Telstra is closer to delivering 100Gbp Wireless broadband over their Next G Network after fast broadband trials between Adelaide and Sydney.
A continuous 2038 kilometre fibre optic link between Adelaide and Sydney was used for the 100Gbps trial, while the 40Gbps trial took place over 3370 kilometres on a looped-back section of the Sydney to Adelaide route. Both trials used Nortel optical technology on existing Telstra fibre.
The delivery of a 100Gps service could see Telstra selling a fast broadband service year’s ahead of the National Broadband Network, say Analysts.
Telstra Networks & Services Group Managing Director Michael Rocca said the trials were groundbreaking and indicative of Telstra’s drive to keep leading the market with technological innovation.
“Carriers the world over are looking for the next generation of transmission technology because customer bandwidth needs are quickly surpassing current limits,” Mr. Rocca said.
“These trials with Nortel demonstrate that our existing network is capable of transporting even larger amounts of network traffic without incurring the cost of major equipment and infrastructure upgrades. Of course, they also contribute to the development of technology that will eventually benefit not only Australian consumers but also the worldwide telecommunications industry.”
The continuing increase in the resolution and definition of online video and enterprise applications such as video conferencing are two of the main drivers of bandwidth demand. Telstra has experienced a tenfold increase in network traffic on national inter-capital routes and recently announced it will upgrade the Sydney to Melbourne transmission link from 10Gbps to 40Gbps to cope with the surge in demand.
Both trials successfully used Nortel’s Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) links to enable unregenerated transmission on Telstra’s underlying optical fibre infrastructure over a two-week period from 3 July to 17 July.
Vice President, Carrier Networks, Nortel Asia, Anthony McLachlan, said together with Telstra, Nortel was able to achieve a milestone by transmitting 100Gbps data on Telstra’s existing fibre optic network over an unprecedented distance of 2038 kilometres without the need to refresh or regenerate the data at any point.
“The success of the trial builds on Nortel’s leading 40G technology and we are proud that Telstra has given us the opportunity to prove in a real network what others are only talking about at 100G. During the trial the Nortel 100G solution allowed Telstra to redefine the value of their extensive fibre infrastructure with a tenfold increase in capacity – compared to that of existing 10G networks – and made the Telstra infrastructure the fastest of its kind globally over anywhere near this distance,” Mr. McLachlan said.
About DWDM
DWDM or Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing – is a technology used to increase the capacity and efficiency of fibre-based optical networks. Telstra has deployed DWDM extensively throughout its inter-capital and regional networks but these world-first trials have demonstrated Nortel DWDM equipment on existing Telstra fibre infrastructure.
