Amitié transatlantic cable enters service with 16 fiber pairs

Aqua Comms, Meta, Microsoft, and Vodafone announced the commissioning of the Amitié subsea cable system, a 6,783 km (4,215 miles) trans-Atlantic system connecting North America and Europe and boasting 16 fiber pairs and up to 400 Tbps capacity -- the highest to date.

The Amitié cable, which was built by Alcatel Submarine Networks, has landings in Lynn, Massachusetts; Widemouth Bay, England; and Le Porge, France. 

The design of the system brings all users additional connectivity options in the United States, the UK, and in France. Boston will have direct connection all the way to London and a new Carrier Neutral Data Center constructed in Bordeaux. This delivers improved reliability in terms of protected capacity on multiple diverse routes.

The system includes an innovative branching unit 860 km from France and 650 km from the UK. This device allows the owners to switch either individual optical wavelengths between different landings or the full fiber capacity via two different types of switching technologies.

Andy Hudson, Chief Network Officer, Aqua Comms, said: “Amitié, branded as AEC-3 on Aqua Comms’ network, adds a third high-capacity system to our transatlantic footprint offering enhanced diversity in both the US and Europe and delivering the latest technology to our customers.”

Gary Waterworth, Investment Manager, Meta said: “Amitié will increase telecommunications reliability, speed, and diversity of subsea cable routes between the continents helping to improve transmission capacity in North America and Europe. It’s a great example of tech and telecom companies collaborating to build digital infrastructure to benefit the countless people, businesses, and organizations who rely on global connectivity.”

Frank Rey, General Manager, Azure Networking at Microsoft said: “As public and private sectors deepen their reliance on cloud technologies for economic growth and service improvement, Amitié will advance both resiliency and capacity for customers using our cloud services.”

Fanan Henriques, Director, Vodafone Business International & EU-Cluster, said: “As a significant investor in submarine cables, Vodafone was able to bring its strong heritage and extensive expertise to the partnership. With transatlantic total bandwidth growth forecasted to increase six-fold over the next five years, it is essential that we keep our customers, partners and communities connected to vital services enabling the digital economy. The completion of the Amitié subsea cable will strengthen connectivity and add resilience between the U.S., France and the UK.”

https://aquacomms.com/latest-news/aqua-comms-meta-microsoft-and-vodafone-announce-completion-of-amitie-the-highest-capacity-transatlantic-subsea-cable-system-ever-deployed/

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Tech Update: Edge at the Extreme, Connectivity for the Tour de France

Wondering how edge computing is revolutionizing the world of sports?

In this video, Devin Yaung, SVP, Global Enterprise IoT from NTT explains:

• The importance of *edge computing* in sports events like the *Tour de France* , where real-time data processing is crucial for tracking riders' positions, speed, and other factors.
• The role of edge computing in creating a *digital twin* of the race, enhancing fan experience by providing accurate predictions and detailed race analytics.
• The challenges and solutions in ensuring *security and privacy* in edge computing, complying with local regulations, and coordinating with security agencies.

Want to be involved in our video series? Contact info@nextgeninfra.io

Check out latest reports: 

Enterprise edge and cloud networking: https://ngi.fyi/sdwansaseztna23yt 

Telco cloud and edge: https://ngi.fyi/telcocloudyt

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IEEE approves 802.11bb LiFi

 The IEEE released 802.11bb, a new standard paving the way for the adoption of LiFi technology and its interoperability with WiFi.

LiFi is a wireless technology that uses light rather than radio frequencies to transmit data.

The standard defines the physical layer specifications and system architectures for wireless communication using light waves.

The IEEE 802.11bb Task Group on Light Communications is focused on introducing necessary changes to the base IEEE 802.11 Stds to enable communications in the light medium - access to the approved Project Authorization Request (PAR) and the Criteria for Standards Development (CSD). The general scope for the TG is limited to:

• Uplink and downlink operations in 800 nm to 1,000 nm band,
• All modes of operation achieve minimum single-link throughput of 10 Mb/s as measured at the MAC data service access point (SAP),
• Interoperability among solid state light sources with different modulation bandwidths.

This amendment specifies changes to the IEEE 802.11 MAC that are limited to the following:

• Hybrid coordination function (HCF) channel access,
• Overlapping basic service set (OBSS) detection and coexistance,
• Existing power management modes of operation (excluding new modes),

The project will also address the security of the transition between the new LC PHY and the existing 802.11 PHYs as well as the security implications in supporting Fast Session Transfer.

"The release of the IEEE 802.11bb standard is a significant milestone for the LiFi market," said Harald Haas, CEO of pureLiFi. "This standard provides a global framework for the deployment of LiFi technology, which will help to accelerate its adoption and interoperability with other wireless technologies."

"The IEEE 802.11bb standard is a major step forward for LiFi," said Dr. Thomas Zwick, Head of the LiFi Research Group at Fraunhofer HHI. "This standard will enable the development of more efficient and interoperable LiFi systems, which will help to make LiFi a more attractive option for businesses and consumers."

pureLiFi, a pioneering company in the development of LiFi technology, has already developed the world's first standards-compliant devices including the recently released Light Antenna ONE.

Analogous to the antenna chain in a radio frequency (RF) system such as WiFi, Light Antenna ONE inherently enables 802.11bb compliance. It can be integrated with existing WiFi chipsets that ship in the billions annually. With Light Antenna ONE, LiFi simply appears to the system as if it were another band of WiFi.

"pureLiFi is delighted to see the release of the IEEE 802.11bb standard," said Alistair Banham, CEO of pureLiFi. "This is a significant moment for the LiFi industry, as it provides a clear framework for the deployment of LiFi technology on a global scale. We are proud to have played a leading role in its creation and to be ready with the world’s first standards-compliant devices. The existence of a global standard gives confidence to device manufacturers who will deploy LiFi at scale.”

“Fraunhofer HHI welcomes the new IEEE 802.11bb.”, says Dominic Schulz, lead of LiFi development at Fraunhofer HHI.“ LiFi offers high-speed mobile connectivity in areas with limited RF, like fixed wireless access, classrooms, medical, and industrial scenarios. It complements or serves as an alternative to WiFi and 5G. 802.11bb integrates easily with existing infrastructures. Operating in an exclusive optical spectrum ensures higher reliability and lower latency and jitter. Light's line-of-sight propagation enhances security by preventing wall penetration, reducing jamming and eavesdropping risks, and enabling centimetre-precision indoor navigation.”

https://www.ieee802.org/11/Reports/tgbb_update.htm

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