Spark moves to 200Gbps wavelength

Spark is using Nokia kit to roll out New Zealand’s first 200Gbps wavelength network link.

The link connects Spark’s core network node at Papakura with the Southern Cross Cable Network landing station about 45km away at Takapuna. It was a 100Gbps link.

Powering the link is Nokia’s PSS1830 Optical Transport Network. It uses Nokia’s PSE–2 photonic service engine and two digital signal processors.

Nokia says the PSE–2 is: “A programmable platform with coherent support for 100Gbps and 200Gbps single carrier wavelengths with different modulation schemes”.

The company says this means Spark can get the most bandwidth over the greatest distance.

Spark says it needed to upgrade the link to support the growing data demand from customers as streaming video becomes more popular.

Colin Brown, Spark networks GM says: “Nokia has helped Spark NZ reach a new milestone with our world-class optical transport network, achieving our vision of a data-driven future for New Zealand and underpinning an integrated network including fibre, 3G, 4G, 4.5G, wireless broadband and wi-fi.”

This kind of upgrade involves installing new hardware at both ends of a cable so a carrier like Spark can double capacity without a major capital investment. The new kit effectively lowers the cost per bit travelling through the link.