Experts Think That the Internet Could Reach Its Limit in Just Eight Years

It may not be completely surprising to find out that the internet needs more and more resources as the years go by, but it is another thing altogether to realize that it might collapse in just eight years. A series of experts in the United Kingdom noted that the ever-increasing need for fast data transfers could cause the internet to reach its limit in just eight years, not to mention the fact that it might end up consuming Britain’s entire power supply by 2035. The main culprits behind this looming “capacity crunch” are streaming services and internet television services, which use a lot of bandwidth and put a lot of pressure on the existing cable and optical fiber-based infrastructure.

A straightforward solution for this impending problem would be to simply install more cables, but this move would definitely increase costs according to Professor Ellis of Birmingham’s Aston University. This means that internet users might have to pay a lot more for internet access or be faced with data rationing.

“If you put down a second line, it doubles the cost… I think a conversation is needed with the British public as to whether or not they are prepared to switch that business model in exchange for more capacity. Are we prepared to pay more? Or should we stop expanding capacity and put up with Netflix juddering?”

This “capacity crunch” has been avoided so far by increasing the internet’s capacity dramatically year after year. Engineers are forcing more and more data through optical fibers in order to cope with the high demand, but even these fibers have physical limitations, which means that they cannot be pushed indefinitely. Power consumption is another thing to worry about, as some developed countries are already using up to 16% of their power supply in order to “feed” the internet.

These problems will be addressed on May 11 at London’s Royal Society, where leading experts in the U.K. will put their minds together in order to come up with viable answers.

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