- Windstream Wholesale and Ciena trial WaveLogic 6 Extreme (WL6e) technology, pushing optical network boundaries.
- The trial paves the way for 800G Wave services, enhancing bandwidth capabilities for emerging business needs.
What happened: Windstream and Ciena 800G WL6e trial success
Windstream Wholesale, in partnership with Ciena, has successfully completed an industry-first trial of Ciena’s WaveLogic 6 Extreme (WL6e) technology. The trial was conducted over a 1,590-kilometre route from Virginia Beach to Jacksonville, showcasing Ciena’s cutting-edge Reconfigurable Line System (RLS). This marked a significant step forward in optical network innovation, demonstrating the potential for high-capacity, ultra-long-haul services.
The trial specifically tested Ciena’s WL6e 2×1.2Tb with 3x800G Wave services, achieving seamless performance without the need for network regeneration over the extended distance. This groundbreaking demonstration highlights the ability of WL6e technology to meet the growing demand for high-speed, large-bandwidth services, ensuring robust and reliable connections for businesses and content providers.
As a result of this successful trial, Windstream Wholesale is now poised to roll out 800G Wave services, marking a key milestone in the company’s expansion of high-capacity optical network solutions. This advancement is expected to play a vital role in addressing future bandwidth demands across industries.
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Why it is important
This technological breakthrough is set to revolutionise the way businesses approach high-bandwidth applications. With the successful trial of 800G services, Windstream Wholesale and Ciena have paved the way for the next generation of ultra-long-haul optical networks. The development offers several benefits, including enhanced scalability, flexibility, and reliability for customers who need to manage increasing bandwidth demands.
The trial’s success will play a pivotal role in Windstream Wholesale’s plans to roll out 800G Wave services later this year. By leveraging its Intelligent Converged Optical Network, Windstream Wholesale will offer scalable connectivity solutions to carriers, content providers, and hyperscalers, as well as large enterprises in need of high-performance networking.
According to Joe Scattareggia, president of Windstream Wholesale, this trial demonstrates their commitment to advancing optical networking and meeting customers’ evolving needs. Both companies are set to present the results of their collaboration at the International Telecoms Week event in National Harbor, which runs until May 7.
