AT&T® Successfully Completes Trials Using 400 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) In Its Network

The telecom major AT&T^® is carrying out drastic improvements over its network infrastructure. Recently, it has completed the testing of a single-wavelength 400 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) in its production network. This has concluded the last stages of the trial that the Telco has carried out from the previous year onwards. The objective of the trials was to enhance the Ethernet service portfolio and in implementing an open network across the country. AT&T^® has carried out the trials in compliance with the IEEE based 400GbE end-to-end standard and intends to virtualize its network.

This end-to-end service was delivered across the AT&T^® Open ROADM metro network via utilizing open source controller technology along with Ciena’s optical networking solutions. Field trials that were carried out before requires the use of multiple wavelengths for creating the 400GbE network connection. This new trial using the 400 Gigabit Ethernet also considered the latest open optical network advances using reconfigurable add-drop multiplexes (ROADMs) and SDN-based controllers. AT&T^® and other internet providers such as Verizon^® have witnessed the benefits of using the Colorless, Directionless and Contentionless (CDC) ROADMs.

During the trials, AT&T^® has also utilized open-sourced white boxes as network equipment. This has enabled AT&T^® to regulate the costs involved as well as provide interoperability amongst the hardware of the network. According to AT&T^®, these trials can result in the upgrading of the connectivity backbones of its networks to provide 400GbE. This will also enable the Telco to become the fastest internet provider that gives business customers access to the ultra-fast internet.

“Introducing 400GbE is a natural next step. Customer demands have shifted to faster speeds, more video-centric content and cloud integration,” Roman Pacewicz, chief product officer for AT&T^® Business said. Businesses can benefit a lot by using these new 400GbE services particularly those offering mobility services, online streaming, and search engines. The 400GbE services will provide them the means to transfer huge amounts of data effortlessly and with less time.

In addition, AT&T^® also carried out a successful trial of the 400GbE connection in live traffic on its network operating between Washington DC and New York. An SDN controller was employed for this test to make a direct path into the two cities. AT&T^® started the trials previous year on the 400GbE network in three phases. To assist in the trials, AT&T^® also relied on the optical gear offered by Coriant to carry the 400GbE service across the two cities.