17 March 2014, Shenzhen, China – ZTE Corporation (“ZTE”) (H share stock code: 0763.HK / A share stock code: 000063.SZ), a publicly-listed global provider of telecommunications equipment, network solutions and mobile devices, has demonstrated 400G ultra-long high-speed transmission at the annual Optical Fiber Communication Conference (OFC) held in San Francisco, USA, on March 14th, 2014.

ZTE has used its patented technology to achieve 20 DWDM (dense wavelength division multiplexing) channels of 400Gbps single-carrier polarisation multiplexing and quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) signals to successfully transmit to 3600km in standard single-mode fiber when the spectrum efficiency is improved to 4b/s/H.

The system consists of 36 segments, each covering 100km, supporting a total transmission distance of 3600km, which proves the feasibility of 400G deployment over a single carrier in future long-haul system. The system has the industry’s highest Baud rate of 110G baud and standard 100GHz ITU-T channel grid with a single coherent receiver. The result has been published in a post-deadline paper of OFC 2014.

Single-carrier per channel and single receiver is one of the objectives of future 400G and beyond high-speed optical transmission. Single-carrier transmission is the preferred modulation scheme in the industry due to its simple transmitting and receiving structures and manageability.It is also the most mature modulation solution and has the highest sensitivity.  

ZTE is committed to R&D in 100G and beyond 100G technologies, as well as their applications. In this field, ZTE has provided several key innovations.

ZTE was the first to release an overall 100G bearing solution in 2010. It provides 100G products covering switch, router, and WDM/OTN, as well as end-to-end solutions from edge layer to core layer for customers.

In March 2011, ZTE became the first equipment manufacturers to implement single-channel 11.2Tb/s transmission over 640km in standard single-mode fibers, breaking the world record of single-channel 1Tb/s. ZTE accomplished 24Tb/s (24x1.3Tb/s) WDM signal transmission in the same year, which was the world's first WDM system in terabit/s.

In July 2011, ZTE launched the first 1Tb/s DWDM prototype system and experiment results at the OECC.

In 2012, ZTE released 400G/1T DWDM prototype with seven solutions designed for various network applications.

In February 2012, ZTE with Deutsche Telekom, successfully completed 2450km on-site ultra-long-distance hybrid transmission of 100G/400G/1T signals in Germany, setting a record of transmission distance of high-speed signal hybrid transmission in the industry.

In 100G and beyond100G field, ZTE has submitted dozens of patent proposals, covering optical modulator, framer, chip, and algorithms. ZTE has successfully deployed commercial networks and trials in 100G and beyond 100G with the mainstream operators in West Europe, East Europe, Asia Pacific, and China. It has become a leading global innovator developing high-speed optical communication technology.