Virgin Media Tests 40G with Nortel, Juniper

Virgin Media, the largest broadband provider in the UK, has conducted a trial of 40 Gbps technology using equipment from Nortel and Juniper Networks.

The 40G North-South trial was conducted over a 350km span of Virgin Media's current UK 10G network. Nortel provided its 40G Adaptive Optical Engine DWDM transponder cards which interconnected with Juniper Networks' T-series routers with 40G interfaces located at sites in Manchester and London.


The live field trial, conducted in late April 2008, carried 40G traffic generated by Virgin Media and delivered over its long-haul optical network between Manchester and London.


"Our aim for this trial was to ensure we continue to meet the growing capacity needs of the high-speed services we deliver and provide a quality experience for Virgin Media customers," said Daniel Hennessy, director of Technical Architecture, Virgin Media. "Our strategic suppliers have demonstrated very clearly how existing network assets can be scaled to meet the growth in demand associated with evolving customer behaviour and step changes in the products provided as part of our high-speed broadband proposition. Our optical network will provide a solid foundation for growth as it takes advantage of technology designed to avoid electrical regeneration and where possible reduce the incremental cost of scaling transport capacity."http://www.virginmedia.comhttp://www.juniper.net