TOKYO, Japan, Jan. 31 -- Lucent Technologies announced the installation and deployment of an optical networking system that will enable NTT Communications of Japan to dramatically increase its network capacity by transmitting information through a wavelength range in its fiber that it could not previously use.
    NTT Communications has deployed Lucent's WaveStar OLS 400GL, which uses dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) technology and a new L-band optical amplifier to significantly expand the capacity of its long-distance network.
    "The L-band amplifier will go a long way toward not only increasing capacity, but also increasing the number of fiber types across which DWDM can transmit information," said Barry Weinbaum, general manager of optical long-haul solutions at Lucent. "NTT Communications was among the first to recognize the importance of this technology, and we are honored that NTT Communications entrusted Lucent with bringing this innovative technology to its network."
    The WaveStar OLS 400GL uses the L-band amplifier to give service providers the ability to transmit data, voice and video traffic in the L-band optical wavelength range. By opening up this previously untapped wavelength band, this new amplifier allows NTT Communications to transmit up to 40 10 Gb/s wavelengths in the L-Band, providing a 16,000 percent increase in network capacity, Lucent said. This is Lucent's first commercial deployment of a C+L-band system.