With video constituting an ever-larger percentage of growing worldwide data traffic, communications companies are accelerating the migration to 100 gigabit transmission on backbones and metro area networks.
Among recent announcements in the U.S., Sunset Digital is deploying 100G equipment from Ciena in Tennessee; Bluebird Network has purchased gear from Adva to upgrade its networks in the Midwest; Bright House is upgrading to 100G using equipment from Fujitsu; and XO is also moving to 100G, also with Ciena.
Internationally, SK Broadband Korea is installing 100G equipment from Alcatel-Lucent, and Infinera will be supplying Telefónica for the latter’s submarine network connecting its North American and South American systems.
Sunset Digital will use Ciena technology to transport managed wavelengths at bandwidths up to 100 Gbps for its customers – a set of service provider, enterprise and residential customers throughout northeast Tennessee.
Sunset Digital is deploying Ciena’s 6500 Packet-Optical Platform equipped with the vendor’s brand of coherent optical processors. The 100G network will provide transport speeds up to 100 times faster than typical service available in the region today.
The project is funded through a $24 million award under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Sunset’s intent is to help spur economic development by attracting high-tech businesses and facilities, such as data centers.
Last week, Adva announced that Bluebird Network had selected its FSP 3000 for another broadband stimulus project designed to extend broadband services to underserved regions in Missouri.
Bluebird’s Missouri Ultra-High Capacity Middle Mile Project is supported by a $45 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant from the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and a $10.5 million in-kind contribution from the state of Missouri, as well as private investors.
Today, Bluebird’s fiber network encompasses 4,500 miles across Missouri and Illinois. The grant will add 1,500 miles to this network, in addition to accelerating services up to 10 Gbps to local last-mile providers of residential and business services and more than 100 community anchor institutions, such as colleges, elementary and secondary schools, libraries, hospitals, medical and healthcare providers, courthouses, public safety entities, and other government facilities.
Alcatel-Lucent is supplying SK Broadband with its 100G optical coherent technology employed in the 1830 Photonic Service Switch (PSS), which will be used to help deliver IPTV, high-definition video, high-speed Internet access, VoIP and advanced business services in Seoul and the neighboring GyungGi province.
Telefónica International Wholesale Services (TIWS), part of Telefónica Global Solutions, plans to upgrade its Am-1 submarine cable network, connecting North and South America with the Infinera DTN-X platform. The DTN-X is capable of delivering 500 Gbps long-haul channels.
TIWS’ network carries traffic for more than 200 million customers, using landing stations in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Guatemala, Colombia, Puerto Rico and Florida.
Infinera’s DTN-X enables Telefónica to deploy 500 Gbps long-haul FlexCoherent super-channels integrated with 5 terabits per second (Tbps) of optical transport network (OTN) switching per bay. Infinera’s FlexCoherent technology enables Telefónica to optimize transmission performance using multiple software-programmable modulation formats. By deploying FlexCoherent super-channels, Telefónica can scale network capacity without scaling operations. Integrated OTN switching, coupled with a GMPLS control plane, delivers a network with the highest wavelength flexibility and a low cost of ownership.
