Researchers from TU/e have transmitted data between the TU/e campus and the High Tech Campus over a 4.6 km distance using infrared light. This happened at the astonishing rate of 5.7 terabits per second, the equivalent of streaming 1.9 million Netflix shows in HD simultaneously. This is the fastest wireless data transmission ever demonstrated over this big a distance in an urban setting.
The record-breaking connection was established between TU/e in the north and the High Tech Campus (HTC) in the south of Eindhoven using advanced optical antennas from Aircision, a spin-off of TNO that develops products for ultra-high capacity optical wireless systems. The company is located at the HTC.
Their antennas transmit data through invisible infrared beams instead of cables or radio signals. This technique, known as free-space optical (FSO) communication, enables ultra-fast, interference-free data transmission.
Infrared wireless communication combines the high data speeds known from optical fibers with the flexibility of wireless communication systems.
Vincent van Vliet, PhD researcher
"We need new ways to meet the increasing demand for fast and reliable connectivity," says Vincent van Vliet , a TU/e PhD researcher involved in the project.
Breaking boundaries in wireless speed
"Infrared wireless communication combines the high data speeds known from optical fibers with the flexibility of wireless communication systems. By complementing existing wireless and fiber-optic technologies, we can build the densely interconnected networks required to bring high-speed data connectivity to every corner of the planet."
To achieve this breakthrough, the team used the Reid Photonloop testbed. The TU/e has launched this permanent set-up to experiment with high-speed wireless communication. It uses cutting-edge technology that combines multiple wavelengths in a single transmission. This technique, commonly used in fiber optics, has now for the first time been successfully applied at this scale in wireless free-space optical communication.
"Because the transmitted infrared light is highly focused, an almost unlimited number of communication links can exist side-by-side without interference, allowing wireless network capacity growth at an unprecedented scale", Van Vliet explains.
A permanent test facility for next-gen networks
One end of the Reid Photonloop is located on the top of the Flux building of the TU/e campus, which houses the departments of Electrical Engineering and Applied Physics and Science Education . The other end of the test bed, 4.6 kilometers away on the other side of the city of Eindhoven, sits at the top of building 37 at the High Tech Campus
The findings were presented at the Optical Fiber Communications (OFC) Conference 2025 in San Francisco earlier this month.
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Transmitting data via infrared light
Wi-Fi and 5G ride along radio waves, part of the electromagnetic spectrum characterized by relatively long wavelengths. Infrared light, by contrast, has much shorter wavelengths, meaning many more wave cycles can occur per second. This translates to higher frequencies and far greater bandwidth: up to 500 times more data can be transmitted through infrared light compared to wireless networks which rely on radio waves. Another advantage is that this part of the spectrum is far less congested.
Think of it like a highway: the more lanes you have, the more traffic you can move at once. And that capacity is urgently needed. As demand for fast and reliable connections keeps rising (driven by developments like smart cities, autonomous vehicles, disaster recovery systems and the Internet of Things), alternatives to traditional wireless technologies are becoming increasingly important. This innovation could play a key role in meeting that demand.
Source: ESA Image: Codioful via Pexels
Chigo Okonkwo , Associate Professor and head of TU/e's High-Capacity Optical Transmission Lab, emphasizes the importance of the testbed. "This facility will allow us to refine high-speed wireless communication and optimize its reliability and availability in all weather conditions", he says.
Real-life deployments
Aircision is already looking at how this technology can be used in real-world applications, such as wirelessly connecting new 5G/6G antennas for backhauling the existing network to bring high-speed internet access to areas where laying fiber is impractical or too costly.
Luis Oliveira, co-founder of Aircision, is optimistic: "We are redefining how data is transmitted over the air. This record-breaking achievement proves that our technology is ready to make high-speed internet accessible to millions of people faster than ever before."
The Reid Photonloop testbed is named after the late Aircision co-founder John Reid, who was a driving force behind the development of the test bed but passed away before it was realized.
