Scientists at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology claim they've solved the "last mile" problem that telecommunication and cable firms have been struggling with. The researchers report they've invented a new low-cost plastic optical fibre that can achieve data transfers of 2.5GB/s - not as fast as traditional optical fibre but much better than copper wires.
Currently, the majority of optical fiber is prone to breakage (being made from glass), cannot bend, and can be difficult to connect. The Korea Times reports that the new plastic fiber can be easily bent and connected to additional lines, making it useful in hard-to-reach homes or apartments.
The Korea Institute's new technology isn't the first flexible fiber we've seen on the market—various Japanese companies are also working on their own standards—but the institute claims its plastic-based fiber is both faster and of better quality than anything currently available on the Japanese market.
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