Colt Technology Services has completed field trials of multi-core fibre (MCF) technology across its London metro optical network, achieving 800Gb/s line rates over operational infrastructure.
The trials, conducted between two Colt points of presence, tested performance across spans of 9km and 63km. Using equipment from Ciena and Nokia, Colt validated the MCF technology for 100GE and 400GE services. Technical parameters tested included chromatic dispersion, polarisation mode dispersion, crosstalk, throughput, and optical return loss.
Multi-core fibre incorporates multiple cores within a single strand, enabling parallel data transmission and increased capacity without requiring additional cable deployment. This technology is positioned to address the surge in capacity demands from hyperscale operators while reducing physical space requirements in existing duct infrastructure.
Surge in network capacity demand
Sterlite Technologies Limited (STL) supplied its Multiverse MCF technology for the trial, providing a complete ecosystem including fibres, cables, and termination solutions. The company is among the first to demonstrate field deployments of MCF in underground and duct networks.
"As demand for network capacity surges, customers need more bandwidth without compromising security, performance, or sustainability," said Buddy Bayer, Chief Operating Officer at Colt Technology Services. "This pilot demonstrates our commitment to delivering future-ready, sustainable networks."
Rahul Puri, CEO of STL’s optical networking business, noted that the deployment represents a significant progression from laboratory development to field implementation. "STL’s Multiverse multi-core fibre is designed to unlock massive capacity and deliver truly future-ready networks," he stated.
AI-ready telecoms infrastructure
The trial is part of a broader industry effort to scale optical capacity in response to traffic from AI workloads and cloud computing. MCF offers potential advantages in total cost of ownership by reducing cable count and maintenance while supporting higher aggregate bandwidth.
While specific commercial timelines were not provided, Colt indicated that MCF could support future requirements for AI and quantum computing applications. The successful validation marks a step towards broader adoption of MCF in metropolitan and long-haul networks where duct space is at a premium.
