OPTUS ANNOUNCES AUSTRALIAN FIRST, CONNECTS CAIRNS TO PERTH WITH 100GBPS WAVELENGTH CAPACITY

Upgrade delivers high capacity, flexible network for wholesale and branded customers. 

Optus has announced its inter-capital fibre network from Cairns via Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide, to Perth has been upgraded to 100 Gigabits per second (Gbps), delivering wavelength links with combined capacity ten times larger than previously available.

In collaboration with Alcatel-Lucent, the upgrade has delivered an agile and flexible transport network that can deliver capacity where and when it is needed.

Rob Parcell, Managing Director Optus Wholesale, Satellite and SMB said: “Optus is committed to building reliable network capacity for retail, government and enterprise customers based on the world’s best long-haul transmission technology. This upgrade supports the changing needs of our customers including increasing capacity demands across Optus’ Wholesale and branded business lines alike. ”

“Investment in this type of network capability means we can reliably scale the delivery of high-speed, low latency services over a resilient high capacity network interconnecting Cairns to Perth for business and government and other carriers through our wholesale channel.”

Basil Alwan, Alcatel-Lucent President, IP Routing and Transport, said: “A vast country like Australia presents unique challenges for network deployment. Customers across the country demand better access to high performance, advanced broadband services at reasonable price. Through these upgrades, we are supporting Optus to enhance user experience and lay the foundation for future service growth.”

Mr Parcell said the capability had already commenced roll-out into Optus’ extensive metropolitan networks.

“There is exponential demand for high-speed connectivity, driven by growth in cloud computing, data centres and subsea cable upgrades. We’re looking to meet this demand while at the same time opening up new markets which allows us to remain competitive.”

Optus commenced building the capability in late 2014 linking Perth to Sydney. Links have been established between Sydney to Brisbane, and now Cairns in Far North Queensland.

Mr Dennis Wong, Acting Managing Director of Optus Networks said: “Optus made a strategic decision to move from 10Gbps straight to 100Gbps per wavelength as a key technology step to even higher speed services. Optus continuously assesses new technologies that will enable us to deliver higher capacity from our fibre assets when the feasible technologies become commercially viable.”

Background:

• Alcatel-Lucent has upgraded Optus’ optical network between Cairns and Perth using its 1830 Photonic Service Switch and Photonic Service Engine (PSE)-based coherent technology with soft-decision forward error correction (SD-FEC) that can extend the reach of 100G signals to 3,000 kilometers (1,800 miles) or more without need for costly re-generation.

-ENDS-

Media enquiries:

Steve Batten

Optus Corporate Affairs
Tel: (02) 02 8082 7850