WESTON, Fla. -- Thales and Alcatel (Paris:CGEP.PA - News; NYSE:ALA - News) today announced a major breakthrough in the security of DWDM wavelengths for financial and government applications. The Thales SONET Datacryptor® has successfully demonstrated encryption of an aggregate SONET signal generated by an Alcatel 1677 SL provisioned with optional Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) modules and Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifiers (EDFA). In addition to providing DWDM-based encryption, this testing validates that the Thales SONET Datacryptor does not introduce significant delays or impairments when used with ITU optics for SONET protection schemes, including Linear, Unidirectional Path-Switched Ring, and Bidirectional Line-Switched Ring.

DWDM technology allows network operators to increase the capacity of their existing fiber networks while avoiding costly installation of additional fiber infrastructure. EDFAs allow operators to extend the reach of their DWDM signals without the need for numerous, costly regeneration sites. As demand within the financial and government sector for high capacity transmission increases, this testing validates that the Thales SONET Datacryptor and the Alcatel 1677 SL, with the inclusion of DWDM optics, provides the increased capacity of DWDM while still offering secure transmission of mission-critical information.

New federal regulations mandate that large financial institutions and the U.S. Government encrypt their Wide Area Network links to improve overall security. While traditional DWDM-based encryption services have been limited to the entire fiber, Thales and Alcatel have demonstrated per-wavelength encryption. This solution allows these operators to cost effectively expand their effective bandwidth while securing their data in a more flexible and efficient manner.

"Information security, via encryption, is rapidly becoming an essential component of doing business," said Steven Pickett, senior vice president and general manager of Alcatel's optical networking activities in North America. "As the world leader in optical networking, Alcatel is committed to meeting the needs of our customers. By working with Thales to prove the effectiveness of the SONET Datacryptor, Alcatel continues to provide and support the latest technologies and applications required by the market."

Thales Security

Alcatel (NYSE: ALA; Paris: CGEP:PA)