World's fastest internet connection 'used to dry laundry' I dont think it is april 1

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

________________________________________
From: Bill Stewart [bill.stewart () pobox com]
Sent: Monday, March 31, 2008 1:25 PM
To: David Farber
Subject: World's fastest internet connection 'used to dry laundry'

On the subject of "America's broadband providers falling behind other
countries", Scandinavia and Korea have certainly been ahead of us in speed,
but the real question is how effective the applications are that can use
it; if it's just providing another delivery medium for television, or
faster BitTorrent, that's hardly exciting.

http://www.thelocal.se/10810/20080331/

World's fastest internet connection 'used to dry laundry'

Published: 31 Mar 08 13:44 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/10810/

Last summer a 75-year-old woman from Karlstad became the envy of internet
users worldwide.

With her blistering 40 gigabits per second connection, Sigbritt Löthberg
had the world's fastest internet connection - many thousands of times
faster than the average residential link and the first time ever that a
home user had experienced such a high speed.

So, after nine months with the ability to download a full high definition
DVD in just two seconds or access 1,500 high definition HDTV channels
simultaneously, how has Sigbritt's life changed?

Not much, according to Hafsteinn Jonsson, who is heading up the fibre
network operation for Karlstad Stadsnät.

"She mostly used it to dry her laundry," he told The Local.

"It was a big bit of gear and it got pretty warm."

Sigbritt's son, Swedish internet legend Peter Löthberg, was behind the
project, which was intended to demonstrate how a low price, high capacity
fibre line could be built over long distances. Löthberg has now taken the
equipment up to Luleå, in the north of Sweden, for further testing.

"The project was a huge success," said Hafsteinn Jonsson, who explained
that his department now measures its history in terms of 'Before Sigbritt
and After Sigbritt'.

"Apart from the death of Ingmar Bergman, this was the biggest story to come
out of Sweden in 2007. We used to get all these detailed questions about
what we're working on - now we just mention Sigbritt and everybody
understands."

The secret behind the ultra-fast connection is a new modulation technique
which allows data to be transferred directly between two routers up to
2,000 kilometres apart, with no intermediary transponders.

According to Karlstad Stadsnät the distance is, in theory, unlimited -
there is no data loss as long as the fibre is in place.

Sigbritt may have been denied her world-beating internet link but she still
has an admirable 10 gigabits per second connection. And there may be
another surprise in store for her.

"We're considering giving her a 100 gigabits per second connection in the
summer," said Hafsteinn Jonsson.

"Then she'll be able to dry all her neighbours' laundry too."

The Local (news () thelocal se/08 656 6518)


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