Alcatel to Develop 400G technology for Faster IP Networks

Alcatel-Lucent has introduced a new network processor that delivers a fourfold increase in performance over the fastest Internet Protocol (IP) networks. By supporting 400 Gigabits-per-second (G) transmission speeds, the FP3 processor opens up new possibilities for bandwidth-intensive services, applications and content, while cutting power consumption by up to 50 per cent.
The FP3 processor is being demonstrated and will be commercially available in Alcatel-Lucent’s service router portfolio in 2012.

The first of a new generation of IP routing technology, the FP3 processor is designed to address tomorrow’s demand for ultra-high performance public and private IP networks. For example, a single FP3 processor could handle 70,000 simultaneous High Definition video streams or 8.4 million simultaneous retail cloud sessions.
Alcatel-Lucent is the first company to develop 400G technology for IP networks, helping to accelerate the adoption of 100 Gigabit Ethernet (GE), which was standardized in 2010, while providing a clear path for higher speeds in future. According to a recent forecast by Dell'Oro Group, 100GE port shipments from 2010 through 2015 are predicted to grow in excess of 200 per cent annually.

Basil Alwan, president of Alcatel-Lucent’s IP Division, said, “This technology puts us a generation ahead of today’s fastest IP core routers. And, it’s not just moving bits, but generating revenue and creating value for service providers and their business, residential and mobile customers. By making networks faster, smarter and more environmentally sustainable, Alcatel-Lucent is enabling the continuous innovation of consumer and business devices, content and applications that increasingly depend on service provider networks.”

"Alcatel-Lucent is showing its technology roots, recently with light Radio for the wireless market and now with the FP3 400G network processor for IP routing. I’m impressed that any company could develop such a high capacity network processor, solving 400G in the electrical domain before the industry solves 400G for lightwaves. This 400G chipset is a generational advance that will improve router 100GE density/cost and will attract the eye of service providers,” states Michael Howard, Co-founder and Principal Analyst Carrier and Data Center Networks, Infonetics Research.
Alcatel-Lucent has also taken an industry leadership role by driving an ‘ecosystem’ of semiconductor partners including Samsung Semiconductor, NetLogic Microsystems, Micron, GSI Technology, Cypress and Broadcom to deliver complementary components that support the transition to ultra-fast, low power networks with deterministic performance.