NEC Corporation (NEC) (NASDAQ: NIPNY) today announced NEC's next generation Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing system, SpectralWave 160. The initial release of the SpectralWave 160 will be commercially available in the fourth quarter of 2000.

The initial release of the new high-capacity DWDM system will transport up to 160 OC-192 and OC-48 wavelengths in virtually any combination, providing maximum data transport capacity of 1.6 terabits per second (Tb/s). In 2001, NEC plans to enhance the system by making it capable of transporting up to 80 OC-768 (40 Gb/s) channels, increasing the maximum transport capacity of the system to 3.2 terabits per second (Tb/s) - the equivalent of transmitting 1600 feature length films each second.

In designing SpectralWave 160, NEC has also addressed the industry's desire for a small DWDM footprint. The system's dense open architecture uses a single Universal OPT shelf to support mixtures of 2.5, 10, and 40 Gb/s channels. The shelf can support interface for up to 20 wavelengths. The Universal OPT shelf's density and flexibility provide carriers with a single-rack solution for most initial deployments. It realizes twice the capacity in half the space. SpectralWave 160 provides a small footprint, as well as a channel carrying capacity that leads the industry.

SpectralWave 160's record-breaking 640-channel capacity is achieved through NEC M4:1 multiplexer technology. The M4:1 feature multiplexes four OC-48 signals up to the OC-192 level for transmission on a single 10 Gb/s wavelength. In addition, the system will support inverse multiplexing of 10 Gb/s and 40/Gb/s channels for operation over spans with high-PMD fiber.

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