How Ekinops & Orange Reached 800 Gbit/s Optical Milestone

Ekinops has announced the successful completion of an 800 Gbit/s optical transmission trial across Orange’s long-distance fibre network, reinforcing its position as a provider of cutting-edge transport solutions for telecom operators.

The test was conducted over a 757km optical route linking two key Orange data centres in Bordeaux and Marseille. 

The high-capacity route is vital for the French operator’s network, providing direct interconnection to its transatlantic submarine cables and supporting growing data traffic across international routes.

The trial used Ekinops’ FlexRate technology and latest-generation coherent transponders. Critically, the 800 Gbit/s transmission was achieved without errors, meeting Orange’s required performance levels for long-distance connectivity under real-world network conditions.

Enabling spectrum diversity and long-haul performance

The trial proved two important aspects of Ekinops’ open optical approach: the ability of its transponders to operate over a third-party optical line system and the effectiveness of its coherent technology in supporting high-capacity traffic across long-haul distances.

The open and interoperable model is gaining ground in the telecom sector, allowing operators to introduce new technologies onto existing infrastructure without the need for costly replacement of entire systems. Its demonstration highlights how French-developed solutions can meet rising bandwidth demands while providing operational flexibility.

Collaboration between Orange and Ekinops

For Orange, the trial is part of a wider strategy to enhance its terrestrial network services while complementing its global subsea infrastructure.

Jean-Louis Le Roux, Executive Vice President International Networks at Orange, says: “This trial demonstrates Orange's commitment to offering an ever-wider range of efficient network services and new high-speed services on our terrestrial long-distance network, which, combined with our submarine networks, provide resilient, sovereign and secure global connectivity for our customers. 

“The proximity of Ekinops and Orange's laboratories in Lannion facilitated technical feasibility tests before implementation on the actual network.”

The collaboration reflects the benefits of having national R&D and testing facilities within close proximity, accelerating development and deployment for both parties.

Open optical solutions for evolving networks

Ekinops’ 800 Gbit/s field trial success represents another step in its ongoing development of open and high-performance transport solutions. 

The company’s PM_800FR04 transponders, used during the test, form part of its broader portfolio aimed at helping operators scale capacity while maintaining cost and operational efficiency.

Philippe Moulin, Interim CEO of Ekinops says: “We are very pleased with the performance of our 800G transponders (PM_800FR04) during this field trial. 

“This success demonstrates our expertise in developing some of the most high-performing optical solutions on the market and our open approach that allows us to introduce our transponders on existing optical networks. 

“We also demonstrate our ability to collaborate with major network operators like Orange at every stage of their network evolution.”

With long-haul traffic demand continuing to grow due to cloud services, video and 5G, the successful transmission more than 757km reinforces the importance of partnerships between vendors and operators in addressing future bandwidth challenges.