Columbus Networks shifts to 40G technology from Nokia Siemens Networks

MARCH 31, 2009 -- Responding to regional growth in data traffic volumes and the resulting increase in capacity requirements of its carrier customers, Columbus Networks is upgrading its network with a 40-Gbps system from Nokia Siemens Networks (search Lightwave for Nokia Siemens Networks). The upgrade, says the wholesale communications service provider, will add capacity to its Florida Transport Network, which serves as a main U.S. backbone connecting international undersea cables ARCOS-1 and CFX. Columbus Networks already provides more than 200-Gbps of capacity and IP services and seeks to utilize state-of-the-art technology to meet future customer needs.

Nokia Siemens Networks will provide a turnkey system that is founded on the latest version of the hiT 7300 DWDM platform, which allows for regional to long-haul transport applications and supports reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) technology. This will provide Columbus Networks with a scalable transport backbone that can manage the high data traffic volumes required by its carrier customers. Additionally, the ROADM support for multidegree photonic crossconnects (PXCs) supporting 80 channels enables Columbus Networks to best route this data traffic on the optical layer remotely so they can quickly and flexibly manage varying data traffic demands, according to Nokia Siemens Networks.

"The demand for high bandwidth capacity on our network has been tremendous, so it's important that our backbone network expansion accommodate not only the data traffic over long distances, but also does so with increasing levels of security, high capacity, and cost efficiency," says Peter Collins, chief technology officer, Columbus Networks. "We are pleased with the fact that Nokia Siemens Networks' 40-Gbps solution with the hiT 7300 positions us as a technology leader in terms of the functionality of our network to help us better serve our customers' needs."

Columbus Networks' network design is fully ring secured. To accommodate the continued growth in data traffic and the carrier's overall footprint, the hiT 7300 provides a network capacity that can be extended to 80x40G as needed in the future with improved operating performance metrics.

Nokia Siemens Networks recently announced the latest version of its hiT 7300, version 4.25, and Columbus Networks reports it is the first in the world to deploy this version. Other components of the system are Nokia Siemens Networks' Telecommunications Network Management System and services including network design, commissioning, installation, training, and extended care.

"Columbus Networks is experiencing a level of data traffic growth that many carriers are dealing with, and the choices they've made for their network gives them scale and the ability to expand as they grow and enlarge their service footprint," says Hans-Juergen Schmidtke, head of fixed network business development, Nokia Siemens Networks, North America. "Nokia Siemens Networks continues to improve our optical transport portfolio with this latest development for 40 Gbps, and we're confident that carriers like Columbus Networks will benefit from our commitment to continued innovation."

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