The Korea Times close
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Entertainment
& Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
Sports
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
Video
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
Sat, May 21, 2022 | 21:39
Plastic Optic-Fiber to Power Up Internet Speed
Posted : 2007-11-26 19:17
Updated : 2007-11-26 19:17
Print Preview
Font Size Up
Font Size Down

A KIST researcher checks the light signal that flows out of plastic optical fibers. They are expected to replace copper cables for a faster and equally reliable way of Internet data transmission in short distances.
/ Courtesy of KIST
By Cho Jin-seo
Staff Reporter

The Korea Institute of Science and Technology said Monday that it has developed an optical fiber made of plastic that can increase home Internet speed by 25 times, theoretically.

The research team led by Hwang Seung-sang said it has succeeded in making a home network system using the new data communication cable after six years of experimenting. The plastic optical fiber can transmit electric data at up to 2.5 gigabits per second, while most home Internet lines, made of copper, can carry only 100 megabits of data per second.

The plastic fiber is expected to be a highly practical solution as a ``last-mile'' link between town-to-town data cables and personal computers, they said.

``All the materials and applications were developed by local researchers. The communication solution is also designed to work well with South Korea's uniquely dense housing environment and its `fiber-to-the-home' infrastructure,'' the institute said in a release.

So far, the most widely used forms of data transmission cables are copper cables and glass optical fibers. Glass optical fibers, which are four times faster than plastic optical fibers, are superior in covering long distances over 100 meters because they are fast, but break easily. It is also difficult to connect the glass fibers because of the material's sensitivity, making it hard to be used at home.

Copper cables, on the contrary, are easily bent, extended or fused. But they are too slow for broadband connections and are only used in covering the ``last mile,'' which means the distance from the end of glass optical fiber cables to users' PCs.

Plastic fibers have characteristics that fall between the copper and glass-fiber cables. They can be bent and easily connected with each other, and are much faster than copper lines though not as fast as the glass fibers. They are capable of transmitting 6,000 digital phones a second, KIST said.

Japan's Asahi Glass and others have commercialized similar technologies. But KIST said that its product is superior in quality and its price is only one third of Japan's.

Four companies and 10 universities have participated in the joint research team for the plastic cables. The schedule for commercial production has not been announced yet.

indizio@koreatimes.co.kr
 
  • Pro-, anti-Biden demonstrations to be held in front of Hyatt hotel
  • Yoon, Biden vow to strengthen Korea-US tech alliance
  • S-Oil CEO apologizes for deadly refinery explosion in Ulsan
  • South Korea-Japan relations in the shadow of Ukraine
  • Biden arrives in South Korea for first summit with Yoon
  • Samsung, LG expand into appliances with pet care features
  • Gov't extends mandatory quarantine for COVID-19 patients for 4 more weeks
  • Baseball, dogs: What Yoon, Biden have in common
  • NASA Artemis mission draws attention as Korea, US seek cooperation in space
  • Yoon, Biden to discuss Korea-US tech alliance in nuclear energy
  • Kim Sae-ron apologizes for her alleged DUI incident Kim Sae-ron apologizes for her alleged DUI incident
  • Reality shows raise concerns by zooming in on private lives of people Reality shows raise concerns by zooming in on private lives of people
  • TvN drama 'Rose Mansion' criticized for animal abuse scene TvN drama 'Rose Mansion' criticized for animal abuse scene
  • Former GFriend member Yerin makes solo debut with 'Aria' Former GFriend member Yerin makes solo debut with 'Aria'
  • 'The Roundup' off to record-setting start at box office 'The Roundup' off to record-setting start at box office
DARKROOM
  • People in North Korea trapped in famine and pandemic

    People in North Korea trapped in famine and pandemic

  • 2022 Pulitzer Prize: Bearing witness to history

    2022 Pulitzer Prize: Bearing witness to history

  • Worsening drought puts millions at risk

    Worsening drought puts millions at risk

  • Our children deserve the best

    Our children deserve the best

  • End of mask mandates

    End of mask mandates

The Korea Times
CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Location
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Service
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • Mobile Service
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Policy
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • 고충처리인
  • Youth Protection Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group