As I meet with optical network operators across the globe, the thing that stands out to me is that they face similar challenges and requirements even though their networks and applications may be quite different.

The most common requests I hear from operators are for cost and energy-efficient solutions that can increase network scale to handle ever-increasing traffic demands and service speeds, simplify their network operations, and ensure the highest standards of network security.

These priorities are shared by a wide range of network operators, including:

• Communications service providers (CSPs) that bring a variety of services to residential and business customers

• Webscale and internet exchange operators that interconnect data centers

• Wholesale operators and neutral hosts that provide wavelength and managed network services

• Transportation networks, energy companies, research and education networks, enterprises, governments and defense agencies that operate mission-critical networks.

As the general manager of the Optical Networks Division at Nokia, I am committed to meeting the needs of this disparate set of customers and ensuring that our investments and innovations will continue to support their needs in the future.

So it was hugely satisfying to learn that Nokia received the “Best All-Round Optical Transport Network” award at the Network X/Next-Generation Optical Network (NGON) conference, held in Paris, France, from 8–10 October. There is truly no greater honor than to be recognized by our industry peers for the high level of effort, investment and dedication to innovation that our team delivers every day.  

Nicolas Almendro, head of Nokia optical network pre-sales for Europe, and members of the Nokia team, receiving the “Best All-Round Optical Transport Network” award at the 2024 Network X/NGON conference. 

The Network X/NGON award recognizes our focus, commitment and execution in delivering market-leading, differentiated optical network solutions for diverse customers and applications. It also validates our "scale made simple" strategy, which aims to help operators sustainably increase network scale while simplifying their network operations through automation, simpler architectures and professional services.

The key to realizing the scale made simple strategy is to provide these solutions across a wide range of applications, use cases and network types. For example:

• Some network operators may offer services across access or metro networks, others may do so primarily across national or continental long-haul networks, and still others might do both.

• