Verizon (NYSE: VZ) conducted a field trial where it doubled the capacity of a fiber using 200G technology on an operational long-haul network segment between New York and Boston. The 200G demonstration did not have any impact to existing customer traffic.
Over the 260-mile segment, Verizon said during the trial it demonstrated how to double spectral efficiency and reducing cost pair bit versus 100G technology, which it has deployed on various segments of its network. It added that by improving spectral efficiency it could better support the growth of various wireline and wireless applications such as online video, 4G LTE and cloud services.
During the trial, it leveraged the same Ciena (Nasdaq: CIEN) equipment it uses for its current 100G long-haul network and pre-production software to configure a Ciena Wavelogic3 coherent optical processor.
Besides coherent technology, the trial used 16 QAM modulation on a single wavelength and 50 GHz spacing, two elements that enabled it to allow twice the amount of data to be encoded than can be supported with current standard 100G technology.
Verizon has been one of the aggressive telcos deploying 100G technology in both its long-haul and metro networks. After installing 100G routes initially in parts of Europe, it announced last May that it was adding 100G optical capabilities into its global metro networks and Ciena's control-plane technology to simplify network management and reduce optical circuit provisioning time.
For more:
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