WCA January 2014

Industry news

Ultra-broadband for Saudi Arabia

ALCATEL-Lucent and Zain KSA have completed an Agile Optical Network to provide ultra-broadband access throughout Saudi Arabia. The fibre-optic backbone network is based on converged wavelength division multiplexing/optical transport (WDM/ OTN) technology, enabling Zain to provide 100 gigabits-per-second (100G) capability throughout the country’s main metros. Zain and Alcatel-Lucent are also conducting a trial of 400 Gigabit-per-second (Gbps) data transmission over an existing optical link carrying live network traffic in the major western city of Jeddah. Alcatel-Lucent’s 400G optical solution, based on the 400 Gbps Photonic Service Engine (PSE) platform, supports the emergence of new high-bandwidth, high-performance. Key facts: • Zain has made the nationwide deployment of fibre-based mobile ultra-broadband access to support the increasing network capacity demands of 4G LTE • Alcatel-Lucent has provided its converged WDM/OTN platform, the 1830 Photonic Service Switch (PSS), to address the booming demand for high-bandwidth data services such as high-definition video streaming, next-generation mobile broadband applications and cloud services • 100G fibre-optic technology takes advantage of unique silicon innovations from Alcatel-Lucent’s Bell Labs and supports a capacity of up to 8.8 Terabit per second – the equivalent of 1.32 million HDTV channels streamed at the same time – over a single optical fibre Zain and Alcatel-Lucent are conducting a 400G data transmission trial in Jeddah, over an existing optical link carrying live network. Alcatel-Lucent – France Website : www.alcatel-lucent.com Solar connected to South African grid Norwegian solar company Scatec Solar AS has energised a 75MW PV power plant in South Africa’s Northern Cape. The $255 million Kalkbult power plant consists of 312,000 solar panels mounted on 156km of substructure, inverters, transformers and an HV substation. The power generated by the facility will be sold to national utility Eskom through a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA). Last year, Scatec was awarded contracts to build two other PV power plants. It expects to complete the 75MW Dreunberg power plant in the Northern Cape and the 40MW Linde facility in the Eastern Cape in mid-2014. Scatec Solar AS – Norway Website : www.scatecsolar.com

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Wire & Cable ASIA – January/February 2014