In a standout development, announced on the opening day of International Telecoms Week (ITW), Windstream and Ciena successfully trialled three 800G wave services running over mated WaveLogic 6 Extreme (WL6e) wavelengths across a 1,590 km route from Virginia Beach to Jacksonville, without regeneration.
The test, conducted over Windstream’s high-capacity Beach Route using Ciena’s Reconfigurable Line System (RLS), marks the first time in the industry this level of high-bandwidth, ultra-long-haul transport has been demonstrated.
The trial signals a major leap in scalability for long-distance networks, offering a pathway to support growing demand for Nx800G services — particularly among content providers, hyperscalers, and large enterprises.
“We are thrilled to have completed this groundbreaking trial with Ciena,” said Joe Scattareggia, president of Windstream Wholesale. “This achievement reflects our dedication to delivering innovative solutions that meet our customers' needs and pave the way for future advancements.”
Ciena, for its part, sees the Windstream milestone as proof of market readiness. “The completion of the WL6e trial is a testament to our dedication to empowering network operators to thrive in the digital age,” said Brodie Gage, SVP of global products and supply chain at Ciena.
Flo Networks expands with Ciena in US–Mexico corridor
In a separate announcement, Flo Networks confirmed that it is deploying Ciena’s 6500 Packet-Optical Platform, powered by WaveLogic 5 Extreme (WL5e), to bolster new routes connecting Querétaro, Mexico, with key US network hubs.
This rollout delivers native 400G transport, boosting capacity and resilience while giving Flo greater control over critical long-haul routes — a move likely to reduce dependency on legacy infrastructure and improve service options for cloud and carrier customers operating across the border.
Though less headline-grabbing than the Windstream trial, the Flo deployment underscores a growing trend: optical upgrades are no longer reserved for Tier 1 markets, as Latin American providers look to compete on network performance and scale.
Together, the announcements frame a broader industry shift: coherent optics are becoming central to both competitive differentiation and regional economic opportunity.
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