Optical 2 min read

Zayo Taps Ciena for 3,000km Network Across Germany

Zayo Europe has partnered with Ciena to launch a new high-capacity optical network spanning 3,000km across Germany, targeting eight core metro areas including Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, and Berlin, and extending to Strasbourg, France. The infrastructure upgrade is driven by rising demand for low-latency, high-throughput connectivity, particularly to support cloud applications and AI workloads.

The network leverages Ciena’s Reconfigurable Line System (RLS) and WaveLogic 6 Extreme (WL6e) coherent optics, enabling Zayo to deliver 400G wavelength services today, with a clear path to future upgrades supporting 800G and 1.6Tbps. These enhancements mark a strategic investment in Germany’s digital infrastructure, aligning with EU efforts to accelerate AI deployment and cross-border connectivity.

Zayo CEO Colman Deegan emphasized the strategic importance of Germany in Zayo’s European expansion, noting the need for “ultra-low latency connectivity” to power AI and cloud services. Ciena’s Virginie Hollebecque added that WL6e’s 3nm silicon-based optics reduce power and space by 50%, providing a differentiated offering for Zayo across long-haul routes.

  • New 3,000km network spans 8 German metros and extends to Strasbourg, France
  • Uses Ciena WaveLogic 6 Extreme (WL6e) and 6500 RLS platform
  • Delivers 400G wavelength services; scalable to 800G and 1.6Tbps
  • Supports growing AI, cloud, and digital infrastructure demands in Europe
  • WL6e reduces space and power per bit by 50% using 3nm silicon

“There’s a growing need for high-capacity networks across Germany to meet the demands of an increasingly digital economy. As a Carrier Managed Services partner leveraging Ciena optical technology, Zayo Europe can offer differentiated wavelength services across its entire European footprint, including key long haul routes across Germany.” said Virginie Hollebecque is Vice President and Leader of EMEA at Ciena.

Share this article

Help others discover this reporting.

Explore More

From the Graveyard

You just read about Ciena. One of the companies whose work it now carries:

Internet Photonics built Optical Ethernet and cable transport. What became of it?

From the Technology Graveyard

You just read about Optical. A technology from the archive that helped get us here:

Optical Burst Switching (OBS) served from 2000. What ultimately replaced it?

On this day

July 9

From 25 years of the Converge Digest archive.