MTN Group and NEC Corporation have announced the successful deployment of a 400G optical transponder solution, Phoenix, with both companies claiming it to be Africa's first. Phoenix is part of the Telecom Infra Project's (TIP) Open Optical and Packet Transport (OOPT) project group, a collaborative effort involving multiple telecom operators and technology providers.
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400G Optical Transponder Deployment
The deployment of Phoenix is designed to accelerate internet connectivity and optimise network operations, thereby democratising access to information and aiming to make affordable internet more widely available across Africa.
MTN has integrated the equipment into its production network, covering its optical network between Johannesburg and Centurion in South Africa, with full interoperability and backward compatibility.
This initiative, as per the official statement, represents a significant milestone in Africa's telecommunications industry, holding the potential to revolutionise the construction and operation of optical networks, thereby transforming internet delivery across the continent.
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Phoenix for Enhanced Internet Connectivity
"The deployment of Phoenix with NEC Corporation is a significant step toward fulfilling a crucial promise to our customers, to deliver accessible, reliable, and fast internet," said MTN. "This initiative is part of our ongoing efforts to embrace the latest technologies available that ultimately empower communities across Africa."
Phoenix, a white box L0/L1 transponder, is a network device that can transmit data at speeds of up to 400 Gbps. A transponder, short for transmitter-responder, is a device that receives a signal and automatically sends a specific signal in response.
Disaggregated Solution
"Its disaggregated nature allows it to be programmed to run any vendor's software, offering operators flexibility in hardware and software selection. This disaggregation leads to cost reductions, accelerates innovation, and enables quicker and easier deployment of new network services," said the statement.
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Disaggregation is the future of networking, and we are proud to be at the forefront of this evolution, said NEC XON. Disaggregation involves breaking down traditional, integrated systems into independent, interoperable components.
By adopting Phoenix, NEC and MTN Group would be able to offer a scalable and cost-efficient solution that meets the burgeoning demands of a digitally connected society, according to the joint statement.
