Infinera and Telstra Demo Submarine Super-Channel Transmission

Infinera and Telstra successfully demonstrated next generation super-channel technology across a submarine fiber cable.

The test, which was conducted across 2,200 kilometers of Segment F of the Reach North Asia Loop (RNAL), included Polarization Multiplexed 8 Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (PM-8QAM), and a range of advanced FlexCoherent modulation formats, along with transmitter and receiver-based signal processing technologies. Segment F runs between Wada in Japan and Pusan in South Korea.

Infinera said PM-8QAM is capable of delivering a 50% increase in capacity compared to the most common coherent modulation technique, PM-QPSK, in a typical installation under the same conditions.

The RNAL trial also included demonstrations of advanced coherent transmitter-based Nyquist DWDM pulse shaping, and both transmitter and receiver-based non-linear compensation technologies.

“This trial demonstrates the potential of a full suite of FlexCoherent modulation formats on a single line card and the ability to precisely trade capacity for reach and margin. It also highlights the emergence of next generation coherent processing that works with existing coherent 100 Gigabit per second technologies, which are now firmly entrenched in modern submarine terminating line equipment, such as the Infinera DTN-X platform,”  stated Steve Grubb, Infinera Fellow and the architect behind the RNAL demonstrations.  “When regeneration within the submerged cable is simply not an option, the ability to trade margin for additional capacity can be crucial in submarine networks. Having the full suite of modulation formats on a single card can also dramatically lower inventory costs, while allowing the service provider to maximize cable capacity.”

As part of a larger showcase of submarine super-channel capabilities between Telstra and Infinera, one of the world’s first demonstrations of PM-3QAM modulation on a 4,250 km link between California and Hawaii was also completed.

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