Ericsson claims 500Mbps speeds over copper

Ericsson has successfully demonstrated data-transfer speeds of more than 500 megabits per second over copper, the communications company said Monday.

The data-transfer rates were achieved using a version of digital subscriber line (DSL) technology called "vectorized" VDSL2, Ericsson said in a statement. The technology, also called "crosstalk cancellation," provides the high transmission rates through a twisted pair of copper cables by reducing the noise coming from other pairs in the same cable bundle. VDSL2 has traditionally offered speeds of around 100Mbps.

Ericsson CTO Håkan Eriksson

(Credit: Ericsson)

According to Ericsson, a benefit of vectorized VDSL2 lies in improved power management and lower power consumption, as the lines in a cable are decoupled in terms of interference. Claiming that the technology can work on existing copper lines, the company is pitching it at enterprise users and residential ISPs, as well as telecommunications companies building backhaul for mobile networks.

VDSL2 is a technology that some, such as BT, have mooted as a part of a nationwide, fiber-to-the-cabinet, next-generation access rollout. In this scenario, fiber connectivity would go as far as the street cabinet, while VDSL2 would then provide a high-speed connection between the cabinet and the customer premises. In August 2008, U.K. telecoms regulator Ofcom said this approach could make 50Mbps connections a reality for the majority of the country.

Ericsson's vectorized VDSL2 tests produced aggregated rates of more than 500Mbps over a distance of 500 meters, with six lines bonded into one cable bundle.

"This demonstration confirms Ericsson's leadership in broadband-access technology and our commitment to the continued research and development of DSL technology to improve operators' business with new access solutions," said Ericsson's chief technology officer, Håkan Eriksson, in the statement. "It also proves Ericsson's abilities to provide future mobile backhauling, which will enable quick and cost-effective introduction of long-term evolution (LTE) solutions."

Ericsson also said in its statement that vectorized VDSL2 could be used by operators to "enhance fiber-access deployments with copper access in the last mile and thereby maximize the reuse of existing infrastructure."

While standards for VDSL2 and line bonding have already been established, vectoring will be standardized by the end of this year, Ericsson claimed in its statement.

David Meyer of ZDNet UK reported from London.

[Warhaven]

Neat. Might become available in my area in 137 years, only to suck as much as my current options. As of now, I'm stuck with either 1.5 mb DSL which connects at only 857 kb and is laggy as crap, or 16 mb cable that becomes completely unusable (around 82 kbps -- that's about 1 KB a sec folks --, with huge delays between requests ... and I'm not exaggerating) after 9 pm, with a latency of over three SECONDS. Satellite users get better latency than I do.

All the while, Comcast says my internet is working just fine.

[Michichael]

Well duh. You're with comcast. There's never a problem with them, it's all your fault. Darn you and wanting what you pay for.

[caldjeff]

I feel your pain...and I'm glad it's not just me with crap for options.

[sythara]

Sadly, connection here in Montana is better than yours.

[timber2005]

"more than 500Mbps over a distance of 500 meters" Wow, that is impressive! Ethernet can only do 100 or 1000Mbps over 100m without a switch put in for another 100m connection.

[md611]

Question to the author, did you state 500 meters? This is a very short distance realistically. Most home/businesses are on a long loop can be approximately 5000meters from a central office, and maybe 1500 meters if served by a local node extension. My question did you mean to say 5000 meters instead? Many clients in North America get solid consistant connections via DSL but the speeds are slower than the inconsistant, but higher speeds by cable. For this technology to be eaten up by the telephone companies, they would want to be able to simply place this vectorize dslam equipment in there existing central offices. Fiber to the node is a great concept, however it requires signifcant fiber transport investiments into neighborhoods; something the capital markets frown on given the fact that average revenue per user on internet services are declining. It takes a long time to recover that investment. However if a telco could offer, solid 10-20Mbps connections over DSL by simply pushing more bandwidth into their already fiber fed central offices and remotes, everyone would be happy, including the telcos, that would love to have a platform without the need for fiber to deliver IPtv services.

[bobanavrin]

To get 500 Mbps you'll need six pair. If you need six pair you can't re-use the existing copper infrastructive,there are not enough spare pairs in the cable. New copper will have to be placed from the node to the customer.Why not just place fiber to the premise?

[md611]

Telcos will provide at least 6 pair to most businesses, however to the residence only 2 or 3 pair are normally provisioned. Copper is by far cheaper to deploy since existing wiring infrastructure can be used. bobanavrin you are correct in stating that 6 pair is needed to bond bandwidth to the 500Mbps max, but most telcos would target this technology to deliver 10,20,50-100Mb/s to customers. For urban customers fiber may be easy to deploy, however much of the US and certainly Canada is more rural in nature so this is where this approach shines, assuming the loop length is longer than the author quotes at 500meters. In addtion telcos have existing rights of way for their copper paths, Cable companies have rights of way for their coax, but telco's and cablecos must in many cases negotiate with each other and the local municipality to rights of way to run fiber. Most cities frown on placing fiber on poles aerally, so this requires fiber to be buried again increasing deployment costs. So again, any approach that is able to deliver high bandwidth, within the "normal" last mile infrastructure that the provider already supports would be viewed favourably by that provider.

[bobanavrin]

md611 at&t already provides 10-50 Mbps with uverse. This article was about providing 500 mbps over copper, more copper cable will still be needed.When placing copper in the ROW a permit is still required.Telcos do not own the right of way. You also cannot assume the authors quote of 500 meters is wrong, it is probably correct.

[libertyforall1776]

AT&T should follow Verizon's lead with FIOS -- enough of the 1/2 solutions -- at least give a customer the ability to help pay to get fiber all the way to the home!