Sprint has selected Alcatel's 1696 Metro Span DWDM equipment for implementation in its communication transport network. Sprint has already deployed Alcatel's equipment in its metro network in Las Vegas to meet high bandwidth demands in that area. Initial DWDM service began in Las Vegas in December 2002.
Alcatel's 1696 Metro Span DWDM solution increases the amount of traffic that can be transported on existing optical fiber by up to 64 times, providing for growth in network transport and to accommodate the delivery of high-bandwidth data services, say Alcatel representatives. As a result, Sprint can better utilize the existing optical fiber in its Las Vegas network. Sprint chose the 1696 Metro Span because of density, small footprint, low power consumption, and advanced feature capabilities including the "4 x Any," a service concentrator that enables the grooming of many different services into one standard SONET/SDH signal.
"Alcatel's metro DWDM solution provides additional capability to the robust high-speed network we have in place in Las Vegas," explains Bill Vest, vice president, network engineering for Sprint. "Our customers are adopting higher bandwidth services in earnest, and we have built the network that can support their current and future needs."
Alcatel has collaborated with Sprint on optical networking projects since 1999, including the recent deployment of Alcatel's 1630 GSX in Sprint's international network.