Ciena said Telxius’ BRUSA cable has reached record 550 Gbps single-wavelength channel speeds using its WaveLogic 5 Extreme (WL5e) coherent optical solution during a trial.

In addition, Telxius’ BRUSA cable has also verified a commercially deployable solution for a total capacity of more than 20 Tbps on a single fiber pair.

The BRUSA cable is able to reach a total transmission capacity of more than 160 Tbps. This record-breaking trial has demonstrated how the BRUSA network can prepare for increasing connectivity demands from telecom operators, OTT services and other requirements driven by high-bandwidth applications.

BRUSA is the highest capacity submarine cable connecting the Americas. It was opened for business in August 2018 and stretches approximately 10,200 kilometers between Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Virginia Beach, USA.

BRUSA network experienced record connectivity speeds powered by Ciena’s WaveLogic 5 Extreme, a programmable 800G solution, during the trial. WaveLogic 5 Extreme was used on the BRUSA cable to provide greater scale and increased economic efficiencies and deliver 50 percent more capacity per wavelength.

Ciena’s GeoMesh Extreme, based on WaveLogic 5 Extreme coherent optics, demonstrated how BRUSA can benefit from open cable network designs, rapid scalability, and a lower total cost of network ownership.

“WaveLogic 5 Extreme opens the door to a scalable submarine network, which can support our customers as they continue to embrace new technologies that require unprecedented levels of bandwidth,” said Carlos Dasi, CTO of Telxius’ Cable.

“Completing this trial showcases how WaveLogic 5 Extreme, which is an integral part of Ciena’s GeoMesh Extreme network solution, raises the bar in coherent optical technology,” said Rodolfo Vigliano, senior managing director of Sales at Ciena.

Telxius, the global infrastructure company of the Telefonica Group, has more than 20,000 sites in Europe and Latin America: 70 percent in Spain and Germany, and the remaining 30 percent in Brazil, Peru, Chile and Argentina.

In addition, Telxius operates an international network of 87,000 km of high-capacity fiber optic submarine cable, including the two largest capacity systems in the world, MAREA and BRUSA.