Verizon marks milestone with successful 400G technology trial

NEW YORK, Jan. 25, 2018 -- Verizon has achieved another industry first with the completion of a successful field trial delivering live 400 Gbps Ethernet traffic on a single wavelength between MPLS Core routers over its Packet-Optical network.  This trial proved the interoperability of equipment from two different suppliers and the capability to quadruple the typical capacity carried on a wavelength. 

This field trial marks an important step toward advancing 400 Gbps transmission and router technology – vital to the continued growth of services and applications such as video streaming, virtual reality and cloud computing.

This trial, held in December 2017 using the Verizon network in the Dallas area, validates the viability of carrying 400 Gbps traffic.  This test traffic was transmitted between two Juniper Networks PTX 5000 routers across the Ciena 6500 Packet-Optical Platform, both used in Verizon’s production network.  This 400 Gbps interworking connection is compliant with IEEE Standard 802.3bs-2017, which was ratified in December 2017.  

“We’re delivering more content and capacity than ever from our network and we’re gearing up to do more,” said Lee Hicks, vice president, Network Planning for Verizon. “The appetite from consumers and businesses alike continues to grow. This 400G trial demonstrates our relentless focus on building networks people want and need. We’re building the future now.”

“This is an exciting time in our industry as live 400G trials and deployments are ramping up, proving that future networks will adapt to handle the next wave of high-speed applications and services,” said Steve Alexander, chief technology officer for Ciena. “This trial leveraged WaveLogic Ai – the latest generation of Ciena’s coherent optical technology, which can give Verizon greater competitive advantage and ensure its network will meet growing customer bandwidth demands.”

“As network traffic continues to grow at an accelerated rate and 5G proliferates, communications carriers and equipment providers must not only work together but also be agile, quickly leveraging new standards and technologies as they become available to rapidly innovate and expand the capability of core networks, said Sally Bament, vice president, Service Provider Marketing for Juniper Networks. “We’re excited to have played a key role in enabling a successful 400 Gbps trial that will pave the way for future high-bandwidth applications and services.”

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) (Nasdaq:VZ), headquartered in New York City, generated $126 billion in 2017 revenues. The company operates America’s most reliable wireless network and the nation’s premier all-fiber network, and delivers integrated solutions to businesses worldwide. Its Oath subsidiary reaches about one billion people around the world with a dynamic house of media and technology brands.

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Media contact:
Ray McConville
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