Alcatel-Lucent deploys 400G backbone for Ooredoo Algeria

Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) and Ooredoo Algeria have built a high-capacity optical transport network to connect Algeria's main cities of Algiers, Constantine, and Oran – as well as smaller cities – with high-speed broadband mobile access.

Ooredoo Algeria is one the country's fastest growing mobile service providers. The new fiber-optic network will help the operator to meet the rising demand from residential and business customers for high-quality service on their smartphones, tablets, and other connected devices. The service provider also will leverage its new 400G-based backbone to support the emergence of a strong Algerian new-tech ecosystem, according to Alcatel-Lucent.

The agile optical network – Africa's first Alcatel-Lucent 400G backbone, the companies claim – will be fully operational before the end of 2014. It will provide dramatically increased speed and capacity compared to previous Algerian mobile networks.

Ooredoo Algeria will use Alcatel-Lucent’s 1830 Photonic Service Switch (PSS) with high-capacity Optical Transport Network (OTN) switching and 400G technology to address the demand for high-bandwidth mobile data services such as high-definition video streaming, next-generation mobile broadband applications, and cloud services.

Alcatel-Lucent is also supplying Ooredoo Algeria with its soft-decision forward error correction (SD-FEC)-based 100G coherent optical technology developed using the company's 400G Photonic Service Engine (PSE). SD-FEC increases the performance and reach of 400G signals.

Josepg Ged, chief executive officer at Ooredoo Algeria, said, "Ooredoo Algeria has the fastest growing 3G network in the country and in north Africa. Our 400G network will be instrumental to support the best quality of experience for our customers as well as to increase our market share in Algeria. Through this game-changing achievement we intend to consolidate our technology leadership within the Maghreb region but also in Algeria in order to offer to our clients a best-in-class network in terms of capacity and speed."

For more information on high-speed transmission systems and suppliers, visit the Lightwave Buyer's Guide.