Telefónica UK to deploy Ciena 6500 Packet Transport System in upgrade to packet-based network

May 19, 2020

The migration will help Telefónica UK evolve its network from a TDM approach to a packet-based Adaptive IP network,

Ciena (NYSE: CIEN) says it has won a contract from Telefónica UK for the supply of packet transport technology. The platforms and systems, which include the Ciena 6500 Packet Transport System (PTS), will help Telefónica UK evolve its network from a TDM approach to a packet-based Adaptive IP network, says Ciena.

Telefónica UK’s primary operations in the UK revolve around mobile service provision under the O2 brand, now the subject of a planned joint venture with Liberty Global (see “Liberty Global, Telefonica to merge Virgin Media, O2 into joint venture”). The company sees an upgrade of the network that underpins these services as essential to pave the way for new offerings and to improve performance.

“As a customer-led organization we remain committed to understanding and fulfilling our customers real-time needs. The upcoming integration of our legacy traffic into a new platform is a demonstration of how we work to continuously improve our customers’ connectivity experience. Migrating to a modernized network capable of automated services is absolutely necessary as we continue to develop 5G and IoT applications,” explained Jorge Ribeiro, head of infrastructure at Telefónica UK.

To meet these goals, Telefónica UK will leverage the Ciena 6500 PTS and Manage, Control and Plan (MCP) domain controller, alongside elements of the Ciena Services portfolio. As part of the migration from the legacy network to the new packet-based infrastructure, Telefónica UK will be able to support remaining TDM customers while supporting high-growth applications across a converged packet-based transport infrastructure, asserts Ciena.

“Providing reliable and seemingly endless bandwidth should not be hindered by the cost and complexity of managing legacy TDM networks,” commented Rodolfo Vigliano, senior managing director of sales at Ciena. “Our solution streamlines the migration process and also homogenizes Telefónica UK’s legacy services and its network approach to deliver 5G and IoT services.”

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About the Author

Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave

Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.

Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.

He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.

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