Qwest Selects Nortel's Qtera Optical Transport Platform

Nortel Networks>' (Brampton, ON) Qtera subsidiary has scored a multimillion dollar agreement with Qwest Communications (Denver, CO) to supply ultra-long haul optical networking equipment.

As part of the first phase of its network expansion (see Qwest Leaps for Ultra-Long Haul Transport), Qwest plans to deploy Nortel's Qtera ULTRA photonic networking system by next month. Qwest expects to begin carrying commercial Internet protocol (IP) traffic coast-to-coast over multiple, 10 Gb/s channels by the end of the year.

"Leveraging the Nortel Networks portfolio is a key part of our all-optical network initiative," says Mike Perusse, Qwest's senior vice-president of network engineering. "The Qtera platform will help us provide a scalable IP backbone that will allow us to turn up new broadband services for our customers in record time. Our earlier field trial with the Qtera platform clearly demonstrated the value of this equipment in meeting our goals."

The Nortel Networks' Qtera ULTRA system will transport wavelength division multiplexed signals up to 2,500 miles (4,000 km) without opto-electronic regeneration, providing significant savings in capital equipment and operating costs.

Edited by Erik Kreifeldt