Siemens IC Networks has announced what it claims is another world record, carrying live traffic almost 1000 km over a non-regenerated, 160-channel DWDM link, which forms part of China Unicom's 15,000 km long high-speed national transmission backbone network. By reducing regeneration stations, China Unicom can save both investment and running cost for network operations, say Siemens representatives. Additionally, the operator can quickly and efficiently extend channels, by equipping only the end-points of the link without the need to change regenerator stations.
China Unicom had awarded the contract to build its optical national transmission backbone network to Siemens last November. The network covers 19 of China's total 31 provinces in most of the country's fast developing areas. Due to the use of state of the art technology wrapped in plug and play components, Siemens managed to put this size of network with 182 sites into operation within 3 months, contend company representatives.
China Unicom employs Siemen's TransXpress Infinity platform based on 10- and/or 40-Gbit/sec SDH channels, utilizing DWDM to split light into as many as 160 channels to maximize capacity on each fiber. According to the company, it is the only DWDM product in its field that can manage 15 spans at more than 20 dB up to a distance of 1,500 km without electrical regeneration.
For more information about Siemens Information and Communication Networks (Munich), visit the company's Web site at www.siemens.com/networks.