DWDM speed record
Paris, 7 September 2000- Alcatel, the world leader in optical networking,
today announced that it has set a new world record for DWDM (Dense
Wavelength Division Multiplexing) transmission capacity over backbone
networks. The company has achieved a unidirectional transmission of 128
channels each modulated at 40Gbit/s, reaching a total throughput of
5.12Tbit/s (5,120Gbit/s) over 300 km. This result was achieved with three
technologies developed by Alcatel : 40Gbit/s DWDM systems, an innovating
technique to make the most of existing bandwidth, and TeraLightTM optical
fibers. This demonstration once again highlights the technological
leadership of Alcatel in 40Gbit/s DWDM systems as well as the unequalled
potential of the commercially available TeraLightTM fiber for 2.5, 10 and
40Gbit/s transmission.
This breakthrough transmission would allow for the transport of 640,000
simultaneous high-bit rate ADSL Internet lines or over 100 million
simultaneous voice calls on a single optical fiber. It will allow operators
and service providers to dramatically increase in the future the capacity
transported over a single fiber, thus further optimizing the cost of their
networks.
To achieve such a performance, Alcatel has developed a new technique to
optimally use the bandwidth of optical amplifiers. When carried over an
optical fiber, wavelengths generate interferences. It is therefore
necessary to have a minimum spacing between each wavelength in the
networks, which limits the number of wavelengths that can be transported
over the same fiber. The higher the bit rate, the stronger the
interferences and the more limited the number of wavelengths. The
innovating technique developed by Alcatel allows to minimize the effect of
these interferences and to pack an unprecedented number of DWDM 40Gbit/s
channels on a single fiber, thus reaching the world record capacity of
5.12Tbit/s. This laboratory demonstration also exploited Alcatel’s
leading-edge NZ-DSF optical fiber, TeraLightTM, which offers an optimized
design for DWDM systems. This result, achieved in realistic conditions with
in-line amplifiers, underlines the Alcatel strategy to optimize all the key
technologies required to offer cost-effective, advanced optical networks to
cope with the Internet explosion.
Christian Reinaudo, President of Alcatel's Optics Group, stated: "In the
past years, the capacity of optical transmission systems has been doubling
faster than the already impressive Moore's law predictions for electronics.
Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM), in which Alcatel is the
recognized world leader, accounts for most of this evolution. With this
5.12Tbit/s achievement, Alcatel paves the way towards 10Tbit/s transmission
on a single optical fiber, thus offering its customers perspectives for
unprecedented capacities and services at the lowest cost."
About Alcatel
In November 1999, RHK, a leading telecommunications analyst firm, said that
Alcatel holds a 23% share- the number one position- of the world's total
transport market, which comprises submarine and terrestrial transmission
systems. RHK noted that Alcatel's market-leading 37% market share in the
submarine networks segment helped secure the top position in the total
transport market. In addition, RHK found that Alcatel commands a 37% share
of the digital cross-connect systems (DCS) segment. Cross-connect systems
contain the enabling technology for operators to offer high bandwidth
services. Alcatel is also cited as the global leader in terms of DWDM
market share for the global market encompassing both terrestrial and
submarine applications.
Alcatel is the world leader in delivering full turnkey submarine network
solutions and services. Alcatel leads this industry in terms of:
- having the highest sold capacity up to 5.12 Tbit/s for the long-haul
systems and 3.6 Tbit/s for the short-haul ones, using the latest DWDM
technology;
- having the largest manufacturing capacity at 85,000 km per year
strategically located around the Globe;
- managing 11 dedicated purposed-designed vessels for a tight control on
the delivery schedule.
Current contracts, worth US$ 4.5+ billion, include the most advanced
undersea networks in the world today: Atlantica-1 and FLAG Atlantic-1
systems in the Atlantic, the FLAG Pacifc-1, Japan-US and Southern Cross
transpacific systems, and the MAC and MAYA-1 systems in the Americas and
the SAT-3 around Africa.
Alcatel builds next generation networks, delivering integrated end-to-end
voice and data networking solutions to established and new carriers, as
well as enterprises and consumers worldwide. With 120,000 employees and
sales of EURO 23 billion in 1999, Alcatel operates in more than 130
countries.
alcatel.com |
