The latest optical transmission world record (hope the guys that announced their world record a couple days prior didn't celebrate too much<gg>):
NOTE: 7 months ago the claimed "world record" was 1 Tbps by Algety
Optisphere Announces New World Record In Optical Data Transmission: 7 Tbit/s - Equal To 100+ Million Phone Calls - Over A Single Optical Fiber.
RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 4, 2000
Optisphere Networks Inc., a subsidiary of Siemens Information and Communication Networks Inc., announced today that a new world record has been set by transmitting data at 7.04 Tbit/s over a single optical fiber at the Siemens advanced optical network lab in Munich, Germany. This landmark in optical communications technology was achieved by using highly sophisticated DWDM (Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing) technology. A transmission rate of 7 Tbit/s is equivalent to simultaneously transmitting more than 100 million telephone calls or a billion pages of typed text per second.
The demonstration involved simultaneously transmitting 176 wavelengths at a speed of 40 Gbit/s error-free over a 50km fiber-optic cable. The 40-Gbit/s channels were produced by electronic time division multiplexing using a prototype of the company's compact multiplexer and regenerator system TransXpress FOX. A channel spacing of 50 GHz for the 40 Gbit/s channels was achieved by using a special bi-directional transmission system, ensuring spectral efficiency of 0.8 bit/s per Hz bandwidth - yet another world record in 40-Gbit/s transmission.
Background information:
Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) is the key technology underlying integrated telecommunication and data networks with ultra-high transfer rates. The technology is used to simultaneously transmit different signals via a single optical fiber at extremely high transfer rates. Each signal enters the optical fiber at a slightly different wavelength or carrier frequency using DWDM. They are given their own "color". At the receiving end, the individual signals are then optically divided following the same principle as separating sunlight using a prism.
Even if different signals are transmitted at the same time via DWDM, they do not cause any interference. This means that it is also possible to transmit differing data formats and protocols (e.g., IP, ATM, Gbit-Ethernet, SONET, SDH, etc.) in parallel. DWDM can therefore be used as an independent service platform.
The transmission capacity available via an optical fiber can be determined from the number of wavelengths and data speed per wavelength. Using today's technology, it is usually possible to support 32 wavelengths at a speed of 10 Gbit/s per wavelength. In other words, a capacity of 320 Gbit/s is possible via a single optical fiber approximately seven times thinner than a human hair. In 1998, Siemens recorded data transfer rates of 1.2 Tbit/s at its labs. Last year it had achieved a record transmission capacity of 3.2 Tbit/s - equivalent to around 50 million simultaneous telephone calls. The Siemens developers have now smashed their record yet again: more than 100 million simultaneous telephone calls can be transmitted at 7.04 Tbit/s.
About Optisphere
Optisphere Networks Inc. develops and markets innovative systems for the global optical networks market. Optisphere provides optical terabit solutions for IP-optimized transport, routing and channel aggregation functions that help customers increase services, generate revenues and reduce total operating costs. A subsidiary of Siemens Information and Communication Networks Inc., Optisphere is headquartered in Reston, Va. For more information: www.optisphere.com.
Based in Boca Raton, Fla., Siemens Information and Communication Networks Inc. is a leading provider of integrated voice and data networks with a comprehensive portfolio of products and solutions for enterprises, carriers and service providers. Last year, the company's 7,000 U.S. employees generated sales of nearly $2 billion. For more information, visit the company's web site at www.icn.siemens.com.
Note to Editors:
Siemens is a registered trademark of Siemens AG. TransXpress is a trademark of Siemens AG.
For Optisphere and Siemens product information: 800-814-1680 |
