Telecommunications networking equipment, software, and services provider Ciena says it has developed 5G Network Solutions that will aid companies to scale their existing 4G networks and also prepare for the move towards 5G.
In a statement, the company said that compared to 4G LTE, 5G was expected to offer 100x faster speeds, 100x more devices, 10x lower latency, and 1000x higher data volumes.
These features would make possible the use of fixed wireless access, mobile broadband, augmented/virtual reality, IoT and other applications.
This, in turn, would generate traffic that needed to be stored, accessed, and shifted across the network.
{loadposition sam08}Ciena's solutions are made up of its converged packet optical (6500 and Waveserver) and packet networking (3900 family, 5100 family, 8700 Packetwave) platforms – as well as new products and capabilities, including:
- New deterministic packet capability that will support 4G/5G converged fronthaul/midhaul networks offering digital radio transport over standards-based Ethernet;
- New IP functionality that will provide the necessary connectivity features required for IP-based network infrastructures; and
- Programmable Network Slicing capabilities that will allow network operators to logically partition and virtualise network resources from Layer 0 to Layer 3.
Operators would also gain from Ciena’s Blue Planet Manage, Control and Plan and Multi-Domain Service Orchestration software that provides enhanced network orchestration, analytics, and end-to-end SDN-based network control.
Apart from this, Ciena’s Design, Deploy, and Manage Professional Services is claimed to help maximise network infrastructure investment throughout the entire evolution from 4G to 5G.
“With expected 5G performance gains ranging from 1,000 times the volume of data to 10 times the reduction in latency, operators need to prepare their end-to-end wireline network now, said Steve Alexander, chief technology officer, Ciena.
"As the industry leader in coherent optical, edge packet platforms, automation, and multi-domain service orchestration, Ciena is uniquely positioned to support operators through every step of their multi-year journey to a common wireline infrastructure that supports 4G and beyond.”
Ciena will demonstrate these solutions during the Mobile World Congress which is scheduled to be held in Barcelona from 26 February to 1 March.