Telstra tests 400G in Melbourne with Ciena, Ericsson

Telstra, Ericsson, and Ciena demonstrated 400 Gbps speeds over 61.5 GHz spectrum on Telstra’s transmission network in Melbourne, attaining what the companies termed "the highest spectral efficiency per fibre pair ever achieved in a live environment." This implies that a maximum 30.4 terabit per second (Tbps) bandwidth is possible on Telstra’s transmission network in Melbourne. The highest previous mark was 25.6 Tbps.

Ciena said that result was made possible through the deployment of software programmable 400Gbps wavelengths using Ciena’s WaveLogic Ai modem technology on the 6500 Packet-Optical Platform, in combination with Ciena’s Blue Planet Manage Control Plan (MCP) and Liquid Spectrum applications. Ericsson provides end-to-end systems integration.

Telstra has deployed Ciena's programmable coherent modem technology, which offers up to three times data capacity and enables up to 60 percent reduction in power per bit compared to the modem technology currently deployed in the Telstra network.

David Robertson, Director of IP and Transport Engineering at Telstra, says: “Over the next five years we forecast traffic on our network will grow by five times. We are investing in our network and developing these innovations to meet this growing demand by providing unprecedented levels of scale, automation and intelligence. This technology will be deployed in our domestic transmission network and we will look for opportunities to use it in Telstra’s international subsea cable network, which is the largest in the Asia-Pacific region.”

Emilio Romeo, Head of Ericsson Australia and New Zealand, says: “We are proud to be supporting our long-term partner Telstra with end-to-end systems integration expertise to deliver innovative solutions that will ultimately improve overall efficiency of the network. Deployment of these technologies will help Telstra to prepare for the ever-increasing demand for data. This will give Telstra the ability to predict and address connectivity and capacity challenges as they emerge, enabling them to respond and allocate capacity across paths in real time.”

Steve Alexander, Ciena’s Chief Technology Officer says, “As high-bandwidth applications become further ingrained in our daily lives, the implementation of a more intelligent and adaptive network – one that lets operators eliminate complexity by combining intelligent automation, real-time performance monitoring, and the ability to continuously tune their network – is critical. These accomplishments will prepare Telstra’s network to better respond to customer demands.”