Nokia and Orange have marked a significant leap in optical networking technology, achieving a groundbreaking 800Gbps transmission milestone over Orange’s acclaimed 6,600km Dunant transatlantic route.
Leveraging Nokia’s PSE-6s super coherent optics integrated into the Nokia 1830 Photonic Services Interconnect – Modular (PSI-M), the successful trial was conducted under challenging real-world network conditions, showcasing Orange’s capacity expansion capability to support cutting-edge end-to-end 400GE and next-generation 800GE services.
The Dunant transatlantic subsea cable, recognized with the 2021 Global Carrier Award for subsea project of the year, embodies a distinctive “hybrid” solution, interconnecting terrestrial and subsea connectivity to cater to wholesale customers. This setup enables traffic to access four different points of presence in the Paris region, enhancing connection options for wholesale customers.
During the trial, Orange and Nokia achieved error-free performance at 800Gbps over the 6,600km link between the cable landing stations at Virginia Beach, U.S.A., and St Hilaire de Riez, France—showcasing a notable enhancement from the previous 400G achieved in 2021. Additionally, the trial demonstrated 700Gbps over a total link distance of 7,345km from Virginia Beach to Paris, compared to 300G achieved earlier in 2021. The terrestrial links comprised nine spans of Orange’s existing fiber network, utilizing multiple cascaded reconfigurable optical add/drop multipliers (ROADMs) and 150GHz WDM spectrum channels.
This successful field trial, validating Orange’s planned upgrade of its long-haul network using Nokia’s PSE-6s super coherent optics, highlights the potential to expand capacity and spectral efficiency within existing subsea cable systems. It achieves this while reducing the number of coherent optics needed by 33 percent and lowering total power consumption compared to existing coherent optics solutions. The incorporation of PSE-6 super coherent capabilities across Nokia’s 1830 portfolio facilitates high-performance, spectrally efficient transport of high-speed services across vast networks, spanning long-haul, ultra-long haul, and trans-oceanic routes covering multiple thousands of kilometers.
Jean-Louis Le Roux, Vice President International Networks at Orange, expressed, “This trial demonstrates Orange’s commitment to supporting ever-greater network scale and new high-bandwidth services across our existing global network.”
James Watt, Head of the Optical Networks Division at Nokia, highlighted, “As data volumes surge, innovation in optical networks is crucial to stay ahead. The PSE-6 super-coherent optics significantly enhance the Nokia optical portfolio, delivering extensive network scale and service reach while ensuring sustainable growth with power efficiency.”
This milestone achievement between Orange and Nokia signifies a remarkable stride in optical networking capabilities, promising enhanced global connectivity and the delivery of higher-speed services in the ever-evolving landscape of communication networks.
