Ciena and KT build 600G transmission route in South Korea

The transmission route, which the firms say is South Korea's first nationwide 600G network, will hook up major South Korean cities such as Seoul, Busan, Gwangju, and Jeju Island.

The project is described as an initiative to ‘proactively address’ rapidly increasing data traffic related to AI, cloud, and 5G, and to prepare for future services such as 6G.

It was built using Ciena’s 6500 grid Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexer (ROADM) photonic layer with WaveLogic 5 Extreme (WL5e) coherent optics, and a Manage, Control and Plan (MCP) domain controller.

“As pioneers in coherent optical technology, Ciena has been supplying optical transmission equipment capable of delivering 100G and 400G services to domestic telecom operators,” said Henry Kim, Regional Managing Director of Ciena North Asia. “The 600G transmission network introduced by KT is expected to provide a groundbreaking, cost-effective solution for transmitting high-capacity traffic throughout South Korea. This, in turn, is anticipated to enhance dedicated circuit services significantly.”

Last month, KT’s recently-appointed CEO Kim Young-seop unveiled a new strategy for the operator, which involved the launch of two new divisions – Technology Innovation and KT Consulting Group – and a severe sounding management shake up.