Openreach has begun a nationwide deployment of 800G services across the United Kingdom, marking the first time the operator has offered this capacity level nationally. The rollout relies on Ciena's Waveserver platform and WaveLogic 6 1.6Tb/s technology to expand the capacity of its optical network infrastructure.
The new services will be integrated into Openreach's Optical Spectrum Extended Access (OSEA) portfolio. The deployment targets wholesale customers requiring high-capacity data movement between locations including data centres, cable landing stations and core network infrastructure.
Under this arrangement, Openreach will enable both 400G and 800G customer traffic to traverse dedicated 1.6Tb/s wavelengths. Each 2RU chassis deployed can accommodate up to 32 400G services, providing flexibility for future capacity expansion.
The operator anticipates that customers will utilise the enhanced network for interconnections spanning data centres, private cloud infrastructure and links from international subsea cables that land on UK shores.
Demand for fast, reliable connectivity is growing rapidly. This investment shows how Openreach is strengthening its network to support wholesale customers across the UK. By using Ciena's Waveserver and WL6 technology, we're preparing our services for the next wave of digital growth, including increasing demand from AI applications and Critical National Infrastructure.
Nicolas Lemaitre, Openreach Director of Products
