Facebook sets wireless world record by transmitting data at 20 Gbps

Facebook’s Connectivity Lab has set a world record transmitting at nearly 20 Gbps for 13.2 kilometers using Milli Meter Wave (MMW) technology.
The Connectivity Lab achieved a data rate of nearly 20 Gbps in a point-to-point land-based test from a mountaintop in Malibu, California to a building rooftop in Woodland Hills in United States. The line-of-sight distance for the point-to-point test was of 13.2 km.
With this Facebook broke the previous record set in May 2016 by German scientists of 6 Gbps data transmission over 37 km using MMW technology.  Earlier in February 2016, a team of Japanese researchers had hit 100 Gbps by batching multiple 10 Gbps signals but not in the MMW spectrum.
What is Millimeter waves (MMW)?
Millimeter waves (MMW) is electromagnetic waves with the wavelength from 1 to 10 millimeters. This waves share the features of microwaves and far infrared waves since its wavelength ranges between these two waves.
MMW application in communications: It is generally used for point-to-point transmission technology. Basically the band of radio spectrum between 30 Ghz and 300 Ghz of MMW is used for this purpose. It is mainly used for connecting internet service to distribution points. It is difficult and uneconomical to use MMW for individual residential connections.

Month: Current Affairs - November, 2016