The Internet Will Reach ‘Capacity Crunch’ In 8-Years-Time And Collapse
The demand for faster data transmission, streaming services, cloud computing and powerful computers is pushing the communications technology and infrastructure to their limits. Now experts warn of a looming web crisis where the internet will collapse in 8-years-time due to what has been referred to as a ‘capacity crunch’.
A group of renowned engineers, physicists and telecoms argue that the current infrastructure in place (cable and fibre optics) that transmit data to users laptops, tablets and smartphones. Are increasingly being pushed to their limit and soon the demand will outgrow their capacity of service those demands for data transmission as they will be beyond their capacity.
The only short-term solution would be for internet firms to lay down additional cables to meet the demand for internet services. The additional cost for laying down the extra infrastructure is expected to be passed down to the end consumers, leading to a higher cost of internet services.
Currently, engineers have been able to stay ahead of the demand for internet by increasing internet access technology and infrastructure at 50-fold speed over the last decade. Prof. Andrew Ellis, set to attend a meeting of the Royal Society in London later this month to deliberate on how to avert the looming internet crisis. The Prof while talking to the Daily Mail said that it will lead to increase and cost, and higher bills will have to be met by the end users.
“The deployment to market is about six to eight years behind the research lab – so within eight years that will be it, we can’t get any more data in,” said Prof Ellis.
“Demand is increasingly catching up, it is growing again and again, and it is harder and harder to keep ahead.”
That sentiment is however, not shared among all in the science community. On Professor Lord, who will also be in attendance at the Royal Society meeting, said that if large ‘server farms’ were installed the crisis could be averted.
A representative of the Royal Society in a statement said, “Communication networks face a potentially disastrous ‘capacity crunch’ as demand for data online outstrips the capacity of the optical fibres that carry internet signals.”
The Royal Society meeting is scheduled to take place on May 11, 2015. The central part of the discussion at the meeting focusing on how to avert the looming capacity crunch and the possible outcomes if nothing is done.