Marconi is to supply Finnet International with advanced Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) and Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) optical networking equipment for a new high-speed international link between Finland and Sweden.
The order, the latest in a wave of DWDM successes for Marconi which include major wins in the UK (BT), Belgium (Belgacom), Germany (Fibernet, T-Mobil), Iceland (Iceland Telecom) and Italy (Telecom Italia), is the first phase of Finnet International`s plan to build broadband DWDM capacity into its existing networks in Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Russia and Germany.
The new system will be used to meet the growing need for capacity on the Finnet International network due to strong customer demand for Internet, multimedia and advanced mobile services, as well as to accommodate Finnet`s steadily increasing level of carrier interconnect traffic. The contract follows a major agreement with Marconi for the supply of DWDM and SDH equipment for Finnet`s national backbone, signed last year.
"Marconi`s DWDM technology is at the cutting edge of today`s optical networking developments. This second DWDM contract with Finnet in a matter of months reflects the enormous performance and flexibility gains made possible by our SmartPhotoniX"a range," said Peter Brown, President of Europe, Middle East, Africa and Australasia (EMEA), Marconi Communications.
The SmartPhotoniX"a PLT16`s ability to support very long submarine spans of up to 44dB without significant signal attenuation problems obviated the need for costly dedicated submarine equipment, and was one of the key factors in winning the deal. Finnet`s ability to manage the new DWDM equipment through its existing Marconi MV36 Element Manager and MV38 Network Control network management system was also important, because it helped the company reduce costs while at the same time simplifying equipment integration and management.
"Ultra-high capacity backbones will be essential to delivering the advanced broadband services which will soon lie at the heart of a huge range of day-to-day and business activities," said Petri Pietilainen, Director, Network Services at Finnet International. "Marconi`s optical product range is not only extremely powerful in terms of maximising bandwidth, its high degree of flexibility and ease of management make it a very cost-effective solution that can evolve according to our changing needs."
Marconi plc is a global communications and IT company with around 49,000 employees world-wide and sales in over 100 countries. It supplies advanced communications solutions and the key technologies and services for the internet. Marconi plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange and Nasdaq under the symbol MONI.
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Finnet International
Finnet International`s new 1000+ km optical link will be built using 20 Marconi PLT16 SmartPhotoniX"a DWDM add-drop multiplexers and around 10 MSH51c long-haul STM-16 SDH multiplexers, providing a total of 16 optical channels at up to 10Gbps per channel. It will be remotely reconfigurable for optimum flexibility, supporting up to four add-drop wavelengths per line. The system will take the form of a land and double submarine link extending from Helsinki to Turku on Finland`s west coast, to Kista, just north of Stockholm, Sweden.
Finnet International is the international arm of the Finnet Group, a coalition of 46 private network operators in Finland which provide a full range of telecommunications services to business and residential customers. Finland`s second-ranked operator, Finnet serves 73% of Finland`s telephone subscribers and has a 60% share of national long distance traffic and a 33% share of international traffic. The Group currently employs 9,000 people, and had a turnover of FIM11 billion (US$1.8 billion) in 1999.