du claims regional first with 100G trial

United Arab Emirates carrier du claims to be a step closer to offering 100-Gb per wavelength transmission on optical coherent networks, following a successful trial of the technology.
 
The carrier claims the test is the first of its kind on optical networks in the region, and will offer the necessary bandwidth to enable its network to handle Internet, data content, mobile broadband and LTE services. The trial, conducted with Huawei, will allow du to offer services over a wider area, and connect with other countries.
 
du tested the backhaul of 100G per wavelength over two routes of fiber – one of 200 km, the other 500 km in length – on a live network. Hatem Bamatraf, du’s executive vice president of network development and operations, says the trial paves the way for network upgrades that will enable the carrier to match demand for bandwidth-hungry applications including Web access and TV services.
 
“We are very proud to be the first operator in the Middle East to successfully complete such a test. There are operators in Europe who have done this test over a live, long distance network, but so far we are the first to do so in the region,” Bamatraf states.