Southern Cross to add 1-Tbps submarine network capacity

Southern Cross Cable Network plans to add 500 Gbps to both of the system’s undersea cables by July 2014. The additional capacity will be provided through the submarine network’s existing Ciena 6500 packet-optical transport systems, according to Ciena (NYSE: CIEN).

The upgrade represents the second capacity increase on the submarine cable system in less than a year. Southern Cross added 100-Gbps wavelength capabilities to the fiber-optic network last July (see “Southern Cross submarine fiber network jumps to 100G”).

“The continued expansion of our network using the best 100G technology available underpins our strategy to support the development of high-speed broadband in Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, and Fiji,” stated Southern Cross President and CEO Fiona Beck. “ISPs and other customers continue to acquire greater amounts of capacity in larger units from Southern Cross. This latest expansion will be our largest to date, increasing our total lit capacity across the two Southern Cross cables from 2.6 Tbps to 3.6 Tbps.”

In addition to the increase in capacity the Ciena 6500 has provided, the system also has supported the implementation of the system house’s GeoMesh mesh-based submarine network architecture.

“The Ciena platform has allowed us to provide sector leading high capacity submarine capacity services such as 10G and 40G OTN along with the introduction of 40G Ethernet and 100G OTN interfacing,” Beck continued. “In 2014 we will introduce 100GbE services along with the seamless integration of our key internet data center access points such as Equinix in Sydney, CoreSite in San Jose, and the Westin Building in Seattle.”

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