USA: TE SubCom Demonstrates 100Gb/s-Based Transmission Over Trans-Atlantic Distances

TE SubCom, a TE Connectivity Ltd. Company and an industry pioneer in undersea communications technology, announced it has successfully demonstrated 100Gb/s coherent transmission over trans-Atlantic distances at ultra-high 10Tb/s total capacity on a single fiber. The test was completed using a prototype of the company’s new, first generation smarTEr C100 transceiver.

“This significant customer demonstration builds on a 60-year track record of commitment to specialized, long-haul undersea transmission research and development and success in delivering capacity-record-setting undersea cable systems,” said David Coughlan, CEO, TE SubCom. “Further, it is a notable step toward the delivery of the first generation of new, 100Gb/s subsea cable systems and marks the beginning of ultra-high, double-digit terabit per fiber pair deployments.”

The demonstration, which was conducted on a straight line coherent optimized test bed that simulates undersea systems, including amplifiers and fiber, transmitted 100x100Gb/s (10Tb/s) error-free capacity over 6,400km with significant system performance margin. The hardware tested included proprietary soft decision error correction algorithms.

“With hero experiments published last year and now with prototype hardware, TE SubCom has significantly built up its 100Gb/s technology and capabilities. The door to the 100G era is now open,” said Ekaterina Golovchenko, TE SubCom Managing Director, Product Management, who will be discussing the growing demand for specifically designed 100Gb/s undersea cable systems at PTC 2012.

Combined with recently completed upgrade projects on existing TE SubCom-built cable systems, the company’s successful 100G test highlights its commitment to maximizing the availability and utilization of bandwidth and customers’ sustained lifetime benefits.

“What we have seen as technology has evolved is that it is absolutely crucial for customers to make the right selection of original cable system supplier at the outset, as their decision has long-term implications for maximizing the return on a significant capital investment,” said Coughlan. “However, we do expect the current activity in the upgrade of existing DWDM dispersion managed systems will reach a technical and economic limitation, probably in the next two years. For that reason, TE SubCom has long embraced the movement toward 100G, and we are leading the industry in delivering a new wave of technology and systems. A number of our customers are now looking beyond the current upgrade wave and considering plans for new, future-proofed and specifically designed 100Gb/s cable systems, to drive future competitive advantage to their business.”

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Subsea World News Staff , January 15, 2012; Image: TE SubCom