Friday Bytes: Ciena, GTT, AFR-IX, STACK

Two network upgrades, some SD-WAN, a new subsea cable project, and a data center campus:

Ciena won two global network upgrade projects this weeks that are worth noting. GBI is using the company’s technology to increase the design capacity of its network by 10Tbps. GBI’s subsea and terrestrial infrastructure interconnects the countries of the Persian Gulf and provides connectivity to Europe and India. And Vodafone Idea, or Vi, is deploying Ciena gear across its footprint in India as it prepares for 5G. The deployment enables 300-400G services, upgradeable to 800G when the time comes.

GTT has picked up another global customer for its managed SD-WAN and security services. Loxam will use GTT’s platform to connect 115 sites across Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Loxam rents commercial equipment and tools for the construction sector, leveraging dual DIA/MPLS links and managed firewalls at each location to power its digital infrastructure.

AFR-IX has detailed its plans for the new Medusa cable. Medusa will stretch from one end of the Mediterranean to the other, from Portugal to Egypt. Along the way it will land branches to a dozen ports both in Europe and Africa, putting 480Tbps of potential capacity across 24 fiber pairs and 8700km. The EIB is considering putting €163 behind the project, which will cost €326M in all.

STACK Infrastructure is making a significant investment in the Far East. Yesterday STACK announced plans to develop a 36MW data center campus in Inzai, Japan. The project will break ground in Q2 and consists of two 18MW buildings with further expansion potential beyond that. Inzai sits about 20-30 miles east of Tokyo in Chiba Prefecture. STACK is expanding on multiple fronts and has said they plan to enter other APAC markets as well.

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Categories: Datacenter · SDN · Telecom Equipment · Undersea cables