BT conducts 800G trial with Ciena

BT (NYSE: BT) teamed with Ciena (Nasdaq: CIEN) on a series of trials to deliver 800G over its existing live fiber core network in the U.K.

Leveraging WaveLogic 3 transceivers on Ciena's 6500 and 4200 platforms, the trials included the transmission of 100, 200 and 400G, as well as an 800G super-channel on a live 410 km network link between BT's Adastral Park Research and Development Centre in Ipswich and the BT Tower in Central London.

These trials, which were completed in March, were performed on a high Polarization Mode Dispersion (PMD) fiber link that was unsuitable for traditional 10G operation.

During one trial, 400G of traffic was carried and monitored over the network using 16 QAM modulation and operated alongside adjacent 40G and 100G QPSK-based wavelengths. One of the benefits of Ciena's Wavelogic 3 technology is that large operators like BT can gradually increase network capacity to match the needs of their wholesale and business customers.

Having worked with BT since 2003, Ciena and BT are hardly strangers. Earlier this year, the pair launched a multi-year collaboration agreement to jointly research and develop new applications and capabilities on BT's next generation network.

While these 800G trials are largely experimental, they could provide a blueprint for other large operators that already work with Ciena to conduct similar trials as they look to future-prof their own optical core networks.

For more:
- see the release

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