Maths can make internet up to 10 times faster

Mathematical equations can make internet communication via computer, mobile phone or satellite up to 10 times faster and more secure than today, according to a new study.

Mathematical equations can make internet communication via computer, mobile phone or satellite up to 10 times faster and more secure than today, according to a new study.

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The method used by the Danish and US researchers in the study resulted in a four minute long mobile video being downloaded five times faster than state of the art technology. The video also streamed without interruptions. In comparison, the original video got stuck 13 times along the way, researchers said.

“This has the potential to change the entire market. In experiments with our network coding of internet traffic, equipment manufacturers experienced speeds that are five to ten times faster than usual,” said Frank Fitzek, professor in the department of electronic systems at Aalborg University.

Internet communication formats data into packets. Error control ensures that the signal arrives in its original form, but it often means that it is necessary to send some of the packets several times and this slows down the network.

The researchers instead are solving the problem with a special kind of network coding that utilises mathematics to store the signal in a different way.