SK Telecom increases optical network capacity to 100G

Korea’s SK Telecom is upgrading its 40-Gbps fiber-optic network to 100-Gbps capabilities via technology from Nokia Siemens Networks. With 80 wavelengths per fiber, each strand will now be capable of carrying 8 Tbps.

Nokia Siemens Networks is supplying the 100-Gbps capabilities via its hiT 7300 DWDM platform, which SK Telecom was using for the 40-Gbps links (see “SK Telecom quadruples network capacity to 40G, prepares for 100G”). The system uses coherent polarization-multiplexed quadrature phase-shift keying (CP-QPSK), the company’s version of DP-QPSK (see "TeliaSonera International Carrier taps Nokia Siemens Networks for 100-Gbps technology").

The company recently announced that it would sell its optical networks business, including the hiT 7300, to Marlin Equity Partners (see "Nokia Siemens Networks to sell optical network hardware business to Marlin Equity Partners"). Nevertheless, deployment activity continues.

“With increasing smartphone adoption in Korea, there is a surging demand for higher-capacity networks. Operators such as SK Telecom need to expand their network capacity multifold, and they need to do so cost efficiently by optimizing the use of existing fiber,” said Tapani Sairanen, head of Asia and Middle East cluster, customer sales support, Optical Networks, Nokia Siemens Networks. “Our scalable and flexible optical products help SK Telecom transition to a 100G network cost efficiently, as our technology eliminates the need for costly installation of more fiber. This ultra-fast data transmission allows SK Telecom to continue to ensure a superior mobile broadband customer experience.”

In addition to the optical transport systems, Nokia Siemens Networks will provide its network management system as well as network planning, optimization, implementation and hardware and software maintenance services for the project.

For more information on high-speed transport systems and suppliers, visit the Lightwave Buyer’s Guide.