22 March 2011, Shenzhen– ZTE Corporation (“ZTE”) (H share stock code: 0763.HK / A share stock code: 000063.SZ), a leading global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions, today announced that the company has broken the previous world record for single-channel transmission rate at 1Tb/s with a recorded single-channel rate of 10Tbit/s in a first-time experiment.

The optical signals were successfully transmitted over a stretch of 640km standard single-mode fiber, and were presented at the OFC/NFOEC 2011 conference, Los Angeles, CA, USA. This new world record lays a foundation for future research on optical transmission technology with higher single-channel rates.

The experiment used ZTE's patented "carrier generation technology" to generate 112 coherent and frequency-locked optical sub-carriers; with each sub-carrier bearing 100Gbit/s optical signals, and successfully realized optical signals with a single-channel rate of 11.2 Tbit/s, a net 10Tb/s line rate plus overheads such as FEC.

In an era where the global optical communications industry is entering 100G, all mainstream manufacturers are not only promoting the practical deployment of 100G but also actively seeking candidate technologies at higher bit rates of 400G, 1T, and beyond. With rapid growth in demand for higher bandwidth, single channel 10Tb/s will be the transmission rate for future telecommunication networks. ZTE has demonstrated the feasibility of 10Tbit/s single channel transmission over 640km using OFDM technology, opening a new chapter for future research in optical network technology. 

Over the years, ZTE has invested substantially in bearer optical network transmission technology; developing 100G model equipment and ULH transmission products, based on 100G product deployment, as well as being engaged in the research of beyond-100G high-speed signal transmission technology. From close interaction with the world's newest technology, ZTE have tackled a number of core technical issues in high-speed optical transmission technology and has become the driving force of this area.

ZTE's experimental result was presented at OFC/NFOEC 2011 on March 10th, 2011. The article was accepted as a "post deadline paper", with ZTE being the primary unit to achieve the result. ZTE filled a gap within the fiber communications transmission field for Chinese companies, and marked a move for Chinese companies into the global high technology field of optical networks. Post Deadline Paper (PDP), which releases the most competitive papers and reports, is the core of the OFC conference - this article was the only PDP of Chinese companies at the conference. The papers, selected and recommended by world-famous experts in the industrial and academic world, hold an authoritative position in the fiber communications field.

"With OFC's acknowledgement of our research result in 100G and beyond-100G technology, we will go on to invest further efforts in high-speed optical transmission and apply further research results in the pending 100G global deployment," Mr. Fan Xiaobing, General Manager

of ZTE bearer network product line, said.