JUNE 24, 2010 -- Verizon (NYSE, NASDAQ:VZ) says it has completed a field trial in which it carried 100-Gigabit Ethernet traffic on a metropolitan Ethernet infrastructure. The 100-Gigabit Ethernet trial used Alcatel-Lucent’s (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) 7450 ESS nodes with 100GBase-LR10 optics deployed in Verizon’s Switched Ethernet Services (SES) network. The trial link ran 12.7 km in the company’s Dallas area network.
Verizon says that demand for SES is increasing, driven by trends such as wireless carriers using Ethernet backhaul. The carrier says it currently provides links for thousands of cell sites and mobile switching offices from its fiber-optic network using Ethernet-based technology.
“With this 100G Ethernet trial, Verizon is preparing for the future and the need to meet our customers’ bandwidth needs in the metro Ethernet space,” said Jean McManus, executive director of technology for Verizon. “The ‘network of tomorrow’ will include building blocks such as 100G Ethernet that allow us to scale our switched Ethernet core as access speeds and customer demands increase.”
The trial, which ran from June 14–18, used existing Alcatel-Lucent 7450 switching equipment with new plug-in cards to place native 100-Gigabit Ethernet traffic on a single fiber, creating the high-speed links.
“Our goal is to show 100GbE can be carried on a metro network and do it with current equipment that avoids major changes -- and the associated costs -- to the existing network infrastructure,” said McManus.
“A seamless transition to 100GbE leveraging existing Alcatel-Lucent IP Routing platforms enables Verizon to expand its innovative Ethernet service offerings in a timely and efficient manner,” said Robert Vrij, president of the Americas region at Alcatel-Lucent. “Services are the driver of revenues and the rationale for investment in the network. Our platforms deliver speed without compromising services, leveraging our breakthrough 100G silicon innovation and long-standing relationships with leading service providers such as Verizon.”
Alcatel-Lucent says it offers the industry’s first 100GbE interfaces. It also recently announced the commercial availability of 100G optical transport technology (see “Alcatel-Lucent unveils 100G on 1830 Photonic Service Switch”).
This latest trial follows Verizon’s deployment of the first live 100G commercial system on its European optical core network between Paris and Frankfurt as well as a series of successful 100G technology trials the company has previously completed.
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