Nokia Recognized With IEEE Milestone Award For ADSL Breakthrough, Enabling The Evolution From 1 Mbps To 100 Gbps Broadband
By Oystein Bergmann, Bureau Chief, Scandinavia
ADSL joins an impressive list of IEEE Milestone-recognized breakthroughs, including Maxwell’s equations, the transatlantic cable, and the Compact Disc
Nokia today announced that the world’s largest technical professional organization advancing technology for humanity, IEEE recognized the company for its introduction and worldwide deployment of ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) as an IEEE Milestone. Close to one billion people benefited directly from this innovative technology breakthrough that laid the foundation for modern broadband.
Developed in 1993 in Antwerp, Belgium, ADSL was the first large-scale broadband technology. It delivered multi-megabit internet over standard telephone lines, making broadband accessible and affordable for billions around the world. This innovation transformed digital connectivity and helped shape the internet-driven world we live in today.
The IEEE Milestone program honors significant achievements found in unique products, services, seminal papers and patents that have stood the test of time and brought lasting benefit to humanity. ADSL now joins a distinguished list of IEEE Milestone-recognized breakthroughs, including Maxwell’s equations, the transatlantic cable, and the Compact Disc.
“The IEEE Milestone Programme recognizes great moments throughout our world’s long history of technical innovation. They are a symbol around the world of how electrical engineering and computing have built the modern world,” said 2025 IEEE President & CEO Kathleen Kramer. “Milestones can also help to increase the public’s understanding of the contributions to society made by electrical, electronics, and computer engineers, and the strides made by countless technologists as they sought to advance technology to benefit humanity.”
“ADSL signified the birth of broadband,” said General Manager of Broadband Networks at Nokia Geert Heyninck. “It was a moment of transformation — moving beyond the dial-up era to a new world of always-on, high-speed connectivity. And it didn’t stop there. From those first 1 Mbps ADSL demos to our recent 100 Gbps proof-of-concepts, we’ve been pushing the limits of broadband innovation for over 30 years.”
Since ADSL, Nokia has pioneered many broadband breakthroughs including VDSL, 10G PON, 25G PON, and most recently, 100G PON — technologies that are up to 100,000 times faster than the original ADSL proof of concept.
