Anyone that's tried to watch a movie via the internet (all quite legally of course, ahem!) will realise that that it can take a hell of a long time to download and if you try to watch it streaming to your desktop then the quality ain't all that. But boffins in Bangor University in Wales have devised a way to increase speeds on broadband by over one hundred times the current rate. 

Not only that, they also claim it can be done for a quarter of the price of current broadband offerings. The technology uses existing infrastructure but channels the data more efficiently. The technology is so fast, claim the scientists that 15 full-length movies can be downloaded a minute. 

At present, the researchers are trying to build a prototype to demonstrate the technology.

Dr Jianming Tang, of the university's School of Electronic Engineering, hopes their efforts will transform the way people use the internet.

He said: "The new larger- and faster-capacity networks would revolutionise home entertainment, delivering high-speed high-definition films and television, high-power computer games and home video-conferencing facilities. This will make remote working far easier and could have many other applications such as supporting older people in their homes, enabling applications such as tele-medicine to flourish."

Dr Tang said said the new device works with the existing fibre optic technology, "so there is no need to rip out the cabling which runs the country's telecommunications network."

He said that the data over the network can work more efficiently and "will cut costs for every user by up to 75 per cent."

Tang couldn't put a price on the device, which will look like a DVD player sitting between the broadband outlet and computer. 

"People may wonder how we will use this far greater capacity but applications develop through use, as we have already seen with the internet and telecoms technology," he said.

We don't wonder - everyone will be downloading lots of hi-def movies. And if it takes off, how long will Blu-ray last?