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Looking to extend the applications of its packet-optical transport technology into metro and middle-mile applications, ADTRAN, Inc., (NASDAQ:ADTN) has announced a new miniature reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) card with double the number of degrees and the number of channels of its predecessor. The ROADM blade, which fits into the company’s Total Access 5000 platform, offers four degrees of reconfigurability and 88-channel support.

The ROADM line card reached general availability within the past four to six weeks, and deployments with customers are in the initial phases, according to Kurt Raaflaub, product manager, Ethernet and optical solutions, within ADTRAN’s Carrier Networks Division. It enables the Total Access 5000 to be used in all-optical multi-ring and mesh architectures. Like its predecessor in the Optical Networking Edge (ONE) portfolio, the blade integrates all the required elements for ROADM functionality – including amplification, optical monitoring, and automatic power balancing – into a single package. In this instance, the integration includes the ability to switch between 100-GHz and 50-GHz grid spacing, which enables compatibility with the first-generation blade that was designed for 100-GHz spacing and 44 channels. This feature should prove useful when interfacing metro and access ring networks.

“Historically, ADTRAN has been very focused on optimizing its optical product line to support access applications at the network’s edge. That is until now,” said Ron Kline, principal analyst, network infrastructure, Ovum, via an ADTRAN press release. “The new four-degree, gridless ROADM for ADTRAN’s ONE converged packet optical product supports both 100-GHz and 50-GHz designs, extending ONE’s network role to support metro mesh-centric and middle-mile applications. The ROADM technology also gives operators a bridge between edge and core networks and provides the flexibility to evolve channel plans over time as higher-speed wavelengths are deployed in the metro: 100G and ultimately even 400G.”

While ADTRAN does position the new ONE ROADM capabilities as a stepping stone from its current support of 10-Gbps data rates to 100 Gbps, the company doesn’t yet offer 100-Gbps capabilities, Raaflaub admits. He was non-committal about whether ADTRAN will take a coherent or 4x28-Gbps approach, although he did say that ADTRAN engineers likely will pursue an in-house rather than module-based design.

Level 3 Communications, Inc. (LVLT) today announced that it has expanded its global fiber network backbone to the cities of East Wenatchee and Quincy in Washington state. The expansion was completed in response to customer demand in the region for increased capacity capabilities.

Data center growth throughout Eastern Washington is changing network requirements, and customers increasingly require more robust network backbones that are capable of handling the increased capacity. The expansion to East Wenatchee and Quincy involved extensive analysis and planning, and Level 3 already has multiple customers leveraging the additional connectivity.

Level 3's network expansion to Eastern Washington communities involves more than 200 miles of advanced fiber cable and connections to five customer data centers. The expansion offers customers network diversity from regional incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) and access to a scalable fiber-optic backbone, which boasts a comprehensive suite of wavelength services. Available wavelength capabilities include gigabit Ethernet (GbE), 40 gigabits per second (Gbps) Ethernet, or 40G, and future capabilities for 100G support. The expansion also enables customers to benefit from Level 3's international network footprint, which regional ILECs have traditionally been unable to offer.

Level 3 Communications Inc.

Dutch network connectivity provider aQuestora is planning to deliver optical fiber-based broadband infrastructure utilizing LG-Ericsson’s Ethernet Access 1100 universal fiber platform and Genexis’ Hybrid series customer premises equipment (CPE).

aQuestora provides connectivity services to service providers, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and end users in communities across The Netherlands. As an open neutral access provider, the company is building open access broadband networks that grow business and accelerate public access to next-generation high-speed services.

aQuestora says LG-Ericsson’s EA 1100 platform is an ideal fit for its needs. The EA 1100 supports gigabit-bandwidth point-to-point symmetrical services per user over a flexible arrangement of fiber distribution technologies. The system guarantees secure separation of user traffic and provides robust quality of service capabilities that support stringent SLA requirements. This will enable aQuestora to provide secure services to both business and residential customers, and the flexibility to support multiple service providers.

Genexis’s open-access CPE portfolio is becoming a popular choice for many FTTH deployments worldwide, the company says. aQuestora selected the Hybrid product line because it is a fully modular home gateway offering a cost-effective and flexible service platform. From investment and installation through to operation, Genexis’s products deliver the lowest total lifecycle cost of ownership. Genexis’ long-lasting partnership with LG-Ericsson is a solid proof point for end-to-end interoperability.

“aQuestora has succeeded in finding reliable partners to achieve the set goals positioning itself as a neutral open active operator,” said Jan Herps, co-founder and director aQuestora. “Our customers are service providers in the widest range, including the rapidly upcoming services in healthcare. They accept only the highest reliability, and we have the same criteria in the selection of our business partners, as we did with LG- Ericsson and Genexis.”

aQuestora’s projects are moving from planning and customer sign-up phase to implementation, with intention to roll out municipal, school and healthcare networks starting in the second half of 2012.

Infonetics Research says that demand for cloud services and an overall increase in data traffic will boost the market for Ethernet and IP MPLS virtual private network (VPN) services to beyond $81 billion by 2016. The market research firm makes the prediction in its newly released 2012 Ethernet and IP MPLS VPN Services report.

Ethernet and MPLS IP VPN service revenue worldwide grew a combined 13% in 2011 to just over $50 billion, Infonetics says. This growth rate was significantly greater than that of telecom service provider revenue (though actual service provider revenue is increasing). More than 90% of spending on mobile backhaul equipment in 2011 was on IP/Ethernet gear, the company adds.

"The move from legacy frame relay, ATM, and leased-line services onto Ethernet and IP services is quickening as businesses put a razor-sharp focus on staying competitive in today's highly interconnected, mobile, video- and cloud-oriented world," notes Michael Howard, co-founder and principal analyst of Infonetics Research. "By 2015, ATM and frame relay will virtually vanish, while private leased lines will be around a bit longer."

Asia Pacific will surpass EMEA as the leading region for IP MPLS VPN services this year; it already leads in Ethernet services. Asia will remain the leader for the combined IP MPLS VPN and Ethernet services market going forward as well, led by China and India, according to the report.

Infonetics' Ethernet and IP MPLS VPN Services report provides market size, forecasts through 2016, and market and trends analysis for wholesale and retail Ethernet services (Internet and WAN access, E-LINE, E-LAN services) by speed, and managed and unmanaged Layer 2 and Layer 3 IP MPLS VPN services.