ECI Telecom demos 100 Gigabit over 4,600km

• 4,600km optical transmission over submarine cable
• The Tera Santa Consortium, chaired by ECI, will show a 400 Gigabit/ 1 Terabit transceiver prototype in the summer
• 100 Gigabit direct-detection module on hold as the company eyes new technology developments

"When we started the project it was not clear whether the market would go for 400 Gig or 1 Terabit. Now it seems that the market will start with 400 Gig."

Jimmy Mizrahi, ECI Telecom

ECI Telecom has transmitted a 100 Gigabit signal over 4,600km without signal regeneration. Using Bezeq International's submarine cable between Israel and Italy, ECI sent the 100 Gigabit-per-second (Gbps) signal alongside live traffic. The Apollo optimised multi-layer transport (OMLT) platform was used, featuring a 5x7-inch MSA 100Gbps coherent module with soft-decision, forward error correction (SD-FEC).

"We set a target for the expected [optical] performance with our [module] partner and it was developed accordingly," says Jimmy Mizrahi, head of the optical networking line of business at ECI Telecom. "The [100Gbps] transceiver has superior performance; we have heard that from operators that have tested the module's capabilities and performance."

One geography that ECI serves is the former Soviet Union which has large-span networks and regions of older fibre.


Tera Santa Consortium

ECI used the Bezeq trial to also perform tests as part of the Tera Santa Consortium project involving Israeli optical companies and universities. The project is developing a transponder capable of 400 Gigabit and 1 Terabit rates. The project is funded by seven participating firms and the Israeli Government.

"When we started the project it was not clear whether the market would go for 400 Gig or 1 Terabit,” says Mizrahi. “Now it seems that the market will start with 400 Gig."

The Tera Santa Consortium expects to demonstrate a 1 Terabit prototype in August and is looking to extend the project a further three years.


100 Gigabit direct detection

In 2012 ECI announced it was working with chip company, MultiPhy, to develop a 100 Gigabit direct-detection module. The 100 Gigabit direct detection technology uses 4x28Gbps wavelengths and is a cheaper solution than 100Gbps coherent. The technology is aimed at short reach (up to 80km) links used to connect data centres, for example, and for metro applications.

“We have changed our priorities to speed up the [100Gbps] coherent solution,” says Mizrahi. “It [100Gbps direct detection] is still planned but has a lower priority.”

ECI says it is monitoring alternative technologies coming to market in the next year. “We are taking it slowly because we might jump to new technologies,” says Mizrahi. “The line cards will be ready, the decision will be whether to go for new technologies or for direct detection."

Mizrahi would not list the technologies but hinted they may enable cheaper coherent solutions. Such coherent modules would not need SD-FEC to meet the shorter reach, metro requirements. Such a module could also be pluggable, such as the CFP or even the CFP2, and use indium phosphide-based modulators.

“For certain customers pricing will always be the major issue,” says Mizrahi. “If you have a solution at half the price, they will take it.”