Arelion and Nokia have completed a live network field trial demonstrating a 21% increase in usable optical spectrum across Arelion’s 500-kilometer Amsterdam–London route. The trial combined Nokia’s 1830 Global Express (GX) Super C and Super L open line system with CHMQ6 thin transponder modules and ICE-X 400G and 800G ZR+ coherent pluggable optics. The results demonstrate how operators can expand the capacity of existing fiber infrastructure to accommodate growing demand for AI, cloud connectivity, and data center interconnect (DCI) services.

The deployment used Nokia’s Super C+L optical technology to extend usable spectrum beyond conventional wavelength bands. By increasing the spectrum available for DWDM transmission, Arelion can potentially accommodate additional wavelengths without deploying new fiber. The architecture also incorporates Nokia’s CHMQ6 modular transponders and ICE-X coherent pluggables, providing flexibility in how 400G and 800G services are aggregated and transported.

Arelion is evaluating the technology for its global backbone and Managed Optical Fiber Network (MOFN) services, which provide dedicated optical connectivity between data centers and other infrastructure locations. The field trial addresses growing requirements from hyperscalers, neocloud providers and enterprises distributing AI workloads across multiple facilities.

Analysis

The key result from the Arelion-Nokia trial is the 21% increase in usable optical spectrum across an existing 500 km fiber route, rather than a new per-wavelength speed record. Nokia’s Super C+L architecture extends the spectrum available beyond conventional C+L implementations, creating room for additional DWDM channels without deploying new fiber. That is particularly relevant on heavily utilized backbone and DCI corridors, where adding fiber can be expensive or constrained. The reported 21% figure refers specifically to usable spectrum; actual traffic capacity will depend on channel spacing, modulation, spectral efficiency, OSNR and route engineering.

The trial also shows how spectrum expansion and coherent pluggables can work together as complementary scaling mechanisms. Arelion paired Nokia’s 1830 GX Super C/Super L open line system with CHMQ6 transponders and ICE-X 400G/800G ZR+ optics, creating options for both additional wavelengths and higher-capacity services. For Arelion’s DCI and MOFN business, this provides a path to extract more capacity from existing fiber assets while supporting increasingly distributed cloud and AI infrastructure. The next milestone will be whether Arelion moves Super C+L from field validation into broader commercial deployment.

Company Profile: Arelion