ZTE Corporation completes 1.6Tbps C+L live trial

ZTE Corporation and Türk Telekom completed a live network trial in Istanbul described in the release as the world's first C+L full-band integrated 1.6Tbps deployment, an effort the companies said supported the development of ultra-broadband and intelligent all-optical networks in Türkiye.

The announcement stated the trial increased system capacity, reduced the variety of spare parts required and enabled ultra-high-speed 400GE and 800GE service transmission, outcomes the companies presented as operational improvements for handling growing traffic demand.

The technical description in the release said the deployment used a C+L full-band integrated 1.6Tbps solution that supports seamless switching between the C-band and L-band under a unified management system without physical network modifications; the release also described an intelligent Network Management System (NMS) based on a holographic optical solution with optical sensing, provisioning, diagnosis and optimization functions to provide visibility and lifecycle management of network resources.

The companies said they conducted a transcontinental live network traffic trial in Istanbul, deployed ZTE's C+L full-band solution while leveraging existing fiber infrastructure, and reported efficient utilization of the full optical spectrum to create a high-capacity and flexible optical network architecture.

“This world's first C+L full-band integrated 1.6Tbps live network trial with Türk Telekom demonstrates how ZTE's globally proven optical transmission and AI-driven network management technologies can be successfully applied within Türkiye's critical infrastructure. By delivering higher capacity, simplified hardware architecture and autonomous operational capabilities, we are paving the way for next–generation optical networks for HI-OTN (High Intelligence and High Performance) that accelerate the country's digital transformation,” said Ling Zhi.

The release said the trial laid a foundation for Türkiye to develop ultra-broadband and intelligent all-optical networks and elevate the digital economy level of Türkiye and Eurasia.