Comcast will deploy coherent technology from Ciena across the US, in a partnership designed to help broaden fiber connectivity in underserved areas.

The firm will leverage Ciena’s 5131 Coherent Access Platform (CAP), a rugged router designed to extend high-speed fiber connectivity to the network Edge. With the technology, Comcast aims to expand the reach of its current fiber deployments more than 100km and offer 100 Gbps to rural and other underserved communities.

The deal will see Comcast join other communication service providers (CSPs) within the Ciena customer base. These include Verizon, which paired with Ciena to transfer 1.6 Tbps of data in its live fiber network last year using Ciena’s WaveLogic 6 Extreme (WL6e) coherent optics solution.

Ciena has also partnered with Lumen Technologies to enhance connectivity for cloud and data center operators, also using the WL6e digital signal processor (DSP).

The Ciena 5131 is designed for outdoor and Edge deployments, built for outside plants lacking in-cabinet or rural buildouts. It hosts concurrent passive optical network (PON), IP, and Ethernet services on the same platform, and can support L1, L2, and L3 low-latency switching.

"We continue to expand our footprint so we can deliver next-generation connectivity to as many communities as possible," said Elad Nafshi, executive vice president and chief network officer for connectivity and platforms at Comcast. "Ciena’s coherent routing technology is the newest tool to help us pursue this goal as efficiently as possible. This platform can be useful in supporting our Rural Broadband and BEAD initiatives that are critical to improving digital opportunity across America."

"Breakthroughs in network technology can redefine what’s possible for entire communities," said Kevin Sheehan, CTO of the Americas and VP of sales engineering at Ciena. "Working together, Ciena and Comcast [can] deliver 100 Gbps over longer distances without the need for expensive hub sites or power-hungry equipment. It can help accelerate broadband deployments and ensures that every community can benefit from fast, reliable connectivity."

Ciena recently introduced new compact optical transport platforms aimed at supporting Edge networking and metro access networks, the Waveserver E10 and Waveserver E200, with both models designed to offer scalable and flexible transport capabilities in a small form factor.