Play Achieves Poland’s First 1.2 Tb/S Optical Transmission With Ciena Wl6e

Wedoany.com Report-Dec.9, Play, a major telecommunications operator within the iliad Group, has successfully completed Poland's first ultra-high-capacity optical transmission trial, achieving a record 1.2 terabits per second (Tb/s) over a 900 km route connecting Gdańsk and Poznań via Szczecin.

The milestone was reached using Ciena's WaveLogic 6 Extreme (WL6e) coherent optics technology, which employs a 3 nm digital signal processor and advanced high-bandwidth electro-optics to support up to 1.6 Tb/s per wavelength. Compared with the previous generation, WL6e doubles capacity in the same physical footprint while reducing power consumption per bit by 50 percent, enabling efficient preparation for future 800G client services.

The deployment leverages Play's existing Ciena 6500 photonic platform, previously equipped with WaveLogic 5 Extreme technology, allowing seamless integration and immediate performance gains across the operator's long-distance backbone.

Michał Ziółkowski, Chief Technology Officer at Play, stated: "Deploying WaveLogic 6 Extreme represents a major milestone for Play and positions us as the first operator in Poland to achieve this level of transmission capacity. Ciena helps us offer the highest quality services while minimizing our network's energy consumption. We can now optimize our fiber assets with the best spectral efficiency while preparing for future services and transfer demands."

Anders Grand, Vice President of EMEA Sales at Ciena, added: "Play's achievement demonstrates how operators are using our latest optical innovations to break new ground in network performance. This deployment in Poland is one example of WL6e's ability to deliver unprecedented capacity across long distances while reducing power consumption, helping Play maintain its competitive edge in the market."

The successful trial strengthens Play's nationwide optical infrastructure, providing greater bandwidth headroom to meet rapidly growing data demand from residential, enterprise and wholesale customers while advancing energy efficiency objectives. The technology also maximises the value of existing fiber routes, reducing the need for additional physical infrastructure and supporting sustainable network expansion across Poland.