Astound unveils 400G wavelength service with Ciena tech

Astound Business Solutions has launched a commercial 400G wavelength service, which it said aims to deliver the “massive capacity” large carriers, enterprises and public sector organizations require. The offering leverages Ciena’s WaveLogic 5 Extreme 800G and WaveLogic 5 Nano 400G coherent optics. Launched in 2020, WaveLogic 5e is capable of transmitting and receiving up to 800G of network traffic on a single wavelength. Astound chose Ciena’s technology for its wavelength service because it’s deploying that same technology in its own network, said Patrick Knorr, chief commercial officer at Astound Business Solutions. The operator is also deploying Ciena’s Waveserver 5 interconnect platform to deliver 400G connectivity across all its network links. Astound’s long-haul network covers more than 41,000 route miles and provides connectivity to over 75,000 business customers.