Using computer simulations, researchers at Hokkaido University, ThePennsylvania State University and their industry collaborators havetheoretically shown that signal loss from silica glass fibres can be reduced bymore than 50%, which could dramatically extend the distance data can betransmitted without the need for amplification.

?Improvements in silica glass, the most important material for opticalcommunication, have stalled in recent years due to lack of understanding of thematerial on the atomic level,? says Associate Professor Madoka Ono of HokkaidoUniversity?s Research Institute of Electronic Science (RIES). ?Our findings cannow help guide future physical experiments and production processes, though itwill be technically challenging.?

Ono and her collaborators used multiple computational methods to predictwhat happens to the atomic structure of silica glass under high temperature andhigh pressure. They found large voids between silica atoms form when the glassis heated up and then cooled down, which is called quenching, under lowpressure. But when this process occurs under 4 gigapascals (GPa), most of thelarge voids disappear and the glass takes on a much more uniform latticestructure.

Specifically, the models show that the glass goes under a physicaltransformation, and smaller rings of atoms are eliminated or ?pruned? allowinglarger rings to join more closely together. This helps to reduce the number oflarge voids and the average size of voids, which cause light scattering, anddecrease signal loss by more than 50 percent.

The researchers suspect even greater improvements can be achieved usinga slower cooling rate at higher pressure. The process could also be exploredfor other types of inorganic glass with similar structures. However, actuallymaking glass fibres under such high pressures at an industrial scale is verydifficult.

?Now that we know the ideal pressure, we hope this research will helpspur the development of high-pressure manufacturing devices that can producethis ultra-transparent silica glass,? Ono says.

Madoka Ono is part of theLaboratory of Nanostructured Functional Materials, RIES at Hokkaido University.Her research focuses on the properties of non-organic and silica glass by bothlaboratory experiments and computational analyses.

Reports last week showed that the Pentagon was weighing blacklisting SMIC, China’s leading semiconductor manufacturer, arguing that its perceived involvement with military technology alongside civilian products could make ita security threat. This discussion came to a head on Friday, with a letter seen by the media suggesting that the blacklist would indeed go ahead,with companies needing to acquire a permit to export to the Chinese company.

SMIC argues that the restrictions are unwarranted, saying that it has norelationship to the Chinese military and ?manufactures semiconductors andprovides services solely for civilian and commercial end-users”.

News of the sanctions had an immediate impact on the Chinese company,which relies heavily on US technology, seeing its shares fall by around 8%.

This is, of course, the latest in a series of technological clashes in the geopolitical conflict between China and the US. While China has rolled out 5Gon a massive scale, semiconductor tech is an area where the US has a pronounced lead and these sanctions against SMIC show that the Trump administration is willing to push that advantage as hard as possible.

Earlier this month, China created its own ‘entity list’, likely to put pressure on US firms similar to that applied to Huawei and ZTE. While no specific companies have yet been named on the list, it seems likely that targets will include major tech players like Apple and Cisco, who both do significant business in China.

But beyond two superpowers firing shots across each others bows, these constant increases in pressure could have a much more long lasting effect on the balance of the global tech infrastructure. With politics making international cooperation between companies harder and harder, tech supply chains are destined to become significantly diverged, with greater reliance on domestic and allied production lines.

An anonymous op-ed for the Global Times called the US dominance of the semiconductor industry a ?fundamental threat “to China, imploring the nation to ?control all research and production chains of the semiconductor industry, and rid itself of being dependent on the US”.

?From Huawei to SMIC, the Chinese people should see for themselves that we are facing a protracted battle against high-tech suppression being led by the US. This is almost the key process for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” wrote the author, calling the process ?a long march”.

The creation of fully diverged tech industries poses a myriad of problems on the international stage, potentially leading to diverse mobile standards and a significant lack of interoperability. Progress towards producing self-reliant supply chains will be a long and painful process, especially for China but, as the op-ed shows, doing so is becoming a matter of national pride as much as economic necessity.

