In a groundbreaking development, Rakuten Mobile, in partnership with Nokia, has successfully conducted a trial demonstrating the capability of transmitting data at a rate of 1 terabit per second (Tbps) over a single wavelength. This trial spanned an impressive distance of 820 kilometers across both subsea and terrestrial networks in Japan, setting a new benchmark in the Asia Pacific region for this level of data transmission.
The trial utilized Nokia’s advanced sixth-generation Photonic Service Engine (PSE-6s) optics technology, which was integrated into a dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) line system within the Rakuten network. This innovation not only signifies a 25% improvement in spectrum efficiency and maximum capacity per fibre pair over previous technologies but also heralds a significant leap forward in the network’s operational capabilities.
By adopting this cutting-edge technology, Rakuten Mobile is poised to enhance its network’s capacity substantially while simultaneously achieving a 50% reduction in power consumption per bit of data transmitted. This efficiency gain is a critical step towards minimizing the environmental impact of expanding network infrastructures and aligns with the broader industry’s push towards sustainability.
Hiroshi Takeshita, Deputy CTO at Rakuten Mobile, expressed enthusiasm over the achievement, highlighting its importance in optimizing fiber utilization and improving the network’s energy efficiency. He emphasized that this advancement is crucial for supporting the growing demand for high-bandwidth mobile and enterprise services, in line with Rakuten Mobile’s strategic network expansion goals.
Echoing this sentiment, James Watt, Nokia’s Senior Vice President and General Manager of Optical Networks, praised the collaborative effort that led to this achievement. He noted that Nokia’s PSE-6s super-coherent optics technology is at the heart of this success, offering unparalleled scalability, peak performance, and energy efficiency. This enables Rakuten Mobile to not only meet its carbon neutrality goals but also to cater to the increasing needs for high-capacity 5G services and enterprise solutions.
