Maximizing Network Capacity, Reach and Value

Over land, under sea, worldwide

Xtera Communications, Inc.

Terrestrial networks: Benefits from advanced optical amplification
and 100G technologies for terrestrial backbone and backhaul
networks across South East Asia

WDM & Next Generation Optical Networking APAC 2013 (Singapore)

29 January 2013

© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 1

Content

• Options for Increasing the [Capacity x Reach] Metric

• What Should the Ideal Next-Gen Amplifier Look Like?
• 22,000-km 100G Deployment
• 1,600-km 100G Trial
• 100G + Raman Technologies for Long Spans and Regional Subsea
Applications
• Summary

© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 2

Options for Increasing the
[Capacity x Reach] Metric

© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 3

100G Networks

• Challenge of managing and supporting increased traffic levels on existing

optical transmission infrastructures

• Today’s answer:
100G PM-QPSK coherent technology for Terabit optical
networking
• Basic principle: to trade speed for parallelism!

© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 4

Options for Increasing Line Capacity

• EDFA-constrained line optical bandwidth (about 36 nm)

 The only way to increase line capacity is to increase spectral efficiency at
the line interface card level.
I
1101 1001 0001 0101

I 1100 1000 0000 0001

01 11

Q 1110 1010 0010 0110 Q

Bits per symbol 00 10

1111 1011 0011 0111

(Increase QPSK

constellation size) 16-QAM

Symbols per
second
(Increase
Soft-decision FEC symbol rate)
(Increase
coding gain)
Super channel
(Group of densely-
packed waves)

 Higher cost and complexity

on a per wavelength basis

© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 5

Options for Increasing Line Capacity

• There is another dimension which can be explored: line equipment/fiber.

 Silica-based line fiber has a huge bandwidth which is not fully exploited
by traditional EDFA amplifiers.
I
1101 1001 0001 0101

I 1100 1000 0000 0001

01 11

Q 1110 1010 0010 0110 Q

Bits per symbol 00 10

1111 1011 0011 0111

(Increase QPSK

constellation size) 16-QAM

Symbols per
Common line equipment
second • Broader optical amplifier bandwidth
(Increase • Lower-noise amplifiers
symbol rate) • Distributed amplification in the line fiber
Soft-decision FEC to lower the amount of nonlinear effects
(Increase • New fiber types (e.g. larger core for
coding gain) new subsea builds)
Super channel
(Group of densely-
packed waves)

 Extra cost shared

by all the wavelengths

© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 6

 What Should the
Ideal Next-Gen Amplifier Look Like?

© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 7

Definition of the Ideal Next-Gen Amplifier

• Consensus on the generic answer: Advanced amplifiers!

• OK but what is beyond this nice terminology?

Answers from operator/supplier community are as follows:
– Lower-noise amplifier for better output OSNR
– Transient suppression
– Broader optical spectrum
– Lower per channel power to limit fiber nonlinearities

• Most often quoted technical options:

– Hybrid Raman/EDFA
– All Raman

• Both technical options, in addition to be future-proof for channel rate

beyond 100G, offer value and benefits by now for 100G channel rate.

© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 8

22,000-km 100G Deployment

© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 9

Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE)
22,000-km 100G Backbone Network

• Mexican state-owned monopoly utility

• Nationwide 22,000-km optical network with 100G channel rate
• Key differentiators:
– Unique All-Raman – EDFA hybrid approach
– Longest reach and highest capacity
– Large distribution
of span lengths
(from 8 to 250 km)
– Avoid installation
of numerous
repeaters and
Monterrey
costly new huts
– Data paths up to
2,500 km with Mexico City
no regenerators
– Best usage of 4

existing outside plant

H
T

DWDM Network TMD

– Lowest CapEx & OpEx

© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 10

 CFE: A 22,000-km Network Supporting the Latest
100G Transmission Technology

Differentiation provided by Raman

optical amplification technology:
• Offering both capacity and
reach
• Bridging long spans with no
need to build new sites
 Network simpler and faster to
build and operate
Junction node:
Based on
Reconfigurable
Optical Add Drop
Multiplexer
(ROADM)

