Portugal's NetRail selects Alcatel's TeraLight Metro Optical Fiber

Alcatel today announced a supply agreement with NetRail, a telecommunications service provider wholly owned by REFER, Portugal's Rail Infrastructure Manager. In the course of the liberalization of the Portuguese telecommunication market, NetRail is rapidly enhancing and upgrading its existing network infrastructure. As NetRail's sole supplier, Alcatel will supply more than 40,000 kms of cabled optical fiber, including both its TeraLight Metro and standard singlemode fibers.

TeraLight Metro is Alcatel's Non-Zero Dispersion Shifted Fiber (NZ-DSF) optimized for applications in networks covering distances between 70 and 200 kms. Designed for operating in systems carrying densely packed data at high transmission rates, TeraLight Metro features low attenuation or signal loss, claim company representatives. TeraLight Metro's design allows it to carry optical transmissions without the need for adding several signal regeneration or compensation devices.

Originally looking for multiple suppliers and for standard singlemode fibers only, NetRail was impressed by the performance of TeraLight Metro and its potential to evolve with their needs over time. Additionally, Alcatel's responsiveness and ability to meet NetRail's tight deadlines were deciding factors in closing the deal, say NetRail representatives.

NetRail is currently installing an optical fiber network and an STM-16 backbone along 2.5 km of the Portuguese territory. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.refertelecom.pt.

Alcatel (Paris) delivers integrated end-to-end voice and data networking solutions to established and new carriers, as well as enterprises and consumers worldwide. For more information, visit Alcatel on the Internet at www.alcatel.com.