Revolutionizing Internet Exchange Technology: 100G LR-1 Takes Center Stage
Frankfurt am Main, 20 June 2023: The world’s leading Internet Exchange (IX) operators, including DE-CIX, LINX, AMS-IX, and BCIX, are set to usher in a new era of optical transceivers with the introduction of 100G LR-1 technology, known as LR. This groundbreaking technology will be deployed on their platforms, starting in major cities like Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, and Berlin.
Unlike the existing 100G LR-4, which relies on four lasers, each carrying a 25 Gbps signal, the innovative 100G LR-1 technology leverages a single laser and utilizes pulse amplitude modulation (PAM4) to transmit data at an impressive 100 Gbps. This streamlined transceiver design not only results in power savings but also promises improved transceiver pricing. These advancements offer immediate benefits and pave the way for new transceiver form factors that hold the potential for even greater performance and efficiency enhancements in the future. Moreover, 100G LR-1 technology is already compatible with a wide range of routers from major vendors and seamlessly integrates with current fiber technology. DE-CIX, LINX, AMS-IX, and BCIX are all geared up to provide support to meet the surging customer demand for 100G LR in the coming months.
Dr. Thomas King, Chief Technology Officer at DE-CIX, expressed, “With the introduction of 100G LR-1 technology, we’re charting a path for the next generation of transceiver technology that is poised to dominate the market for years to come. The future design of our DE-CIX interconnection platform promises not only enhanced programmability and scalability but also greater commercial flexibility and an extended geographical reach. This will simplify interconnection processes for our customers.”
LINX’s CTO, Richard Petrie, added, “At LINX, we’re prioritizing the implementation of 100G LR-1 technology at our London locations. We’ll roll it out as demand grows and as we observe LINX members transitioning to this enhanced optical solution. This will yield cost and power benefits for both LINX and our member base.”
Ruben van den Brink, CTO at AMS-IX, emphasized, “The decision to offer 100G LR-1 is a logical one for AMS-IX and its customers. Our lab tests have validated the compatibility of the new optics with all the switches currently deployed in our Amsterdam PoPs. The collaboration with our partners to drive this new standard has been instrumental. When Internet Exchanges collaborate, customers reap the rewards, and we hope to see more exchanges join in offering 100G LR-1 in the near future.”
Andre Grüneberg, CTO at BCIX, stated, “Following successful lab testing of 100G LR-1 and other 100G single-lambda standards, we’ve already integrated this technology into our production network. This has allowed us to establish a cost-efficient interconnection between data centres on the same campus. Extending these benefits to our peers is the natural next step.”
