Southern Cross Cable has made history by achieving the world’s first transpacific 1 terabit per second (Tb/s) single-carrier wavelength connection. This groundbreaking milestone was accomplished across its extensive 13,500-kilometer live production network, utilizing Ciena’s WaveLogic 6 Extreme coherent optics technology.
Key Takeaways
- Southern Cross Cable has achieved a 1 Tb/s transpacific connection, the first of its kind.
- The technology used is Ciena’s WaveLogic 6 Extreme, enhancing network reliability and resilience.
- This advancement supports increasing bandwidth demands driven by AI, video, and cloud applications.
- The new channel reached error-free speeds between Sydney and Los Angeles.
- Future plans include implementing this technology across various segments starting in 2025.
A Historic Achievement
The successful implementation of this technology across the globe’s longest single optical submarine cable segment showcases the scalability and adaptability of Southern Cross’ network infrastructure. This milestone significantly enhances network pathways between Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, addressing the growing demand for high-speed connectivity.
Enhancing Connectivity
According to Southern Cross, the deployment of Ciena’s WaveLogic 6 Extreme optic technology is vital for improving connectivity throughout the Oceania region. This advancement is particularly important as it supports the rising demand for bandwidth driven by various applications, including artificial intelligence, video streaming, and cloud services.
During trials, the new channel achieved an impressive error-free speed of 1 Tb/s on Southern Cross’ live network, specifically between Sydney and Los Angeles. Laurie Miller, President and CEO of Southern Cross Cables Limited, emphasized the company’s commitment to modernizing their networks to support next-generation applications and growing bandwidth demands.
Future Plans
Southern Cross plans to implement the WaveLogic 6 Extreme technology across various segments starting in the first quarter of 2025. This will particularly focus on the Southern Cross NEXT cable, which will provide low latency connectivity between Sydney, Auckland, and Los Angeles. The network, which includes three submarine cables, links Australia, New Zealand, and the mainland United States, stretching over 45,000 kilometers of submarine fibers and offering a staggering 100 terabits per second of connectivity capability.
Capacity Upgrades
The enhancement of the network aims to upgrade capacity by over 100 times its original design potential using Ciena’s GeoMesh Extreme solution. Miller stated, "Working with Ciena and adapting our network with their latest coherent optical solution illustrates our pledge to the ongoing enhancement of critical digital infrastructure for our region."
The Role of Ciena
Dino DiPerna, Senior Vice President of Global Research and Development at Ciena, noted that as AI and cloud applications continue to increase capacity requirements for data centers, private cable operators like Southern Cross are essential in expanding their footprint and providing reliable connectivity.
Conclusion
Southern Cross’ network is a crucial component in facilitating connectivity between 20 key nodes across Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, and the US West Coast. This network not only links these regions to global digital markets but also offers secure interconnectivity, vital for meeting modern service demands, including the anticipated expansion to 800GbE services.
Sources
- Southern Cross Cable achieves 1 Tb/s transpacific milestone, IT Brief New Zealand.