Infinera, a leading provider of Digital Optical Networks, along with its Japanese partner, Nissho Electronics, announced today a successful demonstration of the Infinera DTN-X platform delivering 8 Terabits per second (Tb/s) capacity using production ready super-channels across 800 kms of ITU-T G.653 Dispersion Shifted Fiber (DSF).
Today's demonstration at the NET Frontier Center marks a significant achievement for delivery of high capacity optical transmission over DSF fiber. This illustrates the value that high performance 100 Gigabit per second (Gb/s) coherent optical technology can have in leveraging DSF assets for service providers. DSF fiber, deployed throughout Japan, has proven to be a challenge in deploying high-capacity dense wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) transport technology due to low chromatic dispersion in the C-Band, making it difficult to achieve high capacity optical transmission over long distance economically. As a result, capacities have been severely limited and have had to utilize expensive L-band technology to achieve long haul quality performance from the DSF fiber.
Infinera's DTN-X platform, built upon 500 Gb/s Photonic Integrated Circuits (PIC) and the second generation FlexCoherent™ Processor offering software-configurable coherent modulation, offers long haul 500 Gb/s super-channels which feature world class Polarization Mode Dispersion (PMD) compensation performance. This next generation platform demonstrated that it could successfully transmit 8Tb/s of super-channel capacity on the C-Band over 800 kms of challenging DSF fiber. This enables network operators to leverage existing fiber plant investments while also being able to operate the latest multi-Terabit, long-haul next-generation WDM transmission technologies. This same capacity extends to well over 2,500 kms when using QPSK on the Infinera DTN-X with non DSF fiber, which is in use in much of the world, thus highlighting the unique challenges of the DSF fiber in Japan.
Infinera also demonstrated the FlexCoherent capabilities of the system, showcasing the ability to software-select different modulation formats including QPSK and BPSK to optimize both reach and capacity. This trial validates that service providers globally can deploy the latest high capacity optical transport solutions on existing DSF fiber economically, continuing to leverage their current infrastructure. The demonstration also shows 100GbE service provisioned in less than 100 seconds, showcasing the simplicity of DTN-X and its ability to activate services much faster than conventional solutions.
"This test truly demonstrates the value of the DTN-X platform to service providers with DSF assets," said Kimitaka Sato, Executive Officer at Nissho. "In the past, service providers may not have been able to run even multiple 10 Gb/s transmission over this kind of fiber. Infinera's solution proves that we can run the very latest super-channel technology at 8Tb/s on DSF, which is impressive."
"This trial is unique because it not only achieves world class reach and capacity over a very difficult type of optical fiber, it shows how quickly capacity can be turned up for service providers today," said Dave Welch, Infinera Co-founder, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer. "This capability can be combined with our recently introduced Instant Bandwidth™ solution on the DTN-X to allow service providers to compete more effectively and achieve a success-based business model."
Infinera is the first to deliver 500 Gb/s long-haul super-channels based on the Photonic Integrated Circuits and FlexCoherent™ Processor, scaling transport capacity without scaling operational complexity. Shipping since Q2'12, the Infinera DTN-X has received purchase commitments from 16 operators globally, including Cable&Wireless Worldwide, DANTE, PIPE Networks, Telefonica International Wholesale Carrier, Cyprus Telecommunications Authority and TeliaSonera International Carrier.