NOVEMBER 24, 2008 -- Sprint (search for Sprint) says it completed a technology trial of the first alien-wavelength OC-768/STM-256 40-Gbit/sec transatlantic IP link between New York and Luleå, Sweden. Spanning more than 9,000 km of fiber distance, the circuit included a 7,630-km segment of the transatlantic submarine TAT-14 cable system between Sea Girt, NJ, and Blåbjerg, Denmark. This represents the first time that an OC-768 signal was successfully transmitted over a submarine cable using a single wavelength and existing DWDM systems, Sprint asserts.
The trial was made possible with the support of the TAT-14 cable system consortium (a consortium of approximately 40 international telecommunications carriers) and by the TAT-14 landing station operator in Denmark, TeliaSonera International Carrier (search for TeliaSonera). TeliaSonera provided support and optical backhaul from the European cable landing station for TAT-14 to Stockholm and SUnet, the Swedish research and education network that provided the optical path to Luleå in the north of Sweden.
"This successful trial of 40-Gbits/sec over IP on a submarine cable system represents another significant first in IP networking for Sprint," said Kathy Walker, chief information and network officer for Sprint. "It serves as a reminder of how far technology has advanced. TAT-14 and Sprint were the first to transmit data at 10-Gbit/sec (OC-192) speeds across the same path in 2001. Sprint and TAT-14 are making history again. By transmitting 40 Gbits/sec over an existing 10-Gbit/sec DWDM system, we've demonstrated that Sprint can increase capacity for its customers while minimizing additional capital and operational costs."
Rather than using traditional external DWDM equipment to generate the long-haul signal, the connection was based on Cisco's Carrier Routing System, CRS-1 (search for Cisco), and IP-over-DWDM (IPoDWDM) systems. With the CRS-1 IPoDWDM interface, the CRS-1 emits a colored 40-Gbit/sec wavelength that is fed directly into existing 10-Gbit/sec DWDM transmission equipment, providing four times the capacity and eliminating costly external transponders. This trial was enabled through close collaboration between Cisco Systems and StrataLight Communications (search for StrataLight), which provided the 40-Gbit/sec optical technology.
As use of the Internet continues to drive higher capacity needs, this trial highlights the potential for more than a fourfold increase in aggregate traffic capacity. The trial also suggests the feasibility of future transmission technology improvements approaching 100 Gbits/sec.
Visit Sprint Nextel
Visit TeliaSonera International Carrier
Visit StrataLight Communications
Visit Cisco