Telecom Namibia, the incumbent fixed-line operator, is deploying the African country’s first optical dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) network. The network will increase the operator’s transmission capacity to up to 1.6 Terabits per second. New 10G and 40G channels – individual beams of light each carrying data at 10 or 40 gigabits per second – will provide low-latency services and improved international connectivity. Nokia Siemens Networks will provide the DWDM equipment and related services for the deployment, the benefits of which will also be extended to the neighboring countries of Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana.

The DWDM deployment will take place on the existing national fiber optic network of Telecom Namibia and partially on the optical ground wire (OPGW) routes of NamPower, the state-owned power utility firm. The network will be connected to the West Africa Cable System (WACS), Namibia’s first ever undersea fibre optic link to the global submarine cable networks that landed on its shores in February this year. This will ensure increased bandwidth and higher data speeds, along with improved direct international connectivity for Telecom Namibia subscribers. The DWDM network will also be extended to the borders of neighboring countries. As a result, operators in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana will benefit from higher capacity and improved international connectivity through WACS.

Nokia Siemens Networks will provide its hiT 7300 DWDM platform that offers connections with low latency; brings down operating costs; and speeds up service delivery.. In addition, Nokia Siemens Networks will enable Telecom Namibia to add capacity as and when it requires by simply adding a transponder to the DWDM system. The operator will also benefit from simplified network operations and end-to-end network performance monitoring with Nokia Siemens Networks’ network management system.