NEC Contributes to Japan's First 100Gbps-DWDM Fiber Cable Transmission Using Commercial Fiber Cable between Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka (710km)

***  For immediate use June 21, 2012


Tokyo, June 21, 2012 - NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701) announced today its participation in Japan's first DWDM (*1) transmission of 100Gbps per wavelength, realized using commercial fiber cable along Japan's highest volume transmission route connecting the 710km between Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka. These results were accomplished through 100Gbps optical transmission trials carried out by NTT Communications Corporation.

NEC's 100Gbps-DWDM transmission system, the "SpectralWave DW7000," with a wavelength interval of 50GHz and wavelength capacity of 88, contributed to this testing, which took place in March 2012 along the repeater and DSF fiber-optic cables connecting Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka.

Tests were conducted using existing commercial cable with the intention of introducing 100Gbps-DWDM systems to backbone networks in the near future. These actual operating conditions present a variety of operational challenges, including fluctuations in optical signal loss due to transmission route changes and variability in optical fiber characteristics (Chromatic Dispersion, Polarization-Mode Dispersion, *2). NEC's 100Gbps-DWDM system addressed these issues by utilizing a transponder equipped with its internally developed 100G DP-QPSK digital coherent optical transceiver module (*3), which demonstrated stable, error-free transmission of 100 Gigabit Ethernet signals between Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka.

In recent years, an urgent need to strengthen network infrastructure emerged as transmission traffic rapidly increased from the growing use of smartphones, video sites and SNS. Moreover, the importance of creating robust, highly reliable networks was further emphasized following the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011.

The 100Gbps-DWDM transmission system used for these tests demonstrated both a transmission capacity that is 5.5 times greater and a transmission distance of almost 2 times longer than existing "SpectralWave DW4200" equipment using the same transmission route. Furthermore, since the new system allows optical transmission paths to be reconfigured almost instantaneously from remote locations, transmission can be quickly restored in the event of a failure. This enables telecommunications carriers to efficiently maintain network infrastructure that boasts high speed, high capacity and high reliability.

These tests confirmed that NEC's 100 Gbps-DWDM transmission system, one of the company's core next generation technologies, can successfully operate through existing DSF optical fiber cable.

Going forward, NEC aims to capitalize on its proven experience and technological know-how in the optical transmission field to develop and commercialize products that meet and surpass market demands.

Notes

*1) Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM)
DWDM is transmission technology that utilizes multiplexing optical fiber to simultaneously transmit numerous optical signals of different wavelengths. This is a high density version of Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM).

*2) Polarization-Mode Dispersion (PM)
PMD is a phenomenon where a propagation time difference arises among components of orthogonal polarization mode within optical fiber.

*3) The transceiver module features a 100G digital coherent signal processing LSI from NTT Electronics Corporation that utilizes aspects of "The R&D on High-speed Optical Transport System Technologies" commissioned by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. The 100Gbps-DWDM transmission system utilizes aspects of "ultra high speed optical edge node technology" commissioned by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

NEC Press Contacts (Japan)

Takehiko Kato
NEC Corporation
+81-3-3798-6511
E-Mail:t-kato@cj.jp.nec.com

Joseph Jasper
NEC Corporation
+81-3-3798-6511
E-Mail:j-jasper@ax.jp.nec.com