In the fast-evolving world of global communications, cable systems must keep pace with the growing demands for capacity, speed, and flexibility. In line with these advancements, the SEA-ME-WE 5 (SMW5) cable system underwent a major upgrade in August 2019. Djibouti Telecom, a key partner in the consortium, is proud to highlight the system’s enhanced capabilities that align with our mission of delivering resilient and future-proof connectivity to Africa and beyond.
The SMW5 consortium, in partnership with Ciena, successfully upgraded the SEA-ME-WE 5 submarine cable system by deploying Ciena’s GeoMesh Extreme technology, featuring the 6500 Packet-Optical platform. This upgrade significantly boosted the design capacity of the SMW5 system to 38 Tbps and reduced the unit cost for 100G transmission by 70%. Following the upgrade, the SMW5 system now supports hybrid 100G/200G waves, with the ability to increase capacity per wave to 300 Gbps.
Originally supplied by Alcatel-Lucent and NEC, the 20,000 km-long SMW5 cable spans across 17 countries and was designed to deliver 100Gbps DWDM technology with an initial capacity of 24 Tbps on three fiber pairs. Alcatel-Lucent handled the Sri Lanka-to-France segment, while NEC managed the Singapore-to-Sri Lanka section. The system became operational in December 2016.
By integrating Ciena’s GeoMesh Extreme and the 6500 Packet-Optical platform, the SEA-ME-WE 5 system is now equipped to accommodate unpredictable traffic surges and offer service providers enhanced capacity and flexibility. Ciena’s WaveLogic Ai platform has also played a critical role in increasing the per-wave capacity to 300 Gbps, which significantly lowers the cost per 100 Gbps of transmission.
Ciena’s open-architecture solution enables SMW5 to scale capacity rapidly, protect traffic from faults, and further reduce network ownership costs. According to the SMW5 consortium, Ciena’s 200G DWDM technology brought about a 50% improvement in design capacity, reaching 38 Tbps, while reducing 100G unit costs by 70%.
This critical upgrade ensures that the SEA-ME-WE 5 cable system remains one of the most reliable and efficient infrastructure networks in the region. As a key landing partner in the SMW5 system, Djibouti Telecom remains committed to leveraging such innovations to deliver world-class connectivity solutions that meet the growing demands of Africa and the global market.