THE KEY TO ULTRA-FAST INTERNET!
UCLouvain has developed a technology used by 1 in 8 people worldwide. Its name? Multipath Transmission Control Protocol (MPTCP).
This is the complicated name given to the tool that enables your phone to switch from Wi-Fi to the mobile network. In the early days of the internet, there was only one way for data to circulate between the machine and server, but with the invention of the smartphone, both Wi-Fi and the 4G mobile network, are used.
Professor Bonaventure, a researcher in computer science at UCLouvain, wanted to demonstrate that combining fixed and wireless networks could guarantee speed and a good user experience. And that's where Multipath TCP comes in!
Practically, the famous brands Samsung, LG and Huawei in Korea and China have already adopted this technology for their smartphones in order to offer excellent connectivity to millions of users.
In Belgium, the UCLouvain spin-off Tessares is using it to improve the internet connection in rural areas. The 4G network, used less in the evenings, can provide internet users with a faster, more stable and secure internet service. The mobile network therefore enhances the existing cable network, rather than replacing it.
This technology "made in Belgium" earned UCLouvain the Networking Systems Award, one of the most prestigious international awards in IT. A great reward for the work by Professor Bonaventure and his team!