Transpacific Unity cable system doubles capacity with Infinera’s ICE6

 Infinera announced today that Infinera’s ICE6 800G coherent optical solution has been deployed to modernize and increase capacity on the transpacific Unity Submarine Cable System, which spans 9,620 kilometers and provides operators with a direct cable route linking Japan and the U.S. By upgrading to Infinera’s ICE6 solution, the cable system will double capacity and provide operators with the highest capacity services at the lowest cost per bit.

The Unity Submarine Cable System is a subsea consortium representing Bharti Airtel Limited, Global Transit Limited (a wholly-owned subsidiary of TIME), Google, KDDI Corp., Telstra and Singtel. By upgrading the network to ICE6, the consortium will be able to increase the life span of the cable by nearly 25% and deliver up to 7.4 Tb/s per fiber pair. This modernization with Infinera’s ICE6-powered GX Series solution also enables operators to get the most out of the subsea cable by minimizing cost per bit while maximizing the spectral efficiency and fiber capacity. This level of performance is achieved by leveraging Infinera’s unique and innovative solution features that include Nyquist subcarriers, forward error correction gain sharing, and photonic integrated circuit-based technology.

“Infinera’s innovative ICE6 technology was selected to upgrade our system because it enables us to extend the life of the Unity Submarine Cable System while providing the highest level of quality for our customers,” said the Unity consortium. “The Unity Submarine Cable System is a critical connection between two continents with the fastest growing bandwidth needs. We needed an industry-leading solution that would enable us to be competitive now and in the future.”

“The Unity Submarine Cable System is one of the highest capacity underwater fiber optic cables ever built between Asia and North America, and Infinera is proud to power it with our latest optical engine technology,” said Nick Walden, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales at Infinera. “The increased capacity will help operators in Asia and the U.S. meet the increasing bandwidth demands on both sides of the Pacific.”