Wednesday Bytes: Xtera, PCCW, O2, Google Fiber

Here’s a quick rundown of the news from this morning from around the industry and the world:

Xtera has demonstrated some really long reach for its optical gear. Using their Raman amplification technology over Corning Vascade EX2000 fiber supplied by China’s State Grid Information & Technology, they have demonstrated 100G over 607km and 10G over 632km, with no repeaters in between. Such long, thin pipes help the economics for submarine cables hooking up very isolated places, but also simply show how good technology has gotten at 100G optical overall at this point in its arc.

PCCW Global has added an interconnection partner on the other side of Asia. They’ve signed an IPX/MPLS multi-service interconnection agreement with Qatar’s Ooredoo. The two are already working together on the AAE-1 cable system, which is supposed to be ready next year sime time.

Hutchison Whampoa did in fact formalize its move on Telefonica’s O2 division today. If regulators don’t get in the way, they’ll be paying £9.25B initially with another £1.0B later if cash flow targets are met. Along with BT’s pending purchase of EE, the news furthers the complete overhaul the UK telecoms market seems to be getting.

And Google has unveiled its latest FTTH market. Google Fiber is planning to take on Salt Lake City, expanding over from nearby Provo, which they entered by acquisition a couple years back. Google Fiber’s other new projects so far are in the southeastern markets of Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville and Raleigh-Durham.

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Categories: FTTH · Internet Traffic · Mergers and Acquisitions · Wireless