Nokia and Windstream Wholesale partnered the B2B operator in testing the potential capacity, speed and low latency on this transatlantic route
Colt Technology Services, Windstream Wholesale and Nokia have successfully completed a “world-first” trial of 800 Gigabit Ethernet (800GbE) connecting London to Chicago (pictured). The route that connected two of the world’s biggest financial services hubs was across an 8,500km subsea and terrestrial infrastructure, over the production network.
The trial showcased power-saving networking technologies from the three global tech businesses to test the boundaries of next-generation wavelength, capacity, speed and latency between two of the world’s largest financial trading hubs.
The field trial involved connecting one of Colt’s five transatlantic subsea cables and part of its terrestrial fibre optic network with Windstream Wholesale’s domestic US low latency, optical fibre Intelligent Converged Optical Network (ICON) monitoring speed and performance.
Colt and Windstream Wholesale demonstrated the world’s first transoceanic 800GbE end-to-end service transport from router to router over 1Tbps optical transport. The trial ran on Nokia’s sixth-generation Photonic Service Engine (PSE-6s) coherent optics and 7750 Service Router (SR) routing platforms to support internet service speeds and ultra-high wavelength capacity, while maintaining power efficiency.
The partners say 800GbE technology marks a breakthrough in service bandwidth, doubling capacity to support advanced network applications like AI data centre networking, content delivery networks, and financial data hub connections. After the trial’s success, the organisations are exploring options to bring 800GbE connectivity services to market for global business customers.
Pushing the boundaries
Buddy Bayer, COO, Colt Technology Services, said, “Pushing the boundaries of technology innovation is a fundamental part of our customer commitment: it means we stay a step ahead of the market, so we’re ready when our customers ask, ‘What’s next for us?’ This trial has seen us build a powerful industry collaboration to explore the ‘what’s next’.
“It’s tested the limits of infrastructure performance and capability across thousands of miles of land and sea with incredible networking technologies, and it’s demonstrated the power and potential of what can be achieved, without skipping a beat.”
Federico Guillén, President of Nokia Network Infrastructure, added, “Such an ambitious project – to link two of the world’s most important financial hubs – sets the bar very high for network capacity, speed, security and reliability. This demonstration would simply not have been possible without the commitment of Nokia and our partners to the highest standards of innovation in networking technology. Together, we are redefining the art of the possible for IP and optical networks enabling cross-continental subsea and terrestrial communications.”
“Our latest innovation represents a true game-changer for global connectivity,” said Joe Scattareggia, president, Windstream Wholesale. “By partnering with two extraordinary leaders in the industry, we’re enabling unprecedented bandwidth capabilities that are essential for driving AI-powered applications worldwide for our customers.
“As an optical technology leader, Windstream Wholesale and our partners are establishing 800GbE as the next evolutionary advancement increase for wave services. This collaboration has pushed the boundaries of what’s possible, creating a network solution like no other. Together, we’re not just meeting the demands of the future — we’re shaping it.”