3:15 PM -- ZTE Corp. (Shenzhen: 000063; Hong Kong: 0763) reminded the packet/optical fraternity that it doesn't intend to be an also-ran, with the launch today of what it calls "the industry’s most complete 100G end-to-end carrier network solution."

The "end-to-end" proposition comprises three products: A core router, the ZXR10 T8000; a crossconnect OTN switch, the ZXONE 8000; and the ZXR10 8900E MPLS router "at the convergence access layer." All three can house ZTE's 100Gbit/s board and are managed by the NetNumen U31 unified gateway. (See ZTE Launches OTN PLatform.)

The vendor's pride and joy is the T8000, a 100Gbit/s "cluster routing system with the largest capacity in the telecoms industry... using chips with self-owned intellectual property, ZXR10 T8000 can support 16+64 multi-chassis system and 200T switching capabilities."

The vendor says it developed its own QPSK modulation technology "to support ultra-long distance transmissions of over 1000km without the need for power relays," and says operators "can simply upgrade the circuit-side single board of its existing platform to support 100G capacity, effectively reduce networking cost, and protect its network investment."

Simple isn't a word often associated with upgrading to 100Gbit/s.

The 100Gbit/s market is certainly heating up, with plenty of requests from network operators and increasing noise from the vendors:

— Ray Le Maistre, International Managing Editor, Light Reading