Lightpath Deploys Industry's First 400G Protected Circuit Utilizing Power-Efficient Ciena WaveLogic 5 Nano Coherent Optics

Core Insights - Lightpath and Ciena have successfully deployed the first known 400 Gb/s protected optical circuit, achieving significant bandwidth increases while reducing power consumption by 80% [1][3]. Group 1: Technical Achievements - The new circuit provides a geographically diverse and protected connection over approximately 200 miles, utilizing an average of 8 points-of-presence (POPs) per side [2]. - The solution employs Lightpath's dense fiber plant and Ciena's 6500 packet optical platform, utilizing high-performance WaveLogic 5 Nano coherent pluggable optics [2][4]. - The design optimizes fiber routes with optical layer protection, halving customer circuit handoffs and meeting a switch time requirement of less than 50 milliseconds [3][4]. Group 2: Equipment and Performance - Ciena's WaveLogic 5 Nano solution supports both standard interoperable and extended reach modes, delivering the highest 400G pluggable performance in the industry with a 70GBaud symbol rate [5]. - The solution requires 50% less physical space compared to standard transponder deployments, enhancing efficiency [5]. Group 3: Executive Insights - Lightpath's CEO emphasized the innovative approach taken to meet customer network requirements, highlighting the collaboration with Ciena to push the boundaries of high availability bandwidth solutions [6]. - Ciena's CTO noted that the partnership allows Lightpath to scale its network to handle unpredictable bandwidth demands while achieving greater power efficiencies and reliability [6].