Belgacom, the largest Belgian telecommunications operator, has signed a contract with Lucent Technologies to implement metropolitan DWDM rings in London, Paris, and Brussels. The implementation will enable Belgacom to expand the bandwidth of its existing network and deliver new revenue generating high-speed services such as gigabit Ethernet and interoperable storage solutions to its customers.
Lucent has installed its Metropolis Enhanced Optical Network (EON) rings onto the existing Belgacom pan-European Network. A 32-channel DWDM system, Metropolis EON increases network capacity by transmitting multiple wavelengths or colors of light across a single fiber strand with each wavelength carrying a distinct stream of information, explain company representatives.
Lucent also supported the project with services, including network design, enhanced program management, installation, technical support, and maintenance. This enabled Belgacom to accelerate and optimize the deployment of the network upgrade, while allowing Belgacom to remain focused on its core business.
Metropolis EON supports a range of transmission rates from 16 Mbits/sec to 10 Gbits/sec, the latter of which is the equivalent of transmitting a 2 million-page document every second. The Metropolis EON solution leverages Belgacom's existing network equipment, providing greater speed to market and increased capital efficiency. Metropolis EON's ring architecture also offers improved service reliability and provides business continuity services for backups and disaster recovery by having multiple data centers online and synchronized.
For more information about Belgacom Carrier & Wholesale (Groot-Bijgaarden, Belgium), visit the company's Web site at www.belgacom.be. Additional information about Lucent Technologies (Murray Hill, NJ) can be found on the Web at www.lucent.com.