Alcatel-Lucent 100G Agile Optical Networking technology contracted along with trial of 400G technology over an existing optical link carrying live network traffic in western Saudi Arabia
Paris, October 14, 2013 – Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext and NYSE: ALU) and Zain KSA today announced the completion of an Agile Optical Network to provide ultra-broadband access throughout Saudi Arabia.
The fiber-optic backbone network is based on converged wavelength division multiplexing/optical transport (WDM/OTN) technology, enabling Zain to provide 100 gigabits-per-second (100G) capability throughout the country main metros.
Zain and Alcatel-Lucent are also conducting a trial of 400 Gigabit-per-second (Gbps) data transmission over an existing optical link carrying live network traffic in the major western city of Jeddah. Alcatel-Lucent’s 400G optical solution, based on the 400 Gbps Photonic Service Engine (PSE) platform, supports the emergence of new high-bandwidth, high-performance.
Key facts:
- Zain has made the nationwide deployment of fiber-based mobile ultra-broadband access to support the increasing network capacity demands of 4G LTE.
- Alcatel-Lucent has provided its converged WDM/OTN platform, the 1830 Photonic Service Switch (PSS), to address the booming demand for high-bandwidth data services such as high-definition video streaming, next-generation mobile broadband applications and cloud services.
- 100G fiber-optic technology takes advantage of unique silicon innovations from Alcatel-Lucent’s Bell Labs and supports a capacity of up to 8.8 Terabit per second – the equivalent of 1.32 million HDTV channels streamed at thesame time – over a single optical fiber.
Zain and Alcatel-Lucent are conducting a 400G data transmission trial in Jeddah, over an existing optical link carrying live network.
Quotes:
Hassan Kabbani, CEO of Zain KSA, said: “Zain Saudi Arabia is the first operator in the Middle East to deploy Alcatel-Lucent’s Agile Optical Network technology over an existing fiber network. The growing appetite for bandwidth hungry mobile devices and applications is driving tremendous demand throughout our network and taking this approach provides high-capacity with the flexibility and efficiency to serve our customers today and in the future. The 400G trial underscores our leadership within the Middle East and reinforces our commitment to maintaining leading-edge high-speed Internet capability.”
Amr K. El-Leithy, President of Alcatel-Lucent’s Middle East, Africa, Turkey and Azerbaijan region, said: “The geography of Saudi Arabia is challenging so Zain was looking for a technology provider to build an ultra-broadband network foundation that can serve a wide territory both cost-efficiently and effectively. Plus, as the first operators in the Middle East to experience the capabilities of the 400G technology, Zain has positioned itself at the forefront of high-capacity optical networking.”
Following a successful bid for the third mobile license in March 2007, Zain KSA commenced commercial operations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in August 2008. Offering a wide array of advanced mobile voice and data services, and supported by a strong and appealing brand that has captured the heart and minds of the region, Zain KSA has established itself as a formidable operator covering over 90% of the Kingdom’s populated area with national roaming agreements for the remaining areas. Most recently, Zain began upgrading its predominantly HSPA+ network and is today offering 4G LTE hi-speed internet broadband services in major cities across the Kingdom. Zain KSA is listed on the Tadawul (stock ticker code: 7030).
For more information, please visit: 
www.sa.zain.com. Follow Zain KSA at www.facebook.com/ZainSaudiarabia and on Twitter www.twitter.com/#!/ZainKSA
Zain Press contact
Zain KSA – HQ
T : (+966) 59 241 1490
M: (+966) 59 244 1490
ABOUT ALCATEL-LUCENT (EURONEXT PARIS AND NYSE: ALU)
Alcatel-Lucent is at the forefront of global communications, providing products and innovations in IP and cloud networking, as well as ultra-broadband fixed and wireless access to service providers and their customers, enterprises and institutions throughout the world.
Underpinning Alcatel-Lucent in driving the industrial transformation from voice telephony to high-speed digital delivery of data, video and information is Bell Labs, an integral part of Alcatel-Lucent and one of the world’s foremost technology research institutes, responsible for countless breakthroughs that have shaped the networking and communications industry. Alcatel-Lucent innovations have resulted in the company being recognized by Thomson Reuters as a Top 100 Global Innovator, as well as being named by MIT Technology Review as amongst 2012’s Top 50 “World’s Most Innovative Companies”. Alcatel-Lucent has also been recognized for innovation in sustainability, being named Industry Group Leader for Technology Hardware & Equipment sector in the 2013 Dow Jones Sustainability Indices review for making global communications more sustainable, affordable and accessible, all in pursuit of the company’s mission to realize the potential of a connected world.
With revenues of Euro 14.4 billion in 2012, Alcatel-Lucent is listed on the Paris and New York stock exchanges (Euronext and NYSE: ALU). The company is incorporated in France and headquartered in Paris.
For more information, visit Alcatel-Lucent on: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com, read the latest posts on the Alcatel-Lucent blog http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/blog and follow the Company on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Alcatel_Lucent.
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