Terabit Ethernet

Terabit Ethernet (TbE) is Ethernet with speeds above 100 Gigabit Ethernet. The 400 Gigabit Ethernet (400G, 400GbE) and 200 Gigabit Ethernet (200G, 200GbE) standard developed by the IEEE P802.3bs Task Force using broadly similar technology to 100 Gigabit Ethernet was approved on December 6, 2017. On February 16, 2024 the 800 Gigabit Ethernet (800G, 800GbE) standard developed by the IEEE P802.3df Task Force was approved.

The Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) has already announced five new projects at 112 Gbit/s which would also make 4th generation (single-lane) 100 GbE links possible. The IEEE P802.3df Task Force started work in January 2022 to standardize 800 Gbit/s and 1.6 Tbit/s Ethernet. In November 2022 the IEEE 802.3df project objectives were split in two, with 1.6T and 200G/lane work being moved to the new IEEE 802.3dj project. The timeline for the 802.3dj project indicates completion in July 2026.