The internet world can often be a confusing one to navigate and with broadband technology making lightning strides, trying to interpret what it all means to our daily lives can be tricky.

Since its inception, the internet has transformed society and as telecommunications service providers worldwide, and in Malta, focus on building the next generation of internet infrastructure, the future is looking ultrafast.

The latest buzzword that is getting many techies excited these days, is 10 gigabits (Gbps) or 10G, which means getting broadband speeds that are 10 times faster than the fastest nationwide speeds offered in Malta today.

The ability to deliver this exciting technology was recently showcased by Melita CEO Harald Roesch during a live presentation in the presence of Economy Minister Silvio Schembri.

But what does 10 Gbps really mean?

Just imagine that right now the fastest internet speed we can access is of 1 Gbps through Melita; the only provider in Malta to deliver this service across an entire nation. This is already incredibly fast, but with 10 Gbps you’ll be free of bottlenecks and lag time while unlocking an exciting future that will transform lives and behaviours.

At the moment, much of the hardware we use today has yet to improve before we can benefit from such high speeds, but as virtual, augmented and mixed reality technologies become more readily available internet traffic is expected to spike, and keep spiking.

But immersive experiences, such as Virtual Reality or advances in technology, such as driverless cars, require tons of data. And as these become more mainstream the delivery of 10 Gbps will be essential to maintain a seamless service. This will not only improve the quality of basic online matters such as video conferencing and live gaming, but deliver a more secure connectivity, and lead to life-changing innovations we can only dream of.

Not only that, as more and more devices requiring internet support enter our lives — be it smartwatches or smart homes — the pressure on the current system could lead to interruptions in the future, so 10 Gbps ready networks today will lead to a more seamless experience tomorrow.

It also promises to unlock the potential for new capabilities and internet experiences across a myriad of industries, from delivering healthcare to remote areas, to enabling farmers to control automated tractors in real time, or using VR labs in education.

This is why Melita has embarked on future-proofing its network and is investing €50 million in the islands’ infrastructure over the next seven years to ensure that by the time devices have evolved and new applications become more widely used, its network will be ready to power the connected world of the future.