New full fibre technology could support a scaled rollout of multi-gigabit speeds to UK cable customers.
The trial, delivered over Virgin Media’s network in Reading, involved the prototype Infinera XR Optics technology. The new equipment plugs into the existing network and is able to send and receive data at much higher speeds than was previously possible – reaching transfer rates of up to 400Gbps in a single fibre.
In 2019, Virgin Media trialled 10Gbps symmetric full fibre home broadband technology in Papworth, Cambridgeshire. This new trial goes a step further, demonstrating that the operator’s passive fibre optic access network (PON) – which provides multiple premises with full fibre connections – could deliver 400Gbps symmetrical services by making use of the latest technology.
Fibre optic networks transmit data from one point to another through a series of electrical switches and optical transceivers. These optical transceivers control where the information is sent and at what speed, ultimately determining how fast data can be sent from one point to another.
Jeanie York, Chief Technology and Information Officer at Virgin Media, said: “Our next-generation network already offers gigabit connectivity to more than 7 million homes, but with data use and demand for hyperfast speeds surging, we’re continually investing in our network to prepare for whatever the future brings.
In the trial, the traditional network transceivers were replaced with cutting-edge technology which split a single fibre optic cable into many connections, all taking a share of the huge capacity. This means a single fibre could be used to provide multi-gigabit speeds to many customers at the same time.
By using standard passive optical network technology, the transceivers can support higher speed data transfers and can be remotely upgraded and configured. This allows the network operator to make changes quickly and easily, paving the way for simple upgrades to consumer services in future.
“The trial with Virgin Media provides a solid proof point that Infinera’s XR optics technology can be seamlessly applied to existing networks” said Dave Welch, Infinera Chief Innovation Officer and Co-founder who supported the trial. “This represents a radical shift in the way networks can be built, promising a more flexible and sustainable way to meet the ever increasing need to transmit more data at higher speeds.”
Virgin is upgrading its entire network to full fibre amid competition from new entrants such as City Fibre and Community Fibre who are building networks both within and outside of the Virgin footprint.