Hotel node
Junction node
In-line amplifier site
Glass-thru site
NMS/DCN site

© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 11

Mixing Spans and Amplification Technologies
Along a Typical Route (1,350 km)

45 km 76 km 135 km 37 km 15 km 82 km

ROADM ILA ROADM ROADM ROADM

Super span

250 km – 60 dB 3 km 62 km 147 km 25 km 30 km

ROADM ROADM ILA ILA

Super span Super span

170 km 137 km 100 km 31 km

ROADM ILA ILA ROADM ROADM

Core Backward span Forward span

Amplifier Extension module Extension module
© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 12
In the Absence of Long-Span Capability…

45 km 76 km 135 km 37 km 15 km 82 km

ROADM ILA ROADM

125 km
ROADM
125 ROADM
km
ROADM ILA ROADM

Cut the long span in two

Super span

250 km – 60 dB 3 km 62 km 147 km 25 km 30 km

ROADM ROADM ILA ILA

Terminate the signals at each end
of the long span (with back-to-
back terminal equipment)
Super span Super span

170 km 137 km 100 km 31 km

Regeneration site Regeneration site
ROADM ILA ILA 250 kmROADM ROADM

Core Backward span Forward span Remote Optically

Amplifier Extension module Extension module Pumped Amplifier (ROPA)
© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 13
1,600-km 100G Trial

© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 14

Equipment Configuration
13 Nodes with Equipment + 6 Glass Through Sites
Site A Site B
GT
2D ILA ILA ILA 3D
…

ROADM 1 2 3 ROADM

Span 5

Span 1 Span 2 Span 3 Span 4

ILA
4
Span 6

• Originally 19 sites ILA

5
Site C
• 13 nodes equipped Span 7

 6 glass-through ILA
ILA 7
ILA ILA ILA 2D

…
with gain
6 8 9 10 ROADM
(GT) sites tilt control

• Compared with the Span 8 Span 9 Span 10 Span 11 Span 12

configuration originally
provided by the operator,
the number of 30+dB spans increased from two to seven.
• Average span loss is 32 dB (including 3-dB margin/span).
• The longest spans are 180 km / 42 dB (shortest: 80 km / 20 dB).
• ROADM implemented as Colorless-Directionless (CD)

© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 15

1,600-km 100G Trial Results
Optical Spectra (1/2)

• Received spectrum at Site #13

– Transmission from Site # 1 to Site # 13
– 90 x 100G channels (50-GHz channel spacing)
Power (dBm)

-22
(0.1nm RBW)
-24

-26

-28

-30

-32

-34

-36

-38

-40

-42
1528 1532 1536 1540 1544 1548 1552 1556 1560 1564 1568

Wavelength (nm)
© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 16
1,600-km 100G Trial Results
Optical Spectra (2/2)

• Received spectrum at Site #1

– Transmission from Site # 13 to Site # 1
– 90 x 100G channels (50-GHz channel spacing)
-22
Power (dBm)

(0.1nm RBW)
-24

-26

-28

-30

-32

-34

-36

-38

-40

-42
1528 1532 1536 1540 1544 1548 1552 1556 1560 1564 1568

Wavelength (nm)
© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 17
1,600-km 100G Results
Optical Signal-to-Noise Ratio (OSNR)

• Channel #205 (1533.47nm)

OSNR and D from simulations (dB)

30

25

20 OSNR

15

OSNR threshold
10

Delta from simulations

0
12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

-5

Site

© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 18

1,600-km 100G Trial Results
OSNR and Q Factor Across the Optical Bandwidth
OSNR, Q (dB)

OSNR

OSNR threshold

Q threshold

(1529.55nm) (1545.32nm) (1564.27nm)

Direction from Site # 1 to Site # 13 Channel #

Direction from Site # 13 to Site # 1

© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 19

1,600-km 100G Trial Results
Summary

• All-optical high-capacity (9 Tb/s) transmission on 1,600 km with spans

up to 180 km / 42 dB
• Real network environment:
– 0.21 dB/km
– 3 dB margin per span
• Colorless directionless ROADMs
• Equipment flexibility to cope with span losses actually met in the field
even when significantly different from what was expected.

© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 20

100G + Raman Technologies for
Long Spans and
Regional Subsea Applications

© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 21

Additional Optical Gain Provided by ROPA
(Remote Optically-Pumped Amplifier)

• Optical channel power profile along a 367.5-km unrepeatered cable

• ROPA inserted 107 km before the receive terminal

70 wavelengths

Gain from Fiber attenuation

Gain from backward
forward Gain Raman pumping
Raman from Gain inside
pumping ROPA the receive
Optical terminal
Supervisory
Channel (OSC)

260.5 km 107 km

ROPA

Forward Direction of Backward

transport
Raman Raman
pumping pumping
© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 22
Ultra Long-Span Links

• Unrepeatered, single-span configuration:

– 34 x 100G on 74 dB / 420 km
– 8 x 100G over 80.8 dB / 480.4 km (to be presented at OFC/NFOEC 2013)
• Two-span configuration:
– 8 x 100G over 2 spans / 120 dB (to be presented at OFC/NFOEC 2013)
• One parameter to assess unrepeatered transmission technologies:
Raman power pump required in the line.
Distributed Raman Pump
Total No CHs x Bit Span Info
Coherent Power (W)
Reference Capacity rate (ch Signal Format
Processing Length
(Tb) spacing) Fiber Type ROPA Loss (dB) Forward Backward Total
(Km)
26x112 Gb/s
ALU, ECOC 2009 2.6 PDM-QPSK Offline E-PSCF (115mm2) YES 401 67 5.5 5.5
(50GHz)
EX1000, 2000, Dev
40x112 Gb/s
Corning, ECOC 2010 4 PM-QPSK Offline (76mm2, 112mm2, No 365 59.6 0.73 0.73
(50GHz)
128mm2)
4x43 Gb/s
ALU, ECOC 2010 0.16 PDM-RZ-BPSK Offline EX2000 (115mm2) Yes 525 84 ? ? ?
(100GHz)
64x43 Gb/s
ALU, OFC 2011 2.56 PDM-RZ-BPSK Offline E-PSCF (115mm2) Yes 440.7 71.5 5.3 5.3
(50GHz)
8x120 Gb/s
Xtera, ECOC 2011 0.8 PM-NRZ-QPSK Offline Z (Legacy, 76mm2) Yes 444.2 76.6 1.40 1.35 2.75
(100GHz)
4x100 Gb/s ULA-PSCF, E-PSCF
ALU, ECOC 2011 0.4 PDM-QPSK Real Time Yes 462 76.9 3.9 6.3 10.2
(50GHz) (135mm2, 115mm2)
2x120 Gb/s 313
Xtera, OpticsExpress 2011 0.2 PM-NRZ-QPSK Real Time Z (Legacy, 76mm2) Yes 79.2 1.45 1.37 2.82
(100GHz) (+VOA)
26x120 Gb/s
Xtera, Press Release 2012 2.6 PM-NRZ-QPSK Real Time Z (Legacy, 76mm2) Yes 424 74.2 1.39 1.52 2.91
(100GHz)
64x43 Gb/s ULA-PSCF, E-PSCF
ALU, OFC 2012 2.56 PDM-RZ-BPSK Real Time Yes 468 76.1 6.3 6.3
(33GHz) (135mm2, 115mm2)
Xtera, ECOC 2012
34x120 Gb/s
Xtera, ECOC 2012 3.4 PM-NRZ-QPSK Real Time Z (Legacy, 76mm2) Yes 432.8 74.4 1.48 1.61 3.09
(50, 100GHz)
2
12x120 Gb/s Z (Legacy, 76mm ) 383.5 66.7
Xtera, IPC 2012 1.2 PM-NRZ-QPSK Real Time No 1.49 1.43 2.91
(100GHz) SMF (Legacy, 80mm ) 2
© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & 342.7 66.8
Confidential 23
Ultra Long-Span Links
Unrepeatered Experiments Comparison
Distributed Raman Pump
No CHs x Bit Span Info
Total Capacity Coherent Power (W)
Reference rate (ch Signal Format
(Tb) Processing Length
spacing) Fiber Type ROPA Loss (dB) Forward Backward Total
(Km)
ALU 26x112 Gb/s
2.6 PDM-QPSK Offline E-PSCF (115mm2) YES 401 67 5.5 5.5
ECOC 2009 (50GHz)
EX1000, 2000, Dev
Corning 40x112 Gb/s
4 PM-QPSK Offline (76mm2, 112mm2, No 365 59.6 0.73 0.73
ECOC 2010 (50GHz)
128mm2)
ALU 4x43 Gb/s
0.16 PDM-RZ-BPSK Offline EX2000 (115mm2) Yes 525 84 ? ? ?
ECOC 2010 (100GHz)
ALU 64x43 Gb/s
2.56 PDM-RZ-BPSK Offline E-PSCF (115mm2) Yes 440.7 71.5 5.3 5.3
OFC 2011 (50GHz)
Xtera 8x120 Gb/s PM-NRZ-
0.8 Offline Z (Legacy, 76mm2) Yes 444.2 76.6 1.40 1.35 2.75
ECOC 2011 (100GHz) QPSK
ALU 4x100 Gb/s ULA-PSCF, E-PSCF
0.4 PDM-QPSK Real Time Yes 462 76.9 3.9 6.3 10.2
ECOC 2011 (50GHz) (135mm2, 115mm2)
Xtera, 2x120 Gb/s PM-NRZ- 313
0.2 Real Time Z (Legacy, 76mm2) Yes 79.2 1.45 1.37 2.82
OpticsExpress 2011 (100GHz) QPSK (+VOA)
Xtera 26x120 Gb/s PM-NRZ-
2.6 Real Time Z (Legacy, 76mm2) Yes 424 74.2 1.39 1.52 2.91
Press Release 2012 (100GHz) QPSK
ALU 64x43 Gb/s ULA-PSCF, E-PSCF
2.56 PDM-RZ-BPSK Real Time Yes 468 76.1 6.3 6.3
OFC 2012 (33GHz) (135mm2, 115mm2)
Xtera 34x120 Gb/s PM-NRZ-
3.4 Real Time Z (Legacy, 76mm2) Yes 432.8 74.4 1.48 1.61 3.09
ECOC 2012 (50, 100GHz) QPSK
Xtera 12x120 Gb/s PM-NRZ- Z (Legacy, 76mm2) 383.5 66.7
1.2 Real Time No 1.49 1.43 2.91
IPC 2012 (100GHz) QPSK SMF (Legacy, 80mm2) 342.7 66.8

© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 24

Gulf Bridge International
100G Submarine and Backhaul Networks

• Same platform for

Milan
– Submarine route between Alexandria
and Mazara del Vallo
– Backhaul networks in Italy and Egypt
• Span protection for backhaul
networks
Mazara del Vallo • 8,000 km of 100G optical routes

Alexandria

Working terrestrial route

Zafarana
Protection terrestrial route
Submarine cable system

© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 25

Gulf Bridge International
100G Submarine and Backhaul Networks

• Submarine route between Alexandria and Mazara del Vallo

– Regional repeatered submarine cable system (about 2,000-km long)
– Long spacing between submerged repeaters
– First 100G repeatered submarine cable system in commercial service
(since Q1 2012)

• Backhaul networks in Italy and Egypt

– Long spans between sites due to site skipping (because of leased fibers)
– Mix of fiber types
– Working and protect routes with OTS/span protection.

© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 26

 Summary

© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 27

Summary

• State-of-the-art 100G technology:

– Soft-decision FEC
– 40-nm CMOS technology for compactness and low power consumption
– In the field since 2011

• Innovative line equipment from Xtera for

maximizing the [Capacity x Reach] metric:
– Ultra-long reach in real network conditions
• 2,500-km all-optical link deployed in the field
– Unique capability to bridge long spans
12
– Already in service for backbone, backhaul, 10 14
8 16
unrepeatered and regional subsea applications
6 18
– Wide optical bandwidth enabling today
4 20
15-Tb/s line capacity with easy option
2 22
to go to 24 Tb/s with
0 24
• No trade-off on the reach – More than 3,000 km
Tb/s
• No complex technology at the interface card level

© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 28

Maximizing Network Capacity, Reach and Value
Over land, under sea, worldwide

© 2012 Xtera Communications, Inc. Proprietary & Confidential 29