China deploys dwdm technology from Lucent
By STEPHEN HARDY
The People`s Republic of China has ordered dense wavelength-division multiplexing (dwdm) equipment from Lucent Technologies, Warren, NJ. The order represents significant milestones for both the country and the company.
China`s Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (mpt) will deploy Lucent`s Optical Line System equipment, Synchro-nous Lightwave Multiplexer-2000 terminals, and Information Transport Management network management software for a new fiber-optic backbone stretching from Xi`an in Shaanxi Province southeast to Wuhan in Hubei. When service begins on the network during the first half of next year, the 1300-km high-capacity link will represent the mpt`s first use of dwdm technology.
According to Scott Grout, Lucent`s vice president of optical networking product marketing and management, the mpt initially plans to deploy dwdm and Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (sdh) equipment that can accommodate four-wavelength transmission, equivalent to 10 Gbits/sec. Eventually, says Grout, network capacity will expand to 20 Gbits/sec, or eight wavelengths.
"Clearly one of their primary drivers is to maximize the utilization of embedded fiber," he explains. "A main driver for this was to avoid the cost of putting in new fiber, and then expand the system using dwdm technology." Grout points out that the equipment Lucent will provide is capable of accommodating 16 wavelengths (40 Gbits/sec), should the mpt decide to expand capacity further.
In addition to the equipment in Wuhan and Xi`an, Lucent also will establish an add/drop facility in Xianfan. The facility will require the provision of eight additional Optical Line System sdh terminals, with an additional eight envisioned sometime in the future.
The mpt will look closely at the success of this initial dwdm application with an eye toward future deployments, according to Grout. "We`re in discussions with them now," he says in predicting the possibility of additional dwdm equipment purchases. However, he declines to speculate on details of the mpt`s plans.
Grout theorizes that Lucent won the competitive tender, worth more than $10 million, on the strength of offering a complete solution and its experience with deploying dwdm in North America. The deal represents a significant achievement for Lucent, as it is the first sale of the Optical Line System in an sdh configuration. Grout hopes the sale will influence other international telecommunications authorities that are currently evaluating the system for their networks.q