Windstream Wholesale, Colt Technology Services (Colt) and Nokia today said they have successfully completed what they say is the world’s first 800 Gigabit Ethernet (800GbE) service trial connecting London to Chicago via an 8,500km subsea and terrestrial route.
The trial project involved connecting one of Colt’s Transatlantic subsea cables and part of its terrestrial fiber optic network with Windstream Wholesale’s domestic U.S. low-latency optical fiber Intelligent Converged Optical Network (ICON), ICON being used to monitor performance and speed.
Nokia’s sixth-generation Photonic Service Engine (PSE-6s) coherent optics and 7750 Service Router (SR) routing platform completed the connection, supporting ultra-high wavelength capacity.
According to Windstream, Nokia, and Colt, the 800G doubles typical capacity to support advanced network applications, including AI data center networking, content delivery networks, and financial data hub connections.
The three organizations said that, now that the trial is complete, they are exploring options to bring 800GbE connectivity services to market for global businesses.
Windstream Wireless and Nokia have been involved in high-speed trials before.
Last year Windstream Wholesale successfully sent 800 Gigabit Ethernet of data over a single 800 Gbps wavelength over a 1,386-kilometer link across its live network. And Nokia announced earlier this month that it is collaborating with Centranet, on commercial trial of a 50 Gbps fiber connection for the Sac and Fox nation.
“Our latest innovation represents a true game-changer for global connectivity,” Joe Scattareggia, Windstream Wholesale president, said in a prepared statement. “By partnering with two extraordinary leaders in the industry, we’re enabling unprecedented bandwidth capabilities that are essential for driving AI-powered applications worldwide for our customers.
“As an optical technology leader, Windstream Wholesale and our partners are establishing 800GbE as the next evolutionary advancement increase for wave services. This collaboration has pushed the boundaries of what’s possible, creating a network solution like no other. Together, we’re not just meeting the demands of the future—we’re shaping it.”
