New from Ensemble, a division of ADVA, is an upgrade for the Ensemble suite network functions virtualisation (NFV) platform, which now features management and orchestration (MANO) capabilities, to help service providers roll out secure virtualised services at scale.
Verizon Communications has named Hans E. Vestberg, executive vice president and president of global networks and chief technology officer. Vestberg will succeed Lowell C. McAdam as CEO, effective 1 August 2018. McAdam – who was named CEO on August 1, 2011, and chairman on January 1, 2012 – will serve as executive chairman of the board through his retirement from the company at the end of the year, after which he will become non-executive chairman.
When Hurricane Sandy battered the eastern seaboard of the United States in 2012, a storm surge caused catastrophic flooding of Verizon’s central office (CO) in Broad Street, Manhattan. Miles of underground copper cables were ruined by the water. Even worse, paper insulation in the wiring sucked water deeper into the network through capillary action, destroying cables in otherwise dry areas. Verizon found that it was too difficult, expensive and time-consuming to rescue the existing copper network, so decided to rewire with optical fibre cables instead.
Philippines cable operator, SKY Cable is using end-to-end systems from Calix to drive its expansive network transformation to fibre.
The plan is to transform its existing, traditional cable network into an ‘always-on’ software defined network, serving the greater metropolitan areas of Manila and Rizal, as well as Cavite and Laguna. The operator will also deploy AXOS DPx, and Calix WiFi enabled GigaHubs at subscribers’ homes and businesses. The new network will be built end-to-end on Calix AXOS.
Verizon will begin its large-scale NG-PON2 deployments during the first quarter of this year, for which the US operator has confirmed Calix as a main supplier partner.
Starting the transformation in Tampa, Florida – with plans to expand into other markets – Verizon will deploy a single access network for residential, business, and mobile services in what it says is an ‘industry-first’ use of NG-PON2 technology.
Verizon has completed a successful field trial delivering live 400Gb/s Ethernet traffic on a single wavelength between MPLS Core routers over its packet-optical network.
The trial demonstrated the interoperability between equipment from two different suppliers – Ciena and Juniper – alongside the capability to quadruple the typical capacity carried on one wavelength.
Verizon has deployed Sedona Systems’ NetFusion network intelligence and automation system across its entire network. The move was designed to facilitate a more complete understanding of the relationships and dependencies between the IP and optical network layers, forming an accurate network database for analytics and automation.
Calix announced that it is the first vendor to demonstrate ITU standards-based channel bonding for NG-PON2, which combines multiple 10Gb/s channels to create a single channel with throughput of up to 40Gb/s.
Channel bonding allows operators to deliver more bandwidth than a single channel can support. This technique is used to boost capacity in DSL and G.fast systems by combining the capacity from several copper cables into a single logical channel. In the case of NG-PON2, the channels are wavelengths running over the same physical fibre.
Cost and compatibility can make a compelling case for pushing 100Gb/s bandwidth over a single optical channel, both as individual links and supporting 400Gb/s Ethernet, finds Andy Extance
Robin Mersh takes a look at how the industry is creating next-generation optical access fit for 5G
Technological advances to aid the increasing demand for bandwidth, on the path towards the terabit network, should lead to optical signals that are flexible and adaptive, like water, argues Dr Maxim Kuschnerov and Dr Yin Wang