DFA and Ciena, a global leader in high-speed connectivity, have achieved a landmark breakthrough in fibre capacity, delivering more than 4-times the performance of previous trials.
Using Ciena’s WaveRouter and WaveLogic 6 Extreme solutions, DFA successfully transmitted 1,6Tbps (terabits per second) over a single wavelength – setting a new performance benchmark for IP/optical convergence.
The trial was conducted over a 40km stretch between Isando and Midrand, using DFA’s high-capacity core network. The route chosen replicates the previous trial that had demonstrated 400Gbps capability.
“This greatly enhances the capability of DFA’s existing network and gives us the confidence that we can meet the growing digital demands of our customers,” says Andreas Uys, chief technology officer at Maziv, DFA’s parent company. “We can seamlessly onboard next-generation connectivity services in selected regions before scaling them nationwide.”
achievement follows Phase 1 of DFA’s R800-million network upgrade, which included deploying Dry Underground Distribution Cabinets (DUDCs) in high-density areas to speed up service delivery.
“We were able deploy this groundbreaking technology because of the high quality of our newly upgraded fibre infrastructure and the robust design of our core network to handle the additional traffic,” says Uys.
Powered by Ciena’s WaveLogic capabilities and deployed by Ciena partner, Willcom, WaveRouter will allow DFA to deliver greater scalability, flexibility, and sustainability by integrating 400Gbps, 800Gbps, and 1,6Tbps services within a single router.
“As the leading dark fibre provider in South Africa, DFA is taking bold steps to support the growing connectivity needs of its customers,” says Virginie Hollebecque, vice-president: EMEA at Ciena. “With Ciena’s optical and routing technologies, DFA is better positioned to deliver high-scale 400 Gbps aggregation today while preparing its network to scale up to 1,6Tbps and beyond.”