Verizon says it has successfully completed a field trial using 400 Gbps Ethernet speeds on a single wavelength. The Verizon 400G trial used MPLS core routers over a packet-optical network. The trial is believed to be an industry first.
This trial demonstrated interoperability of equipment from two different suppliers and the capability to quadruple the typical capacity carried on a wavelength, according to Verizon, and was a critical step in advancing 400 Gbps transmission and router technology.
Verizon 400G Trial
Held in December 2017 using the Verizon network in the Dallas area, the trial tested traffic transmitted between two Juniper Networks PTX 5000 routers across the Ciena 6500 packet-optical platform, both used in Verizon’s production network. This 400 Gbps interworking connection is compliant with IEEE Standard 802.3bs-2017, which was ratified in December 2017.
“We’re delivering more content and capacity than ever from our network and we’re gearing up to do more,” said Lee Hicks, vice president of network planning for Verizon, in a prepared statement. “The appetite from consumers and businesses alike continues to grow. We’re building the future now.”
“This is an exciting time in our industry as live 400G trials and deployments are ramping up, proving that future networks will adapt to handle the next wave of high-speed applications and services,” said Steve Alexander, Ciena chief technology officer. “This trial leveraged WaveLogic Ai – the latest generation of Ciena’s coherent optical technology, which can give Verizon greater competitive advantage and ensure its network will meet growing customer bandwidth demands.”
“As network traffic continues to grow at an accelerated rate and 5G proliferates, communications carriers and equipment providers must not only work together but also be agile, quickly leveraging new standards and technologies as they become available to rapidly innovate and expand the capability of core networks, said Sally Bament, Juniper Networks service provider marketing vice president, in a prepared statement.
Image courtesy of flickr user Matthew Wilson.
