Chinese fiber manufacturer YOFC has completed a live network trial achieving a transmission rate of 51.3 Tb/s over a distance of 206.5 km using hollow-core fiber without any intermediate signal regeneration. The test, conducted in collaboration with China Telecom and optical equipment maker Dekoli, marks a significant advance for network infrastructure increasingly strained by growing bandwidth demand from artificial intelligence.
Hollow-core fiber transmits through air channels instead of silica
Unlike conventional optical cables that guide light through solid silica cores, hollow-core fiber transmits signals through air-filled channels. This architectural difference allows light to travel faster while reducing several optical distortions that traditionally limit transmission efficiency over distance. YOFC previously stated that its hollow-core technology could deliver 31% lower latency and 47% improved transmission speeds. The new trial achieved a capacity of 1.2 Tb/s per wavelength while completely avoiding intermediate regeneration equipment along the entire route.
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World record for unrepeatered wavelength division multiplexing in the field
Researchers described the achievement as the world's first field deployment combining 1.2 Tb/s wavelengths with a 206.5 km span. Previous demonstrations reached comparable speeds only over roughly 20 km, while longer experiments sacrificed substantial overall capacity. The trial relied exclusively on erbium-doped fiber amplifiers instead of remote-pumped amplification systems often required for comparable distances. Commercial hollow-core deployments have historically struggled with signal attenuation, making long unrepeatered distances economically difficult to sustain.
Adaptive allocation and high-power amplifier overcome limitations
The team addressed these limitations using adaptive allocation techniques that independently adjust channel rates and optical power across wavelengths. This approach allowed hybrid transmission settings while reducing losses from gas absorption effects unique to air-guided signals. Engineers also developed a high-power amplifier capable of 33.5 dBm output with relatively uniform gain. Since transmitting optical power approaching 2.24 W introduces operational risks, several automatic protection systems monitored the link continuously, including anomaly detection, automated shutdown, and alarm-triggered responses.
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AI demand accelerates need for low-latency networks
The timing of the experiment coincides with accelerating demand from AI tools requiring unprecedented data movement between global data centers. Large GPU clusters increasingly depend on network performance, creating constraints that processors alone cannot solve. Lower-latency transmission could allow operators to space facilities farther apart without penalties affecting training and inference. YOFC believes the trial marks progress toward wider deployment, though competing hollow-core ecosystems are rapidly emerging outside China. Whether such experiments eliminate bandwidth bottlenecks remains uncertain, but networking limitations increasingly appear as important as computing ones. For related context, see the article on Google AI Plus and AI Pro highlighting growing network demands for AI. Additionally, network evolution is crucial for initiatives like OpenAI's proposed stake to the US government. For technical details, refer to Wikipedia on hollow-core fiber.
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