The CEO of BT Group,Philip Jansen, has warned MPs that at the current pace it will take until 2033to achieve universal UK coverage of gigabit-capable broadband, or 2027 if some?9bn worth of cuts in tax (e.g. business rates) and red tape can be found.Considerably later than PM Boris Johnson?s target for 2025.

The Government currently plans to invest ?5billion ? focused on helping those in the final 20% of hardest toreach premises ? to ensure that ?gigabit-capable broadband? (via FTTP,HFC DOCSIS 3.1, 5G or fixed wireless etc.) reaches everyUK home by the end of 2025 (here).The final strategy for this is expected to surface alongside the Autumn2020 Spending Review.

NOTE: 2033 was also the date that Theresa May?s government set forachieving universal ?full fibre? (FTTP)coverage.

We already have some idea how this will work (here)and the latest position from BT largelyechoes what they were saying more privately last year, which may help toexplain why the Government has recently watered-down their language to ?goas far as we possibly can by 2025? (here).The time-scale was always somewhat overly optimistic.

At present more than 25% of premises can alreadyaccess a gigabit service and it?s not unreasonable to assume that commercialdeployments alone will take this to around 70% of premises by the end of 2025,although aspects like overbuild between rival networks and uncertainty overlong-term rollout plans make it difficult to be exact (official reports tend totalk of 70-80% as an expectation).

The final 20-30% though is a tough nut to crack by2025, leaving very little time for actual build. On the other hand, we have toremember that BT (Openreach) has its own agenda here and painting an overlynegative outlook helps to sell their position, which as the largest fixed linenetwork operator is not something that the Government can easily ignore.

Meanwhile DCMS are keen to foster alternativenetworks (AltNets) so as to avoid a repeat of the early BDUK SuperfastBroadband programme, which saw BT scoop-up all of the contracts in Phase Onedue to a lack of viable competition in the bidding process (this improved inlater phases). Today?s market has changed a lot and there are now quite a lot ofalternatives, albeit only a few with real scale on their side(e.g. Cityfibre, KCOM etc.).

What are the operator?s demands?

Sadly, the Sunday Telegraph?s article doesn?t do much to set out BT?swider demands, but they do mention one area that the entire industry can agreeon ? business rates (Fibre Tax). Operator?s often have to plantheir investment strategy and payback for deployments some 10-20 years inadvance, which is difficult when the current business rates holiday on newfibre is due to end in 2022.

One estimate suggests that BT alone could save ?1bnif the rates holiday was extended by c.20 years (Scotland recently implementeda 10-year relief), but the above report claims that the Government won?treconsider this until 2023.

Alex Towers, BT?s Director of Policy,said:

?We must end the situation where BTand Virgin Media are actively penalised forinvesting in fibre, because they have to pay higher business rates on a fibreconnection than they do on an older, much slower, copper one.?

Speaking of Virgin Media, the DCMS Select Committee inquiryinto the Government?s gigabit broadband and 5G strategy has recently published somenew responses from the Liberty Global sibling. One of those from VM sets outsome of the fiscal, legislative and regulatory barriers that they say must be ?addressedurgently in order to facilitate build in these harder to reach areas.?

Naturally Virgin Media?s position is perhaps a bitcoloured by their own vested interests (e.g. they?d like any future gigabitvoucher schemes to help foster deployments in commercial areas ? like olderschemes, not only rural ones), although they still make some good points.

Changes Required by Virgin Media

Business rates

Business rates cost major network builders hundredsof millions each year. The Government should avoid taxingproductivity-enhancing technologies and consider removing business rates fromall gigabit capable connections. To help meet its 2025 target, government couldalso consider tying this relief to build in certain geographic areas.

The 380% increase in Virgin Media?s business ratesliability since 2016 [applies to existing infrastructure] affects rolloutdecisions in three ways. Firstly, it diverts substantial cash which couldotherwise be spent on network expansion. Secondly, it acts as a deterrent toinward investors who will not find a more burdensome property tax regime in anymajor Western market.

Thirdly, it directly affects future rollouteconomics by increasing the cost of each new premise passed. The relief regime,introduced by the Government in 2018 to mitigate the impact of the rise inrates, looks negligible compared to the scale of the Government?s ambition forgigabit rollout.

Moreover, it does not apply to all gigabit capabletechnologies or infrastructures and is due to expire in 2022. Scotland, bycontrast, has a relief regime that extends to 2029.

Workforce

To achieve the Government?s 2025 target, networkbuilders will need to access talent easily and cost-effectively. The Governmentshould add roles engaged in network build to the Shortage Occupation List aspart of the new immigration system, enabling those with the right skills toenter the workforce at a time when they are most needed. The Government shouldalso publish a roadmap on how it intends to up skill UK-based workers tosupport its rollout target and reform the apprenticeship system, so thatoperators can confidently access the domestic talent base.

Virgin Media currently employs around 3,000permanent engineering/field staff and has access to up to a further 3,500through contract partners.

Legislation

We support recent Government legislation onmultiple dwelling units (MDUs) and New Build Developments (NBDs), but both needto be strengthened. Granting operators with a right of access to leasehold andcouncil-owned properties, business parks and office blocks, to install gigabitcapable networks would considerably benefit the end-user. Ending thenon-competitive practice of exclusivity agreements in new-build propertieswould also be beneficial.

Streetworks

Better collaboration across Government departmentswith responsibility for streetworks is overdue. The Government also needs toprovide updated and clear guidance to Local Authorities (LAs) on a number ofkey issues delaying streetworks (e.g. the reinstatement of highways and permitschemes) to encourage more cooperation from difficult LAs.

Consumer regulation

Government to ensure that future consumer telecomsregulation remains proportionate and targeted at the most vulnerable, to avoidimpacting adversely on the incentive to invest.

The Government and Ofcom wouldperhaps argue that they are already working to resolve many of the remainingissues of red tape, such as through changes to the existing BuildingRegulations (pushing gigabit broadband into new builds) and theTelecommunications Infrastructure (Leasehold Property) Bill (pushing gigabitbroadband into high rise buildings / apartment blocks).

Meanwhile various changes are being developedby Ofcom andthe Government to update Permitted Development (PD) rights and the ElectronicCommunications Code (ECC). In short, these will make it easier toinstall taller masts, share network information and promote competition inorder to support the roll-out of future mobile and gigabit broadband networks (here).

A review of the Access to Infrastructure (ATI)Regulations 2016 has also been started, which could enable gigabit operators toexpand their networks by more easily being able to harness existingelectricity, gas, water and sewer networks via infrastructure sharing (here).

In the end we?re fairly confident that quite a fewpremises will still be waiting for gigabit-capable broadband come the end of2025, but at the same time a large chunk of the problem should have been solvedby then, we just don?t know how much will be left. Equally it?s worth rememberingthat there will be some flexibility in how Building Digital UK ends up defining ?gigabit-capable.?

In one recent example BDUK appeared to be shootingfor a ?normally available? download speed of at least 500Mbps and uploadspeeds of 200Mbps, which in ?limited circumstances? may fall to at least50Mbps and 20Mbps upload (here);some of this is necessary to account for the fact that data capacity onresidential lines is shared (some variability in performance is to beexpected).

The boss of Broadway Partners, which delivers both fixedwireless and fibre optic networks, has offered a different take on BT?sviewpoint.

Michael Armitage, CEO of Broadway Partners,said:

?We do not share BT?s pessimism about the speed of fibre rolloutacross the UK. The Prime Minister?s target of delivering gigabit-capableconnectivity to 100% of the UK by 2025 is certainly an ambitious goal, but itis definitely achievable, assuming a flexible and pragmatic approach to thetechnology, business models and interventions that are employed.

