Vocus, a specialist fibre and network solutions provider in Australia, has announced a significant upgrade to its Melbourne to Adelaide cable route, deploying 800 Gbps technology to enhance connectivity and cater to the surging demand from hyperscale cloud providers. According to the official statement, Vocus said the services are available for customers up to 400 Gbps and has plans to further upgrade its national network to the latest 1.6 Tbps technology.
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Rapid Adoption of AI in Australian Enterprises
With the rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) systems, automation, and video applications, hyperscale cloud providers require robust and high-speed data transfer capabilities between cloud regions. Recognising this demand, Vocus has strategically upgraded its infrastructure to enable seamless data movement and support the growth of AI-driven technologies.
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Commitment to Speed, Reliability, and Cost Efficiency
According to recent surveys, Australian enterprises are rapidly embracing AI technologies following a significant surge in generative AI. Notably, Vocus said nearly half of the Chief Information Officers (CIOs) surveyed by Gartner have either deployed or have plans to deploy AI and machine learning within the next 12 months.
Jarrod Nink, Chief Operating Officer of Vocus, emphasised the scale of AI's computational requirements, stating, "Large language models are processing trillions of parameters and petabytes of data. Usage of these models in turn is predicted to drive material bandwidth growth: Gartner predicts that within two years, generative AI will be producing 10 percent of all data globally." This prediction emphasises the need for a robust network infrastructure capable of handling the exponential increase in data volume.
Vocus also stated that data centre investments in Australia have surged to support the anticipated AI boom and industry needs. According to the statement, Microsoft's Kemps Creek NSW Data Center has been approved for construction, and NEXTDC continues its expansion efforts in Melbourne and Sydney, with plans underway for new facilities in Adelaide, Darwin, and Port Hedland.
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Powered by Advanced Ciena Optical Transponders
Vocus has powered its Melbourne to Adelaide cable route upgrade with Ciena optical transponders, delivering up to 800 Gbps of line connectivity. Customers can now benefit from Vocus selling services up to 400 Gbps, ensuring seamless data transfer and meeting their growing connectivity requirements.
Vocus said it is also working to upgrade the Sydney to Brisbane and Adelaide to Perth links, further expanding its network capacity and capabilities. These upgrades are expected to go live in 2024.
"This means Vocus will be able to provide 400 Gbps coast to coast next year, and we're not stopping there – we've already committed to using next-generation 1600 Gbps technology for our transit links, with the intention of providing even faster than 400 Gbps services to customers," Nink added.
First to Implement C+L band Technology
Vocus was the first to implement C+L band fibre optic technology, doubling the fibre capacity compared to telcos relying solely on the C-band. Vocus said this approach not only boosts speed but also demonstrates Vocus's commitment to environmental sustainability by reducing power consumption and minimising its environmental footprint.
Vocus stated that with the implementation of 400 Gbps technology, cloud providers and hyperscalers can benefit from faster and more efficient data transfer between cloud regions and data centers. This technology also allows customers with high bandwidth needs to reduce cross connects at data centers, resulting in simplified network management and lower power consumption, ultimately optimizing costs.
