Soliton data transmission at 7.2–10 Gbit/s over one million kilometres has been successfully achieved by using a new technique that incorporates synchronous shaping and retiming using a high speed optical modulator. This technique enables the Gordon–Haus limit, the accumulation of amplified spontaneous emission, and the effect of interaction forces between adjacent solitons to be overcome. This technique is analogous to the synchronously pumped laser technique and can extend the soliton transmission distance almost infinitely.