Virgin Media Trials Infinera’s Cutting Edge Multi-gigabit Network Technology

SAN JOSE, Calif., March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Infinera (NASDAQ: INFN) announced today that Virgin Media has trialed innovative network technology which provides new ways to roll out multi-gigabit speeds to consumers and businesses.

The trial, delivered on the operator’s network in Reading, UK, saw Virgin Media install prototype Infinera XR optics technology in its network. The new equipment plugs into the existing network and can send and receive data at much higher speeds than was previously possible – reaching transfer rates of up to 400Gbps in a single fiber.

In 2019, Virgin Media trialed 10Gbps symmetric full fiber home broadband technology in Papworth, Cambridgeshire. This new trial goes a step beyond that, demonstrating that the operator’s passive fiber optic access network (PON) – which provides multiple premises with full fiber connections – could deliver 400Gbps symmetrical services by making use of the latest technology.

Fiber optic networks transmit data from one point to another through a series of electrical switches and optical transceivers. These optical transceivers control where the information is sent and at what speed, ultimately determining how fast data can be sent from one point to another.

In the trial, the traditional network transceivers were replaced with cutting-edge technology which split a single fiber optic cable into many connections, all taking a share of the huge capacity. This means a single fiber could be used to provide multi-gigabit speeds to many customers at the same time.

By using standard passive optical network technology, the transceivers can support higher speed data transfers and can be remotely upgraded and configured. This allows the network operator to make changes quickly and easily, paving the way for simple upgrades to consumer services in future.

This new technology could help support the rapidly growing demand for data which is being driven by high-quality video streaming, remote working, and immersive entertainment, as well as the need to carry 5G traffic to and from mobile phone masts as well as other emerging bandwidth intensive technologies.

Jeanie York, Chief Technology and Information Officer, Virgin Media, said: “Our next-generation network already offers gigabit connectivity to more than 7 million homes, but with data use and demand for hyperfast speeds surging, we’re continually investing in our network to prepare for whatever the future brings.

“Innovations like XR optics ensure our customers continue to benefit from the UK’s fastest widely available speeds, pave the way for future network upgrades and help support the rollout of multi-gigabit broadband and mobile services.”

“The trial with Virgin Media provides a solid proof point that Infinera’s XR optics technology can be seamlessly applied to existing networks,” said Dave Welch, Infinera Chief Innovation Officer and Co-founder. “This represents a radical shift in the way networks can be built, promising a more flexible and sustainable way to meet the ever increasing need to transmit more data at higher speeds.”

Contacts:

Infinera Media:
Anna Vue
Tel. +1 (916) 595-8157
avue@infinera.com  

Infinera Investors:
Amitabh Passi
Head of Investor Relations
apassi@infinera.com

About Virgin Media
Virgin Media offers four multi award-winning services across the UK: broadband, TV, mobile phone and landline.

Our network delivers the fastest widely-available broadband speeds to homes and businesses. We’re expanding this through continued investment in our Project Lightning programme, which has seen our network footprint reach an additional 2.5 million premises so far to pass 15.3 million UK premises overall. We are also investing to bring next-generation gigabit speeds to our entire broadband network by the end of 2021, with progress so far making us the UK’s largest gigabit network.

Our interactive TV service brings live TV, thousands of hours of on-demand programming and the best apps and games to customers through a set-top box, as well as on-the-go through tablets and smartphones.

Virgin Mobile launched the world’s first virtual mobile network and offers fantastic value and innovative services with 5G connectivity. We are also one of the largest fixed-line home phone providers in the UK.

Through Virgin Media Business we support entrepreneurs, businesses and the public sector, delivering a range of connectivity and tailor-made services.

Virgin Media employs around 12,000 people directly in the UK and is part of Liberty Global, one of the world’s leading converged video, broadband and communications companies. Liberty Global connects 11 million customers through operations in six countries across Europe subscribing to 25 million TV, broadband internet and telephony services. It also serves 6 million mobile subscribers.

About Infinera
Infinera is a global supplier of innovative networking solutions that enable carriers, cloud operators, governments, and enterprises to scale network bandwidth, accelerate service innovation, and automate network operations. The Infinera end-to-end packet optical portfolio delivers industry-leading economics and performance in long-haul, submarine, data center interconnect, and metro transport applications. To learn more about Infinera visit www.infinera.com, follow us on Twitter @Infinera, and read our latest blog posts at www.infinera.com/blog.

Infinera and the Infinera logo are registered trademarks of Infinera Corporation.

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the potential financial, operational and technical benefits that Infinera’s Infinera’s XR optics technology may provide network operators. These statements are not guarantees of results and should not be considered as an indication of future activity or future performance. Actual results may vary materially from these expectations as a result of various risks and uncertainties. Information about these risks and uncertainties, and other risks and uncertainties that affect Infinera’s business, is contained in the risk factors section and other sections of Infinera’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the Fiscal Quarter ended September 26, 2020 as filed with the SEC on November 5, 2020, as well as any subsequent reports filed with or furnished to the SEC. These reports are available on Infinera’s website at www.infinera.com and the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Infinera assumes no obligation to, and does not currently intend to, update any such forward-looking statements.