UK communications service provider THUS Plc (London), plans to offer simpler, faster and more flexible Ethernet service for business customers by enhancing its optical network with optical Ethernet solutions from Nortel Networks (Brampton, ON).
Under an extension to an existing supply agreement for optical network solutions, THUS intends to upgrade its existing Nortel OPTera Connect DX optical switches to directly carry high-density Gigabit Ethernet (GigE) traffic over DWDM channels.
Leveraging Nortel's OPTera portfolio to carry "native" Ethernet traffic over DWDM, THUS expects to attain increased network capacity and information integrity by combining the ubiquity, flexibility and simplicity of Ethernet with the speed and reliability of optics to remove the "bandwidth bottleneck' between local-, metro-, and wide-area networks (LANs, MANs and WANs).
The THUS upgrade, which involves adding only a network card to each OPTera Connect DX, is designed to provide end-to-end optical network performance by standardizing on a single Ethernet transport mechanism for LANs, MANs, and WANs.
"A core Gigabit Ethernet capable network at the optical layer makes such concepts as 'just in time' Ethernet services across a routed platform viable," says Phil Male, chief operating officer at THUS. "Nortel Networks optical Ethernet over DWDM technology positions us to greatly enhance our network solutions, further tailoring them to customers' individual requirements while delivering excellent customer service benefiting both new and existing customers."
In addition to OPTera Connect DX, the THUS national network also includes Nortel's OPTera Long Haul 1600 optical line system.