Verizon, in partnership with Ciena, has achieved a significant milestone in optical communication by successfully transmitting data at 1.6 terabits per second (Tbps) over a single-carrier wavelength. The trial, conducted along a 118-kilometer metro route in Boston, utilized Ciena’s WaveLogic 6 Extreme (WL6e) coherent optical technology. This innovation is part of Verizon’s broader strategy to enhance its fiber network capabilities to meet the surging demands of artificial intelligence (AI) workloads.
The trial highlighted the potential of WL6e technology, which is designed to support high-capacity traffic efficiently. By transmitting over a route with ten network hops and traversing nine reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexers, Verizon demonstrated the system’s robustness in real-world conditions. This achievement not only pushes the boundaries of metro wavelength capacities but also aligns with Verizon’s ongoing initiatives to optimize energy use across its network.
Verizon has positioned this breakthrough as a cornerstone for enabling AI applications, which require the rapid and large-scale processing of data. Senior Vice President of Technology Strategy and Planning, Adam Koeppe, emphasized that the company’s investment in cloud-native architecture, advanced spectrum deployment, and fiber capacity upgrades underpins its ability to support AI-driven activities. This trial showcases Verizon’s readiness to power the exponential growth in data needs brought on by AI and other emerging technologies.
Ciena’s WL6e technology offers unique advantages, including its ability to maximize coverage for metro deployments and support connectivity at 800 gigabits per second. Brodie Gage, Senior Vice President at Ciena, noted that the innovation is tailored to cater to the increasing bandwidth demands associated with AI and other data-intensive applications. The collaboration reflects a shared vision for sustainable and high-performance network solutions.
