Comcast Touts Mind-Boggling 400 Gbps Internet Speeds with Philly ‘Hollowcore Fiber’ Test

Comcast hollowcore fiber
This cross-sectional diagram of hollowcore fiber reveals the technology's secret sauce — which is literally nothing. (Image credit: Comcast)

“Nothing” is faster than fiber. Literally.

Comcast said it's proving the point with new “hollowcore fiber” technology that it said transmits data 150% faster than traditional fiber with a 33% improvement in latency. 

Hollowcore fiber is, well, hollow at the center and takes advantage of the fact that light travels 50% faster through air than glass. 

Comcast is claiming to be first in the field with the new tech, partnering with United Kingdom-based fiber vendor Lumenisity to transmit data at symmetrical speeds ranging from 10 gigabits per second to a mind-boggling 400 Gbps over a 40 kilometer hybrid span of hollowcore and traditional fiber between two locations in Philadelphia. 

The new fiber tech is blended with a range of so-called DOCSIS 4.0 schemes, and all of it is placed under the catch-all "10G" marketing umbrella that the cable industry has applied to its next-generation network technology development. 

The wireless industry's got “10-Minute Abs?” Well, the cable industry wants to cut your workout time in half. 

“Hollowcore fiber is a leap forward in how we deliver ultra-fast, ultra-low latency and ultra-reliable services to customers,” Comcast Cable executive VP and chief network officer Elad Nafshi said. 

“As we continue to develop and deploy technology to deliver 10G, multi-gigabit performance to tens of millions of homes, hollowcore fiber will help to ensure that the network powering those experiences is among the most advanced and highest performing in the world,” he added. ▪️

Daniel Frankel

Daniel Frankel is the managing editor of Next TV, an internet publishing vertical focused on the business of video streaming. A Los Angeles-based writer and editor who has covered the media and technology industries for more than two decades, Daniel has worked on staff for publications including E! Online, Electronic Media, Mediaweek, Variety, paidContent and GigaOm. You can start living a healthier life with greater wealth and prosperity by following Daniel on Twitter today!