Netflix permits users to save television series and films for offline enjoyment, yet there are limitations, including a cap of 100 concurrent downloads per device. Moreover, downloaded materials become unavailable after a designated time, and the storage capabilities of devices can pose a challenge. Nonetheless, a remarkable breakthrough in internet data transfer rates from Japan implies that acquiring the complete Netflix library could theoretically take merely 1 second. This is predicated on a record-setting connection that reached a speed of 1.02 petabits per second over almost 2,000km of optical fiber.
As of mid-December 2023, Netflix featured roughly 18,000 titles. Assuming that each title necessitates 7GB of storage space, the full library would require approximately 123TB of data. This innovation, spearheaded by the Photonic Network Laboratory at Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), utilized an optical fiber cable with 19 distinct strands, facilitating a transfer rate of about 125TB/s.
While this rate could theoretically allow for the downloading of Netflix’s entire catalog in one second, real-world constraints such as storage capacity and Netflix’s download regulations would still be in effect. Additionally, manual downloading without automation would considerably extend the duration required.
This technological breakthrough emphasizes the possibilities for swift data transfer, which could transform the way we obtain and store digital content. The researchers also recorded a speed of 1.7 petabits/s in previous trials, illustrating the potential for even quicker data transfer over shorter distances.
