Ekinops completed an 800 Gbps optical transmission trial over 757 km on Orange’s long-distance route linking Bordeaux and Marseille, a key corridor that feeds traffic to Orange’s transatlantic submarine capacity. The test used existing fiber and a third-party line system, demonstrating that Ekinops’ coherent transponders can deliver high-bitrate wavelengths without requiring new photonic infrastructure.
The end-to-end validation relied on the company’s FlexRate technology and its newest PM_800FR04 coherent transponder. Ekinops achieved error-free 800 Gbps transmission across a span that typically requires lower-rate wavelengths, confirming performance under real-world conditions while meeting Orange’s quality and resiliency requirements.
Orange and Ekinops also emphasized the benefit of colocated labs in Lannion, which allowed pre-deployment feasibility testing before activating the high-rate wavelength on the live long-haul route. The companies said the results support diversified spectrum operation and continued use of French-developed coherent technology across long-distance paths.
• 800 Gbps transmission validated over 757 km on Orange’s Bordeaux–Marseille route
• Trial used FlexRate and PM_800FR04 coherent transponders on an existing, third-party line system
• Demonstrated error-free, real-world performance suitable for long-haul and submarine-connected corridors
• Enables operators to diversify spectrum sources and increase capacity on existing long-distance fiber
• Joint feasibility testing conducted in Orange and Ekinops labs in Lannion before live deployment
“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,” said Jean-Louis Le Roux, Executive Vice President International Networks at Orange.
🌐 Analysis: Ekinops’ 800 Gbps result adds momentum to the industry’s shift toward 800G-capable coherent optics on existing long-haul spans, a performance tier increasingly required for cloud interconnects and submarine-adjacent routes. Orange’s use of an open transponder on another vendor’s line system reflects broader operator interest in open line systems and vendor diversification, mirroring recent multi-vendor deployments across Europe and North America.
