China Mobile (News - Alert), which has been working with Nokia since 1994, has tapped the supplier of network equipment, software, and services to handle 30 percent of its optical network build this year and next. The 100G optical network build is part of the company’s Broadband China strategy, and the service provider’s optical network will help support the growing needs of mobile subscribers on its enormous 4G network. In fact, China Mobile says this technology will power the world's largest 4G network that is expected to serve more than 300 million subscribers.
"This is a crucial win with our longstanding partner,” said Mike Wang, head of the joint management team of Nokia Networks China and Alcatel-Lucent (News - Alert) Shanghai Bell. “With our innovative 100G OTN solution, we are able to help China Mobile meet the higher requirements for large-scale 4G construction. We are committed to delivering the latest optical transmission innovations to enable China Mobile to optimize their networks and open up new opportunities for their subscribers."
Nokia (News - Alert) will provide its recently announced 1830 PSS-24x packet-optical transport platform, featuring a four-port 100G DWDM line card, as part of the deal. The line card is based on Nokia’s Photonic Service Engine 2 Compact technology, a low-power digital signal processor. All that promises to enable China Mobile to expedite services introduction and quickly add optical capacity as needed.
In an Aug. 2 Nokia blog Sam Bucci, vice president and general manager of the IP transport business unit, writes about what he calls “the big optical shift”. When Nokia first introduced its 100G interface, he says, there was uncertainty as to whether there was industry demand for such a solution. But, he adds, clearly there was, as many customers today have 100G in their optical networks.
“Even so, their networks are filling up at an accelerating rate,” adds Bucci. “Capacity demand continues to skyrocket. Higher interface speeds are now in demand. With its much-needed blend of performance, capacity and spectral efficiency, our 200G offer is fast becoming the interface of choice for optical transmission.”
Edited by
Peter Bernstein
