Optical + Wireless

Vodafone took today what could be the first step among wireless carriers to move towards intelligent optical switching when it revealed that it would deploy Sycamore Networks’ optical switching and transport equipment in its UK network. Using the Sycamore equipment, Vodafone will be able to rapidly provision bandwidth to accommodate its ever-growing network traffic.

Included in the $40 million, multi-year deal are Sycamore’s SN 16000 intelligent optical core switch, SN 3000 optical access switch, SN 8000 intelligent optical transport platform and SILVX optical network management system. In addition, the SN 16000 and SN 3000 combine Sycamore’s latest release of its BroadLeaf Network Operating Systems signaling and routing software to build a flexible, intelligent platform from which Vodafone can deliver high-speed services on demand.

“[The Vodafone deployment] is one of the first few deployments of optical switching and transport that moves away from traditional networks towards next generation networks,” said Rick Thompson, director of product marketing for Sycamore’s Core Switching Business Unit.

The BroadLeaf Network Operating System will allow Vodafone to manage wavelength services and migrate them from the transport infrastructure onto the switched infrastructure, said Thompson. Built on a combination of open shortest path first (OSPF) routing and multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) signaling, the network operating system also provides for service scaling, provisioning and end to end wavelength management from the edge of the network to the core, he added.

Sycamore expects Vodafone to begin deploying the equipment this quarter.