Infinera on Monday announced that Virgin Media has trialed innovative network technology which provides new ways to roll out multi-gigabit speeds to consumers and businesses.
The trial, delivered on the operator’s network in Reading, UK, saw Virgin Media install prototype Infinera XR optics technology in its network. The new equipment plugs into the existing network and can send and receive data at much higher speeds than was previously possible – reaching transfer rates of up to 400Gbps in a single fiber.
In 2019, Virgin Media trialed 10Gbps symmetric full fiber home broadband technology in Papworth, Cambridgeshire. This new trial goes a step beyond that, demonstrating that the operator’s passive fiber optic access network (PON) – which provides multiple premises with full fiber connections – could deliver 400Gbps symmetrical services by making use of the latest technology.
In the trial, the traditional network transceivers were replaced with cutting-edge technology which split a single fiber optic cable into many connections, all taking a share of the huge capacity. This means a single fiber could be used to provide multi-gigabit speeds to many customers at the same time.
By using standard passive optical network technology, the transceivers can support higher speed data transfers and can be remotely upgraded and configured. This allows the network operator to make changes quickly and easily, paving the way for simple upgrades to consumer services in future.
Jeanie York, Chief Technology and Information Officer, Virgin Media
Our next-generation network already offers gigabit connectivity to more than 7 million homes, but with data use and demand for hyperfast speeds surging, we’re continually investing in our network to prepare for whatever the future brings.
Dave Welch, Infinera Chief Innovation Officer and Co-founder
The trial with Virgin Media provides a solid proof point that Infinera’s XR optics technology can be seamlessly applied to existing networks. This represents a radical shift in the way networks can be built, promising a more flexible and sustainable way to meet the ever increasing need to transmit more data at higher speeds.
