The race to push more bits down broadband networks has leaped ahead with Siemens achieving a transmission speed of 107Gbps over a single optical fiber.The speed, which Siemens claims sets a record for electrical processing of data through a fiber-optic cable, was reached over a 100-mile route in the United States, the company said Wednesday.Siemens has developed a new transmission and receiving system that is able to process data directly before and after its conversion into optical signals using electrical processing only. Current systems handling very high data rates have to split signals into multiple lower data-rate signals and later reconvert them from optical to electrical, a process that adds to costs and reduces network capacity.Super-fast speeds like the 107Gbps transmission, which could send two DVDs in a second, will be necessary to help haul the huge amount of traffic expected to come from online games, music and video downloads. By 2011, legal music downloads alone will account for 36 percent of the entire music business in Europe, Siemens said, citing market research from Forrester Research.Siemens conducted the test together with Micram Microelectronic, the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications and the Eindhoven Technical University. The German electronics and engineering company expects to deliver the first products based on the prototype system it tested in the United States by the end of the decade.-John Blau, IDG News Service (Dusseldorf Bureau)Related Links: Nokia-Siemens Pact Hindered by Bribery Probe Wanted: Buyer for Siemens Enterprise Networks GroupCheck out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content Feature Industry clouds prove their business value Born of partnerships and ecosystem-centric by their nature, cloud solutions aimed at specific verticals are taking root, forming a complex, rapidly evolving market CIOs must be strategic about entering. By Paula Rooney Mar 24, 2023 7 mins Cloud Computing Feature What is data governance? Best practices for managing data assets Data governance defines roles, responsibilities, and processes for ensuring accountability for and ownership of data assets across the enterprise. By Thor Olavsrud Mar 24, 2023 10 mins IT Governance Frameworks Big Data Data Mining BrandPost Stay in Control of Your Data with a Secure and Compliant Sovereign Cloud By Stan Kwong Mar 23, 2023 6 mins Cloud Security Cloud Computing News Accenture to lay off 19,000 to cut costs amid economic uncertainty Technology services giant Accenture will continue to hire but meanwhile is cutting staff to streamline operations in the face of economic headwinds. By Anirban Ghoshal Mar 23, 2023 2 mins IT Consulting Services Technology Industry Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe