The need for speed (10/24/2006)

Is your Internet connection fast?

Most of us would answer that question yes. After all, compared with the days of dial up 10 years ago, today's 1.5 to 6 megabit connections that are typical today are quite fast. And next generation fiber Internet connections promise to make that all even faster.

But for a lot of researchers in Internet technology, those are still snail-like speeds.

Om Malik, a former writer for Business 2.0 and frequent commentator on broadband, recently noted that the next generation Internet 2 network is due for an upgrade. Today Internet 2 is running at a zippy 10 Gigabits per second (10 gps). But this upgrade will multiply that rate by 80 times, putting the network at 800 gps, or four-fifths of a terabit per second. Now that's fast.

What does this mean for the ordinary user?

Nothing right away. These extremely high speeds will initially only be available on the backbone of Internet 2. Ordinary users not on the backbone will still probably only connect to the network at 10 gps, or about 2,000 times faster than your home connection.

But for the four million users lucky enough to be close to these speedy Internet 2 links today, these changes mean that the world becomes closer than ever to their computers. The can integrate high-definition video into presentations with the click of a mouse. They can remotely explore hydrothermal vents deep in the Atlantic Ocean, or remotely control massive telescopes in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Chile, all from the comfort of their offices. They may even be able to save lives using telesurgery.

So you think your Internet connection is fast now? Wait until you upgrade to Internet 2.0. Just don't expect it to happen this year.