Telecom Ramblings

Verizon just deployed ULH in Japan.  Is it just me, or does this not seem silly:

The company will deploy 155 kilometers (96.3 miles) of ULH network in Japan between Tokyo and Maruyama. The latest ULH expansion, part of Verizon Business’ planned 2008 investment to advance the company’s industry-leading global network capabilities, complements Verizon Business’ pioneering deployments of the high-capacity optical technology in the United States and Europe.

Excuse me, 96.3 whole miles?  Are you sure that isn’t 96.4 miles?  I mean we want to get the most out of that 2000-mile rated ULH gear, don’t we?  I’m sorry, but Ultra Long Haul means NYC to Chicago or Chicago to Seattle, or Frankfurt to Moscow, or even Beijing to Hong Kong, it is not NYC to Philadelphia.  (Hint: if you can make it there and back without filling the tank of your SUV, then it isn’t ULH to me).  I know, I know, Verizon justs want a homogeneous network, but sheesh.  I mean, this is Japan, perhaps the most densely populated bandwidth island in the world, how does ULH help your local network infrastructure there?  Seems as if someone like Infinera ought to have an advantage in such a market.