This is not about an extension to the moratorium on fibre rates,but about harnessing the power of fibre and 5G in combination, about harnessingthe energy and creativity of multiple smaller suppliers, and about engaging thepublic and private sectors in risk-sharing, non-market-distortingpartnerships.?

Today, Three Ireland has announced the switching on of its 5G networkacross the nation.

Around 315 base stations have been deployed so far, giving a totalcoverage of around 35% of the Irish population. Around 500 more are expected tobe deployed by the end of 2020, with Three having invested around ?100 millionin the rollout over the last year and expecting to spend the same again for thenext few years to enhance coverage. Naturally, major areas initially coveredinclude urban hubs, like Dublin and Cork, but some rural areas are alsoincluded.

?What we expect is by the end of next year we will be well in excess of50 per cent population coverage and growing,” said Three Ireland’s CTO DavidHennessy. ?This is about actually having a very substantive proposition outthere for our customers and very substantive service.”

Three is the last of Ireland’s three major mobile operators to launch5G, with Vodafone Ireland doing so in September 2019 and Eir following suitjust one month later. Three’s 5G launch was initially scheduled for a similardate but was delayed, primarily due to a switch from Huawei to Ericssonequipment at a late stage in the technology’s deployment.

Lagging behind by around one year, one would think that Three will havemuch catching up to do when it comes to the next-generation mobile technology,but the company in fact claims that its initial launch is larger than itsrivals’ current deployments.

Three’s 5G uptake should also receive something of a boost from therelease of the new 5G Apple iPhone, expected to hit the market in a few weekstime.

When it comes to accessibility, Three’s customers on more expensiveplans will have access to 5G for free ? assuming they have a compatible device.However, lower-priced plans, including pre-paid, will also be able to access 5Gfor a ?5 supplementary charge.

?Connectivity is vital to our everyday lives, so we wanted to be thefirst in the country to offer prepay customers as well as bill pay customers a5G experience. 5G is transforming how we connect, work, are entertained and howwe live our lives,” said CEO Robert Finnegan. ?Having seen what 5G can do and the latency it provides, I am excited tosee the economic developments and opportunities this brings to Ireland as westrive to compete in a global environment where connectivity is crucial.”

SUNNYVALE, Calif. (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Infinera(NASDAQ: INFN) announced today that G?ANT, Europe’s leading collaboration onnetwork and related infrastructure and services for research and education,selected Infinera’s industry-leading 600G transmission technology for itsnext-generation pan-European network.

UsingInfinera’s Groove (GX) Series Compact Modular Platform, FlexILS Open OpticalLine System, and professional services, G?ANT is undertaking the mostsignificant refresh of its network in a decade as part of a major EU-fundedproject designed to support the needs of Europe’s research and educationcommunity for the next 15 years.

The amount ofvital data generated by scientists and researchers from areas such asbioinformatics, medicine, physics, astronomy, and climate change is growingexponentially, and G?ANT and its NREN partners must stay well ahead ofrequirements. While G?ANT’s current terabit-ready network is the most advancedand well-connected regional research and education network in the world, theneed to stay ahead of requirements for years to come is vitally important toscientific collaboration and discovery.

With Infinera’snetworking solutions, G?ANT can effectively provide high-speed services to itscustomers using efficient, high-capacity 600G per wavelength transmission.Additionally, the scalable network is designed to enable G?ANT to scalecapacity to multiple terabits seamlessly, meeting rapidly growing bandwidthdemand. Leveraging advanced features from the GX G30 and FlexILS, G?ANT canprovide a high level of security, service reliability, and disaster recovery.

?The success ofthe G?ANT (GN4-3N) project is essential for Europe’s research and educationcommunities and will ensure G?ANT and our NREN partners continue to enablescientific discoveries, remote learning for millions of students, and therealization of open science,” said Erik Huizer, Chief Executive Officer, G?ANT.?Infinera continues to be one of our trusted technology partners and we valuetheir expertise in deploying optical networks and providing the best solutionsto meet and exceed our extremely demanding requirements.”

?We are excitedto partner with G?ANT to meet some of the most stringent network requirementsfor high-capacity research and education networks,” said Nick Walden, SeniorVice President, Worldwide Sales at Infinera. ?G?ANT provides network andcollaboration services that facilitate important international cooperationbetween researchers and educators, and we are proud to support their effortswith cutting-edge optical technology that delivers what they need and providespeace of mind.”

SSE Enterprise Telecoms is collaborating with long-term providerpartner, NYnet to support the infrastructure development of an NHS ExtendedAccess Hub in North Shields, Tyne and Wear in the UK.

The hub was established to help medical staff support Covid-19patients that were not deemed as requiring urgent hospital care, but stillneeded treatment in a secure facility. For this, robust, resilient and reliableconnectivity was essential. It was agreed that Ethernet would be the bestsolution.

Having worked with SSE Enterprise Telecoms for a number ofyears, NYnet contacted its provisioning team to acquire the technology, highlightingthe importance of quick delivery of this service to support the Covid-19response. Given the project?s critical importance, timings as much as possible,and delivery of the circuit was completed in eight working days. To put it intocontext, a typical timeline can be between 40 and 60 days. Once the circuit wasdeployed, NYnet was able to quickly install a router and connect the site tothe Health & Social Care Network (HSCN).

Zoe Oxley, senior project and deployment manager at NYnet said:?The Extended Access Hub is a critical component in the North East?s fightagainst Covid-19. As soon as the medical team reached out to us forconnectivity support, we understood the importance of procuring and deliveringa reliable connectivity solution as quickly as possible. This well managed,smooth process is a great display of how the industry can support ourfront-line key workers, should we all pull together.?

Added Simon Willmott, sector director for service provider atSSE Enterprise Telecoms: ?We are living in challenging times, where thereliance on our blue light services has never been so great. The successfulcompletion of this deployment has been a real team effort and is a testament tothe commitment of businesses across the sector in coming together during thepandemic to make sure the lives of those on the front line, and their patients,are a little bit easier.?

Technology research institute, CEA-Leti has demonstrated a fullypackaged CWDM optical transceiver module with data transfer of 100Gb/s perfibre, with a low-power-consumption electronic chip co-integrated on thephotonic chip.

The silicon-photonics-based transceiver multiplexes twowavelengths at 50Gb/s. It is designed to meet the increasing data-communicationdemands and energy use of data centres and supercomputers. The institute is part of the COSMICC consortium of key industrialand research partners in silicon photonics, CMOS electronics, packaging,optical transceivers and data centres. Its vision is the mass commercialisationof silicon photonics based transceivers.

EU H2020 project, COSMICC further developed all the requiredbuilding blocks for a transmission rate of 200Gb/s and beyond withouttemperature control with four 50Gb/s wavelengths and by aggregating a largenumber of fibres. The key breakthroughs are the development of broadband andtemperature-insensitive silicon nitride (SiN) multiplexing components onsilicon (Si), the integration of hybrid III-V/Si lasers on the Si/SiN chips anda new high-count adiabatic fiber-coupling technique via SiN and polymerwaveguides.

The researchers say that their demonstration opens the way totechnology that allows a reduction in the cost, the power consumption and thepackaging complexity, allowing a way to reach a very high aggregated data ratebeyond terabits per second.

Using STMicroelectronics? silicon photonics integrationplatform, the COSMICC project developed a coarse wavelength divisionmultiplexing (CWDM) silicon-photonics transceiver in a packaged module at100Gb/s per fibre. This is scalable to 400Gb/s and includes 3D assembly of asilicon photonic chip and its electronic control chip. The silicon photonicchip integrated high-performance 50Gb/s NRZ optical modulators andphotodetectors, and a two-channel CWDM multiplexer and demultiplexer.

Separately, a library of enabling building blocks for higherdata-rate data centre interconnects was built on a SiN-enhanced siliconphotonics platform, including new broadband and athermal SiN components andhybrid III-V/Si lasers. CEA-Leti scientist S?gol?ne Olivier, who coordinatedthe EU project, said development of modulators and photodetectors at 50Gb/s andtheir co-integration with their control electronics was a breakthrough that ledto the low-power consumption 100Gb/s transceiver module. ?In addition,? shesaid, ?the new building blocks are essential for addressing the need for Tb/stransceivers at low cost and low energy consumption to sustain the exponentialgrowth of data traffic in datacenters and in high performance computingsystems. COSMICC?s technology will answer tremendous market needs with a targetcost per bit that traditional WDM transceivers cannot meet.?

SUNNYVALE, Calif. & LITTLE ROCK, Ark.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Infinera(NASDAQ: INFN) and Windstream, a leading provider of advanced networkcommunications, today announced the completion of a live network trial thatsuccessfully achieved 800 gigabits per second (800G) single-wavelengthtransmission over 730 kilometers (km) across Windstream?s long-haul networkbetween San Diego and Phoenix. In addition to the industry-leading real-worldperformance at 800G, Windstream and Infinera set another industry record bylooping back the signal to achieve a 700G transmission over 1,460 km. The trialwas performed using Infinera?s fifth-generationcoherent optical technology, ICE6 (Infinite Capacity Engine), equipped in aGroove (GX) Series platform over industry-standard G.652-compliant SMF-28fiber, with both signal rates achieving a performance level that metWindstream?s production network deployment standards.

The results of the trial mark a major milestone in optical networking bydemonstrating that ultra-high-speed optical transmissions, such as 700G and800G, powered by Infinera?s ICE6 optical engine and Windstream?shigh-performance fiber network, can be deployed in real-world networkapplications over significant distances. This will enable emerging 400 GigabitEthernet (400 GbE) services to be supported over longer distances within theWindstream national network. High-performance, high-speed transmission willalso enable network operators like Windstream to realize increased efficiencyin cost per bit and power per bit, as well as increased capacity per fiber byas much as 70 percent compared to third-generation (400G) coherent technologyand by as much as 35 percent compared to fourth-generation (600G) coherenttechnology.

?Windstream remains committed to staying at the forefront oftechnological innovation and the superior performance of ICE6 brings real-worldvalue to our network and enables us to meet the explosive growth in bandwidthdemands of our customers,? said Buddy Bayer, chief network officer atWindstream. ?The flexibility of ICE6 coupled with the easily deployable compactmodular form factor of the GX Series will enable Windstream to quickly andeasily introduce this new technology across our entire network from edge tocore.?

The industry-leading 700G and 800G transmission performance was enabledby advances in Nyquist subcarriers, a pioneering innovation developed byInfinera?s Optical Innovation Center (OIC). Unlike competing technologies,Nyquist subcarrier-based solutions enable superior performance by mapping thetraffic into tightly packed, lower-baud-rate digital subcarriers within asingle optical carrier. In addition to providing significant performancebenefits on their own, subcarriers also amplify the benefits of otherinnovations from Infinera?s OIC such as 64QAM long-codeword probabilisticconstellation shaping and dynamic bandwidth allocation that now can be appliedto each subcarrier independently.

?Infinera is delighted to set this new industry benchmark and partnerwith Windstream, a network operator that continually pushes the boundaries ofoptical networking,? said Parthiban Kandappan, chief technology officer atInfinera. ?As proven by the superior performance of this network trial, webelieve our unique expertise with Nyquist subcarriers coupled with thegroundbreaking innovations introduced by ICE6 will represent the standard forhigh-speed optical engines going forward.?

About Windstream

Windstream Holdings, Inc. is a leading provider of advanced networkcommunications and technology solutions. Windstream provides data networking,core transport, security, unified communications and managed services tomid-market, enterprise and wholesale customers across the U.S. The company alsooffers broadband, entertainment and security services for consumers and smalland medium-sized businesses primarily in rural areas in 18 states. Services aredelivered over multiple network platforms including a nationwide IP network,our proprietary cloud core architecture and on a local and long-haul fibernetwork spanning approximately 164,000 miles. Additional information isavailable at windstream.com or www.windstreamwholesale.com.Please visit our newsroom at news.windstream.com or follow us on Twitter at@Windstream.

About Infinera

Infinera is a global supplier of innovative networking solutions thatenable carriers, cloud operators, governments, and enterprises to scale networkbandwidth, accelerate service innovation, and automate network operations. TheInfinera end-to-end packet optical portfolio delivers industry-leadingeconomics and performance in long-haul, submarine, data center interconnect,and metro transport applications. To learn more about Infinera, visit www.infinera.com, followus on Twitter @Infinera, and read ourlatest blog posts at www.infinera.com/blog.

Infinera and the Infinera logo are registered trademarks of InfineraCorporation.

This press release contains forward-looking statements including, butnot limited to the potential technical, operational and economic benefitsprovided to network operators using Infinera?s ICE6 equipped in a GX Seriesplatform. These statements are not guarantees of results and should not beconsidered as an indication of future activity or future performance. Actualresults may vary materially from these expectations as a result of variousrisks and uncertainties. Information about these risks and uncertainties, andother risks and uncertainties that affect Infinera?s business, is contained inthe risk factors section and other sections of Infinera?s Annual Report on Form10-K for the Fiscal Year ended December 28, 2019 as filed with the SEC on March4, 2020, as well as any subsequent reports filed with or furnished to the SEC.These reports are available on Infinera?s website at www.infinera.com andthe SEC?s website at www.sec.gov. Infineraassumes no obligation to, and does not currently intend to, update any suchforward-looking statements.

Openreach has selected Adtran’s SDX Series of optical line terminals (OLT)s and Mosaic Cloud Platform to help ramp up its full fibre deployment in line with the goals outlined in its Fibre First programme. Launched in early 2018, the programme sees the access network division of BT Group working towards the target of bringing high-speedbroadband to three million UK premises by the end of 2020, and overall, 20 million UK homes by the mid-to-late 2020s.

Peter Bell, network technologies director at Openreach explained: ‘We’re already making our new broadband network available to around 32,000 UK homes and businesses every week ? and we’re on track to reach our target of reaching four and a half million premises with full-fibre’ by the end of March 2021. But we don’t want to stop there. Our new network will support the UK’s economy for decades to come and help it bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic, so we’ll be accelerating our full-fibre build throughout the year.’

The use of Adtran’s SDX platform will enable Openreach to economically scale its GPON and XGS-PON network with a higher level of flexibility. Its disaggregated, flexible design provides the framework to support a large number of customers by delivering the granularity of interconnect speeds required to meet the needs of retail service providers of all sizes. Capable of supporting gigabit and multi-gigabit access links on the same OLT port, Openreach’s retail customers can deliver the right mix of enterprise, business and residential services based on their own demographics,industry type and residential interests.

Dan Whalen, Adtran’s chief product officer said: ‘Given the breadth of Openreach’s full-fibre network, having the ability to deliver GPON and XGS-PON services from the same OLT port streamlines service delivery and reduces the complexity of network design. We make it possible for any service provider, based anywhere in the country, to have the service options they require to fit their customers’ needs.’

Eight companies have come together to build 2Africa, a subsea cabledesigned to serve the African continent and Middle East region. The cable willalso connect via east Africa with other subsea cables for expanded connectivityto Asia.

The big-name parties involved are China Mobile International,Facebook, MTN GlobalConnect, Orange, stc, Telecom Egypt, Vodafone and WIOCC.The cable will be some 37,000km long, making it one of the world’s largestsubsea cable projects. It will interconnect Europe (eastward via Egypt), theMiddle East (via Saudi Arabia), and 21 landings in 16 countries in Africa. Theconsortium has chosen Alcatel Submarine Networks to build the cable in a fullyfunded project.

