40-Gbit/s backbones now!

At Globalcomm 2006, 40 Gbit/s backbone networks were surfacing again in key carriers‘ keynotes. Starting from simple considerations: on traffic growth in ATT network (5.6 petabytes per day), converged services demand, and launch of the Lightspeed Project (broadband to the home), ATT forecasts a massive network growth. Accordingly, it will expand its OC768 (40Gbit/s) backbone along key routes between 31 cities. First deployments, made by Siemens, would start by the end of 1Q07. ATT is not the first to turn to 40Gbit/s. In 12/06, MCI, now Verizon, announced plans for deploying OC768 gear, from Juniper and Xtera, in its networks.  In Europe, DT and FT also are seeing a need for 40 Gbit/s transmission on some routes in Western Europe.  But rationales to jump to 40 Gbit/s are not just speed, new products are cheaper to maintain, easier to operate than older products. So, we can expect that carriers will end upgrading their network with additional wavelengths, and start rebuilding their core optical network.