Nokia and Islalink achieve 800Gbps capacity-reach record over the IONIAN submarine cable

Press Release
Nokia and Islalink achieve 800Gbps capacity-reach record over the IONIAN submarine cable

• New capacity-reach record for unrepeated transmission of 800Gbps over 330km with Nokia’s PSE-6s on Islalink’s IONIAN network, enhancing connectivity between Italy and Greece.
• High performance and 60% less network power consumption per bit provides crucial services for data center interconnections.

13 November 2024
Espoo, Finland – Nokia and Islalink have achieved a significant milestone by successfully testing Nokia's sixth-generation Photonic Service Engine (PSE-6s) over an unrepeated 330km submarine cable connecting Crotone, Italy, with Preveza, Greece.

This field trial represents a new capacity-reach record for 800Gbps transmission over the IONIAN cable system, showcasing the capacity and performance of Nokia's PSE-6s technology.

The IONIAN network, launched by Islalink, is a high-capacity submarine system that provides a reliable, future-proof fiber route between Italy and Greece. It connects the two countries through the submarine link and two terrestrial rings, where band C+L is used (9,6 THz), that connect and give redundancy to the main cities in Italy (Milano and Rome) and in Greece (Athens and Thessaloniki). In addition, 1Tbps has been successfully tested in both terrestrial routes of Greece: the south route (452 km), Preveza-Athens, and the north route (975 km), Preveza-Thessaloniki-Athens.

Nokia’s PSE-6s not only enhances network performance but also delivers a 60% reduction in network power consumption per bit, contributing to more sustainable operations. This technology is crucial in supporting data center to data center connectivity, for global tech leaders and other high-demand users.

Esther Garcés, CEO of Islalink, said: “This successful trial proves that the IONIAN network, powered by Nokia's PSE-6s, is ready to support the next generation of high-speed digital services. Our customers, including tech giants, will benefit from unprecedented capacity, reliability, and efficiency, further enhancing Islalink’s positioning as a key player in the international fiber market."

Matthieu Bourguignon, Senior Vice President and Head of Europe for Network Infrastructure business at Nokia, said: “This capacity-reach record for unrepeated transmission marks a valuable step forward in optical technology. Nokia's PSE-6s is designed to provide high-speed, power-efficient connectivity over long unrepeated links like the IONIAN submarine cable. Delivering such capabilities enables Islalink’s delivery of innovative services that unlock new opportunities for their customers in Italy, Greece and Spain.”

About Nokia 
At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together. 

As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs.  

With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.

About Islalink
Headquartered in Madrid, Spain, Islalink is an independent and neutral fiber-optic infrastructure provider, specialized in submarine fiber-optic cables and related activities. Islalink has more than 20 years of experience, has laid more than two thousand six hundred kilometers of submarine cable and successfully completed 11 landing operations. In addition to IONIAN, it currently operates a system connecting the Balearic Islands to mainland Spain. Islalink is 100% owned by Fiera Infrastructure, a leading global mid-market direct infrastructure investor operating across all subsectors of the infrastructure asset class.
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Resources and additional information
Webpage: Nokia Photonic Service Switch (PSE-6s)
Webpage: IONIAN submarine system

Media inquiries
Nokia Press Office
Email: [email protected]

Islalink Press Office
Email: [email protected]

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