Dark Fibre Africa (DFA), a subsidiary of Maziv, has successfully transmitted an unprecedented 1.6 terabits per second (Tbit/s) on a single wavelength over a 40km section of its core network. The trial, conducted between Isando and Midrand, reportedly marks a “world first” for IP/optical convergence at this speed. This achievement quadruples the capacity from an earlier test that reached 400Gbit/s on the same route.
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The test used Ciena’s WaveRouter platform paired with its WaveLogic 6 Extreme coherent optics. This demonstration shows that DFA’s network can seamlessly integrate 400Gbit/s, 800Gbit/s, and 1.6Tbit/s services as digital demand grows.
According to Maziv Chief Technology Officer, Andreas Uys, the successful trial provides confidence that the company can meet the rising demand for digital services. He confirmed that next-generation services will be rolled out in select regions before a national expansion.
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This test follows the first phase of an R800 million network upgrade that included new underground cabinets to speed up service provisioning. If this technology is commercialized, it could significantly lower costs and increase the capacity of South Africa’s metro and backbone network routes.
Virginie Hollebecque, Vice President for Ciena in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, stated that the combination of their optical and routing technologies positions DFA to scale to 1.6Tbit/s and “beyond.” This strategic move is a major step for South Africa’s digital infrastructure.
