Transport network upgrade deployed by Vodafone NZ

A live 400-gigabit wavelength optical system has been deployed by Vodafone New Zealand, in order to futureproof its national transport network.

The highly advanced data transport system has been deployed in partnership with Vodafone’s optical partner Ciena and test equipment experts EXFO.

In this world-first live deployment, Vodafone can now achieve up to 17 terabits of throughput on a single pair of fibres, which is equivalent to over 700,000 channels of 4K TV streaming at the same time or more than 100 million simultaneous phone calls.

“The meteoric rise of online video streaming, gaming and cloud computing has meant Kiwis are chomping through data at rates we’ve never seen before,” said Vodafone Technology Director Tony Baird.

“This investment is about ensuring our transport network is in great shape for today and ready for the future — it is an important step on the roadmap to 5G and for a stack of other exciting innovations across New Zealand’s sprawling fibre and high-speed wireless networks.”

It also represents some of the most advanced technology in Vodafone New Zealand’s network, capable of carrying 44 x 400 gigabits of capacity across a single fibre pair.

Vodafone owns, operates and wholesales capacity on more than 10,000 kilometres of core fibre-optic cable, dedicated to hauling enormous quantities of consumer and business data up and down the country and to the world.

The 400-gigabit Ciena WaveLogic Ai system is now carrying live customer traffic across the Auckland metro region with plans underway for further expansions.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/agsandrew

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