Alcatel-Lucent and Chuan Wei have revealed that they will deploy Cambodia’s first 100G fibre-optic data network as the country invests in communications infrastructure to meet increasing demand for broadband access. The French-US vendor is building a 100G dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM)/optical transport network (OTN) for Chuan Wei using its 1830 Photonic Service Switch (PSS) platform, which will provide the operator with capacity while paving the way for 400G capacity in the future. At the same time, the nationwide DWDM network will connect to a submarine cable landing station. ‘We recognised the need to upgrade our network to meet customer expectations for ultra-broadband connectivity and high reliability especially as it pertains to international reach through Chuan Wei’s submarine cables,’ commented Eric Lee, Chuan Wei’s executive director, adding: ‘We were looking for a network with significant increase in capacity, even more reliability, and a high degree of scalability to prepare our network for 400G and beyond.’
TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database notes that Chuan Wei is participating in the construction of the 25,000km Asia Africa Europe-1 (AAE-1) submarine cable, which is scheduled for completion towards the end of 2016 and will run from Southeast Asia to Africa and Europe. Meanwhile, in June 2014 Chuan Wei partnered with Japan’s NTT Communications to link Cambodia to the Asia Submarine-cable Express (ASE). The 7,800km cable system already connects Japan, China, the Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia.