100G coherent trials and deployments: Deutsche Telekom plans and perspective

Due to the vast increase of internet and data traffic and upgrading existing optical metro-, regio- and long haul transport networks, the migration from existing networks toward high speed optical networks with channel data rates up to 100 Gb/s/λ is one of the most important questions today and in the near future. Researchers, system vendors and -operators focus on investigations, targeting the relaxation of constraints for 100 Gb/s transmission to find the most efficient upgrade strategies. This presentation describes the requirements and realization scenarios for 100 Gb/s networks from an incumbent network operator point of view. The field trials with channel rates of 100 Gb/s, carried out in the network of Deutsche Telekom AG, in cooperation with system vendors are summarized.