Facebook chooses Infinera for European long-haul fiber-optic network

Optical transport systems specialist Infinera says that it is supplying its DTN-X packet-optical transport system to Facebook for the long-haul fiber-optic network that connects the Web 2.0 company's data centers in Europe. The fiber network runs 3,998 km and will support a capacity of up to 8 Tbps, Infinera says.

The Facebook terrestrial network runs from a data center in Lulea, Sweden, to what Infinera described as "major hubs throughout Europe." Infinera says that it has supplied a portfolio of products that includes its flagship DTN-X platform.

"The Infinera Intelligent Transport Network makes it easy for us to rapidly grow network capacity while keeping operations simple," said Niclas Comstedt, director of network engineering at Facebook, via an Infinera press release. "Once the equipment is in place we are able to turn up as many terabits as we need."

"Content providers, such as Facebook, are adding long-haul capacity at a rapid pace," said TeleGeography Research Director Alan Mauldin in the same press announcement. "According to our research, private network capacity in Europe has increased more than eight-fold between 2010 and 2014."

Infinera Fellow Steve Grubb added in the release that he believes the Facebook deployment is the longest route in the world capable of supporting 8 Tbps.

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