BW Digital sets 1.2 Tb/s record on Hawaiki cable with Ciena
BW Digital has achieved a new data transmission record of 1.2 Tb/s per wavelength over a 4,300km segment of the Hawaiki Transpacific Cable using Ciena's WaveLogic 6 Extreme solution.
The field trial aimed to address growing demands for high-capacity, energy-efficient connectivity between Australasia and the United States as datacentre requirements continue to rise in the region and beyond.
During the trial, BW Digital deployed Ciena's GeoMesh Extreme, which incorporates WaveLogic 6 Extreme (WL6e) coherent technology on Waveserver compact interconnect platforms. The solution was operated over Ciena's Reconfigurable Line System (RLS) submarine line terminating equipment, setting a new benchmark for data transmission speeds across the cable's infrastructure.
Ciena's WL6e technology is designed to enhance spectral efficiency and decrease the space and power needed per transmitted bit when compared to previous generations. This provides an avenue for future upgrades to the cable system to be more sustainable, aligning with industry shifts towards greener network infrastructure.
The Hawaiki cable, which spans 15,000 km and has been in operation since 2018, connects data centres across Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific and the US. The cable is considered a vital part of digital infrastructure for the regional and transpacific network ecosystem.
Virginie Frouin, Chief Business Officer at BW Digital, said: "The trial results announced today validate our strategy to focus on innovation to offer scalable, high-capacity solutions to our customers while constantly improving sustainability."
Frouin added: "By integrating cutting-edge technology into our cable infrastructure, we further strengthen our digital ecosystem and create opportunities for our customers to leverage spectrum sharing and maximise their investment as the pace of innovation increases."
Ivan Polizzi, Regional Managing Director for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands at Ciena, said: "BW Digital's WL6e trial underscores the readiness of advanced coherent optics in improving the sustainability and operational economics of managing submarine networks today."
"Our long-standing collaboration with BW Digital continues to deliver technical and operational milestones, demonstrating the value of innovation in long-haul subsea cable systems," Polizzi said.
BW Digital owns and operates the Hawaiki Transpacific Cable as part of its infrastructure portfolio. The company is currently developing a digital campus on Batam, Indonesia, which will feature a 120MW data centre and additional connectivity options including a submarine cable to Singapore and terrestrial fibre networks within Nongsa Digital Park. There are also plans to integrate these assets with the Hawaiki Nui 1 Cable, expanding connections to Singapore, Indonesia, Darwin and Sydney.
According to the parties, the trial highlights the potential for further advances in capacity and eco-efficiency for transpacific subsea telecommunications infrastructure amid a rapidly expanding data economy.
