Alcatel-Lucent, Mobily trial 100-Gbps to support mobile services

Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext and NYSE:ALU) and Mobily, the brand name of a Saudi Arabian mobile operator Etihad Etisalat, say they have successfully completed a trial of 100-Gbps transmission technology using live traffic in the Saudi city of Jeddah.

Alcatel-Lucent supplied aspects of its Converged Backbone Transformation (CBT) portfolio, which is based on its 1830 Photonic Service Switch (PSS; see “Alcatel-Lucent unveils 100G on 1830 Photonic Service Switch”).

Abdul Aziz Al Tamami, COO of Mobily said, “Mobily is committed to providing its customers with innovative communications solutions. The introduction of 100G will allow us to meet the ongoing business and entertainment broadband needs of both current and new customers as we continue to grow our subscriber base in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

Etihad Etisalat was established in 2004 by a consortium led by Etisalat, the UAE-based telecom conglomerate. Mobily is the second largest mobile operator in Saudi Arabia, with more than 40% market share. It also owns the majority of shares in the Saudi National Fiber Network (SNFN). The SNFN comprises 12,800 km of structured fiber cable, in seven fully protected rings that cover 35 Saudi cities. It also provides access to 60 major hub sites, complemented with 20 inter-metropolis fiber loops in major Saudi cities.

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