Seaborn Networks has selected Xtera’s C+L band design for its ARBR submarine fibre optic cable system, which connects Argentina and Brazil.
Running between São Paulo and Buenos Aires, the ARBR is Argentina’s first independent submarine cable system, providing the most direct route between Argentina and the United States using onward connectivity via the Seabras-1 submarine cable system between New York and Sao Paulo. The 2,700km open system, four-fibre pair, direct point of presence (PoP)-to-PoP subsea cable will have an initial design capacity of 48Tb/s. The cable is fully funded and on an accelerated implementation schedule to bring new capacity on an underserved route, providing new connectivity to the region.
The ARBR system will be developed and owned by Seabras Group - a partnership between Seaborn Networks and equity investor Partners Group (see Partners Group funds Seabras-1 cable linking US and Brazil) and Werthein. The two companies announced their binding agreement to build the ARBR system in April last year (see Seaborn and Werthein to build submarine cable connecting Argentina to Brazil).
The system will utilise Xtera’s wideband repeater – a hybrid Raman/EDFA design that can be configured to provide bandwidth either in the C band alone, or across the C+L bands. First deployed in 2015, the addition of Raman amplification to standard repeater technology has been used to achieve bandwidths of approximately 70nm, while also offering very low noise solutions. Development continues to increase the capacity on a fibre pair to more than 100Tb/s.
Larry Schwartz, chairman and CEO of Seaborn commented: ‘We work constantly with our partners and customers in this dynamic Latin American market to develop subsea cable systems that meet their future bandwidth demands. Use of Xtera's technology on the ARBR system will allow Seaborn to offer the most advanced system under the sea with on-demand capacities of up to 44Tb/s per fibre pair.’
Added Leigh Frame, Xtera's COO: ‘We are pleased to be able to offer a system solution that sidesteps the Shannon limit, matching Seaborn's efforts to challenge the conventions of the industry, offering more to their customers and accomplishing this at a highly competitive price point.’
