Between mid-2008 and mid-2009, international internet traffic grew by 79 percent. That is putting even more of a strain on trans-oceanic fiber optic cables. Alcatel has discovered a way to increase the speed 10 times using the existing fiber lines (Lawson, 2009).
Alcatel is the first to achieve the blazing speed of 15.5 Terabits per second steadily over 7,000 kilometers. That is roughly the distance between Paris and Chicago. They went on to explain that “carrier networks” require speed to be maintained over long distances. The fastest network speeds are best possible over the shorter distances. Carrier networks carry an unbelievably heavy load of data because they aggregate the “traffic from entire countries and regions for transport around the world.”
The researchers for Alcatel attained these speeds by using 155 lasers that each blasted data at the rate 100 Gbps using different wave-lengths. The reason why they were able to transmit at such a speed using so many lasers was because they used digital signal processors (DSPs) in conjunction with their newly developed technology called “coherent detection” versus the current technology called “direct detection”. Coherent detection allows DSPs to “look at more properties of light” allowing them stuff more lasers on a single fiber and still be able distinguish the different wavelengths at the end of the cable.
Alcatel did not use more repeaters to attain this steady speed over 7,000 kilometers, in fact, they used 20% less repeaters. This is despite the fact that optical noise tends to increase parallel to the speed.
Trans-oceanic lines are the main benefactor of this technology because they must runs thousands of kilometers. In addition to running long distances they must aggregate massive amounts data. This upgrade in speed by a factor of 10 is quite the achievement. By reaching 15.5 Tbps over 7,000 kilometers in one fiber pipe, the health of the internet is prolonged. Research such as this is vitally important to the internet across the world. The nodes at the ends of these fiber lines must be consistently upgraded with newer technology or they cannot keep up with the exponential increase in traffic around the world. If technology isn’t upgraded then more fiber lines must be laid which is not economically feasible. This new technology couldn’t have come at a better time.
References
Lawson, Stephen, “Alcatel claims new optical network speed” On-line IT Journal, The IDG Network, 28 Sep 2009, retrieved from http://www.infoworld.com/d/networking/alcatel-claims-new-optical-network-speed-574, September 2009
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