Japan’s new internet speed record makes today’s broadband look ancient

Over the past 20 years, internet speeds have vastly improved thanks to advances in fiber technology. While gigabit internet is becoming more common in the US, it still lags behind the speeds recently achieved by researchers in Japan.

According to the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) in Japan, it has set a new world record for internet speed, reaching 1.02 petabits per second over a distance of 1,123 miles. That equals about 127,500 GB/s, and approximately the distance between Chicago and Dallas. With that speed, you could download Netflix’s entire streaming library in just one second (via CNET). You’d also never have an issue downloading a 100GB video game ever again.

In the US, internet speed is usually measured in megabits per second (Mbps). If you convert Japan’s achievement, it equals roughly 1,020,000,000 Mbps. According to Speedtest, the average fixed broadband internet speed in the US is around 288 Mbps. So, the speed researchers in Japan have just reached is more than 3 million times faster.

How did NICT researchers achieve this?

They used a 19-core optical fiber cable

Japan’s NICT achieved its new internet speed record by developing an optical fiber with 19 cores, integrated into a cable measuring just 0.125mm in diameter. This size is standard for fiber optic cables used globally, indicating potential for widespread adoption due to its compatibility with existing network infrastructure, like undersea cables.

“The research of ultra-high-capacity transmission using coupled 19-core optical fibers and advanced optical amplification has greatly advanced the development of technology for the realization of high-capacity, long-distance optical communication infrastructure in the future,” the NICT report states.

This isn’t the first time the NICT has broken a record either. Last year, it shattered the internet speed record with a speed of 50,250 GB/s. Now in 2025, it has broken its record by over double.

With the global demand for higher internet bandwidth rising — especially for cloud storage, AI, and high-quality streaming — the NICT’s breakthrough marks a vital step in addressing the increasing need for more bandwidth. According to Nielsen’s Law, global bandwidth demands have increased by 50 percent annually since 1983, indicating that one day, 1.02 petabits per second may be needed.

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