allow for faster internet compared to the speeds currently achievable using standard infrastructure but will not be able to support high-speed internet in the longer term.
The team found that the ‘twisted pair’ copper cables that reach every house and business in the UK are physically limited in their ability to support higher frequencies, which in turn support higher data rates.
While full-fibre internet is currently available to around one in four households, it is expected to take at least two decades before it reaches every home in the UK. In the meantime, however, existing infrastructure can be improved to temporarily support high-speed internet.
The results establish a physical limit on the UK’s ubiquitous copper cables, and emphasise the importance of immediate investment in future...