Nokia claims to prove case for 1Tbs per channel with Rakuten Mobile, develops Etisalat private 5G

Nokia has revealed two advanced mobile communications projects in Japan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – with Etisalat UAE from e& and Rakuten Mobile – showing what could be the new table stakes for operators offering comms services.

Nokia says it has demonstrated the first live 1Tbps per channel transmission over Rakuten Mobile’s commercial Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexer (DWDM) network, a speed increase of 500% on Rakuten’s existing network running at 200Gbps. The trial took place over two days in January 2022 and connected datacentres located 135km apart in Japan’s Kanto region.

Rakuten Mobile is scaling up its network capacity to enable 5G connectivity, video and new applications for its mobile subscribers and business partners. The 1Tbps system is designed to enable the operator to reduce its footprint, improving operational expenditure and flexibility to roll out in datacentres.

The 1Tbps speed was achieved using coherent transmission powered by Nokia’s Photonic Service Engine (PSE) supporting 1Tbps capacity over a 150GHz optical spectrum. The trial demonstrated the ability to deliver 32Tbps per fibre in C-band, which can be expanded to 64Tbps by adding L-band over a Nokia DWDM line system used in Rakuten’s optical network. This is seen as vital to providing maximum capacity for the ever-increasing data demands and to support the latest generations of routers delivering 800Gbps Ethernet.

The Open Line System field trial, over Rakuten Mobile’s existing commercial network, also used Nokia’s Photonic Service Engine inhouse Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a compact, high-capacity, modular optical networking platform, optimised for Data Centre Interconnect (DCI) applications over metro, regional and long haul.

“We are delighted with the performance of 1Tbps per channel on our optical network in collaboration with Nokia,” said Tareq Amin, representative director and CEO of Rakuten Mobile. “This technical milestone will allow us to maximise bits per fibre and achieve improved power efficiency. The enhanced capacity will also support our traffic growth, deliver higher bandwidth and enable Rakuten Mobile to provide new service offerings.”

Meanwhile, in the UAE, Nokia has signed an agreement with Etisalat UAE to deploy 5G private wireless networks to support enterprises across Abu Dhabi. The two companies will work together to support businesses in various industries, including ports, oil and gas, government and critical infrastructure, by digitally transforming their operations and embracing Industry 4.0 through 5G use cases.

Nokia and Etisalat UAE will offer a variety of systems, including Mobile Edge Computing (MEC), Modular Private Wireless (MPW) and Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC), to meet the diverse needs of enterprises. The frame agreement also encompasses push-to-talk and push-to-video capabilities, as well as Enterprise Voice Core (EVC).

Nokia and Etisalat UAE will be able to develop 5G-enabled use cases to support digital transformation and improve operational efficiency across multiple industries with this broad set of offerings. To demonstrate these use cases to enterprise customers, a 5G private wireless network based on the Nokia DAC platform has been installed at the Etisalat Innovation Centre in the operator’s Abu Dhabi headquarters.

“We are committed to supporting the government’s vision to accelerate digital transformation of businesses so they can capture emerging opportunities,” said Khalid Murshed, chief technology and information officer at Etisalat UAE. “This collaboration with our long-term partner Nokia is in line with this vision and will provide our customers with best-in-class solutions. 5G private wireless networks will allow them to boost productivity, enhance operational efficiency, and grow revenue while improving customer experience.”