2Africa will have a design capacity of up to 180Tb/s on keyparts of the system, and the expected ‘go live’ date will be in 2023/4. Incountries where the cable will land, service providers will obtain capacity incarrier-neutral data centres or open-access cable landing stations on a fairand equitable basis. This will support healthy internet ecosystem developmentby facilitating greatly improved accessibility for businesses and consumersalike.

The 2Africa parties and Airtel have signed an agreement withTelecom Egypt to provide a completely new crossing linking the Red Sea and theMediterranean, the first in over a decade. This includes new cable landingstations and deployment of next-generation fibre on two new, diverseterrestrial routes parallel to the Suez Canal from Ras Ghareb to Port Said, anda new subsea link that will provide a third path between Ras Ghareb and Suez.

From a technology standpoint, 2Africa will be using freshtechnology in the form of SDM1 from Alcatel, allowing deployment of up to 16fibre pairs, bringing much greater and more cost-effective capacity. The cablewill incorporate optical switching technology to enable flexible management ofbandwidth. Cable burial depth has also been increased, and routing will avoidlocations of known subsea disturbance.

Jessica Gu, director and chief technology officer oat ChinaMobile International said: ‘The launch of 2Africa enables us to offer ourcustomers seamless connection between Africa and Europe, together with ourSEA-ME-WE 5 and AAE-1 subsea cable resources to further extend to Asia, whichis an important milestone of our global development strategy,’

Najam Ahmad, vice president, network infrastructure at Facebookstated: ‘2Africa is a major element of our ongoing investment in Africa tobring more people online to a faster internet. We’ve seen first-hand thepositive impact that increased connectivity has on communities, from educationto healthcare.’

According to Fr?d?ric Schepens, CEO of MTN Group’s wholesaleoperation, MTN GlobalConnect: ‘MTN GlobalConnect is delighted to participate inthis bold 2Africa subsea cable project. We are proud to be playing a key rolein providing the benefits of a modern connected life ? a core MTN belief.’

Alioune Ndiaye, CEO of Orange Middle East and Africa said: ‘Thismajor investment will complete our existing submarine and pan-Africanterrestrial infrastructures to provide access to international connectivity ina redundant fashion throughout the west coast of Africa.’

Mohammed A. Alabbadi, wholesale VP in stc added: ‘The 2Africacable will be integrated into stc’s MENA Gateway (MG1) data centre in Jeddah,enabling customers to access our extensive international content and extendtheir regional connectivity through stc terrestrial geo-mesh network thatextends to all neighboring countries. The partnership demonstrates stc’scommitment, in line with Saudi Vision 2030, to deliver meaningful digitaltransformation and build a digital society for all.’

Adel Hamed, Telecom Egypt’s managing director and chiefexecutive officer said: ‘Telecom Egypt’s contribution to 2Africa marks animportant milestone in our endeavor to contribute to digital transformation inAfrica. We are honored to be part of such a revolutionary project alongsiderenowned global and African partners.’

Vinod Kumar, CEO at Vodafone Business stated: ‘Improvingconnectivity for Africa is a significant step which lays the groundwork forincreased digitalisation across the continent. 2Africa will give localbusinesses and consumers a better online experience while more connectivitybetween Africa, Europe and the Middle East will help to build a wider, moreinclusive digital society across the globe.’

WIOCC CEO, Chris Wood added: ‘For over a decade WIOCC has beenthe hyperscale capacity provider for Africa, based upon a strategy of ongoingstrategic investment in key subsea and terrestrial infrastructure. Ourinvestment both future-proofs our network capabilities and provides additionalresilience to maximise uptime for our critical infrastructure.’

Alain Biston, president of Alcatel Submarine Networks concluded:’We are honored by the trust of our partners and proud to have been selectedfor this project. With this state-of-the-art subsea system, Africa will take agiant leap to the digital age thanks to the best-in-class technologies.’

Africa is of particular interest as a market, when it comes tosubmarine cables. Last year saw Google announce its investment inthis market, with a private subsea cable that connects Africa with Europe.