Telstra to lay foundations of next generation national optical network with Ericsson

• Telstra selects Ericsson for nationwide optical transmission upgrade, providing capacity boost for rapid growth in mobility, broadband, cloud and video services
• Ericsson will deliver world-leading optics with Ciena that are scalable, flexible and programmable
• Telstra prepares nationwide transport network for 5G & IoT in terms of capacity, latency, reliability, resiliency and mobile core/NFV distribution

Ericsson has secured a three-year optical transmission network and rollout agreement to expand Telstra’s long haul, metro and regional optical networks – the foundation for Telstra’s fixed and mobile networks. Ericsson will supply, install and integrate the next generation of converged packet-optical solutions from Ciena.

The expansion of Telstra’s optical backbone will provide extensive scalability and enhance resiliency to deliver consistent quality user experience for the ever-growing demand for video, fixed and mobile broadband and Cloud-based services. This critical infrastructure capability will form the foundation of Telstra’s future network requirements.

David Robertson, Director, Transport and Routing Engineering, Telstra Operations, says: “This significant optical program will be the platform to underpin our Network of the Future transformation plans. It will have the resiliency, speed and security to meet expected traffic growth, deliver critical IoT and 5G traffic, along with cloud and media services.

“Work has commenced to transform our network to increase its value to business as they shift IT into the cloud, improve productivity and efficiency with mobility, store and process business critical data in the cloud, and apply machine learning to solve complex challenges, while ensuring regional Australians enjoy the same experience as those in our major cities.”

Telstra’s Network of the Future program aims to bring all the vertical network elements into a horizontal network cloud layer, which will be software-defined and enable Telstra to provision network functionality virtually via software where it is needed.

The ability to program and control down to the lowest layer of the network using SDN protocols means the network can be reconfigured dynamically. A secure and stable optical layer will underpin the ability to deliver on the promise of network slicing – optimizing the network for different use cases.

Emilio Romeo, Head of Ericsson Australia and New Zealand, says: “This optical upgrade will enable Telstra to deliver speeds of 400Gbps and up to 1TB along the busiest routes. Higher speeds increase the capacity of each optical link and ensure that Telstra can achieve transmission cost efficiencies and scale to meet the expected traffic demands that come with media rich, 5G, NBN and Cloud based services.”

Over the next three years, Ericsson’s network services team will support Telstra to deploy this nationwide next generation optical network in a fast and efficient way. The rollout will cover the length and breadth of Australia, delivering significant densification of optical linkages between cities and regional locations.

Ericsson at Mobile World Congress 2017

Anything can happen on the digital frontier, a promising but undiscovered future. From February 27 to March 2 in Barcelona, Spain, Ericsson is demonstrating a collaborative approach and innovative solutions to succeed in this arena.

With our customers and partners, we work across industries, physical boundaries and perceived limitations. Join us in Hall 2 or online during MWC 2017 and engage in conversations and demonstrations about our favorite things: 5G; platforms and services for IT, Cloud, Networks, and TV & Media; connected solutions for industries; the Internet of Things; and partnering for success.

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