du leverages Nokia’s optical platforms to build a nationwide 400G optical backbone

By tapping Nokia to help it build a nationwide 400G optical network backbone, du Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC) can provide its subscribers with a better overall service experience.

The network crosses the entire country, from the Western border to the East. Leveraging Nokia’s coherent optics, the new optical network will allow du to address the growing capacity requirement while providing an enhanced network experience to its customers. 

Focus on efficiency

du's new optical backbone network will leverage Nokia’s fifth-generation super-coherent Photonic Service Engine (PSE-Vs) and CDC-F ROADM technology to ensure efficient delivery of 400G wavelengths throughout the UAE.

Nokia’s fifth-generation Photonic Service Engine (PSE-V) implements second-generation probabilistic constellation shaping (PCS) with continuous baud rate adjustment. It supports higher wavelength capacities over longer distances – including support for 400G over any distance – over spectrally efficient 100GHz WDM channels while further reducing network costs and power consumption per bit.

The Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching (GMPLS) feature of the new network will help du to enhance the service level agreements by enabling automatic rerouting through alternate paths. This network will also allow Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) capabilities to monetize wholesale service.

Future-proofed network

Saleem Alblooshi, CTO at du, said, “Our partnership with Nokia represents a key step forward in fulfilling du's commitment to shaping Today for Tomorrow.”

“Leveraging Nokia's cutting-edge optical technology solutions is a game-changer, not just for us, but for the entire UAE,” he said. “It enhances our subscribers' experiences and ensures the creation of a national optical backbone that is energy-efficient, sustainable, and ready to face the future. Through this initiative, du reasserts its commitment to building ‘Today for Tomorrow’ in line with the UAE’s sustainability vision.”

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