Lucent Technologies and Global Crossing Partner to Build Next-Generation Optical Network

Strategic Insights -

Lucent Technologies, a leading provider of optical networking solutions, has signed a two-year preferred supplier agreement with Global Crossing Ltd., a global fiber-optic network provider, to help build a next-generation global optical network connecting over 200 cities on five continents. As part of the agreement, Global Crossing will deploy Lucent's WaveStar LambdaRouter, the world's first commercially available, high-capacity, all-optical switch, and test Lucent's record-breaking 320-channel DWDM system, the WaveStar OLS 800G.

Global Crossing will use Lucent's leading-edge products to build the world's first independent, global, fiber-optic network, providing unparalleled network scalability, nearly limitless bandwidth, and seamless internet connectivity to the top 200 global markets. The partnership aims to revolutionize the way the world thinks about global information networking, enabling instant and ubiquitous global information exchange.

Key Takeaways:

  • Lucent Technologies has signed a two-year preferred supplier agreement with Global Crossing Ltd. to build a next-generation global optical network connecting over 200 cities on five continents.
  • Global Crossing will be the first carrier to deploy Lucent's WaveStar LambdaRouter, the world's first commercially available, high-capacity, all-optical switch, capable of routing up to 256 individual signals and scaling to handle 1024 signals.
  • Lucent's WaveStar OLS 800G, a 320-channel dense wave division multiplexing (DWDM) system, will be tested by Global Crossing, capable of transmitting the equivalent of 400 feature-length films per second.
  • The WaveStar LambdaRouter uses microscopic mirrors to instantly direct and route optical signals from fiber to fiber, without converting them to electrical form, enabling the "instant Internet" and other high-speed data and video services.
  • Global Crossing will begin field trials of the LambdaRouter in June and provide customer services using the system by September.

Statistics:

  • The WaveStar OLS 800G has a maximum capacity of 800 gigabits per second (Gb/s).
  • The DWDM equipment market reached $3.8 billion in 1999, with Lucent capturing 34 percent of the market share (approximately $1.3 billion).
  • Lucent has approximately 7,000 systems installed worldwide, making it the global leader in deploying DWDM technology.
  • Global Crossing is building a global fiber-optic network with 101,000 announced route miles, serving five continents, 27 countries, and more than 200 major cities.

Sources:

  • Global Crossing Ltd. press release (no date)
  • Lucent Technologies press release (no date)
  • Lucent Technologies Web site: http://www.lucent.com
  • Dell'Oro Group report: Global DWDM Equipment Market (1999)
  • Global Crossing Web site: http://www.globalcrossing.com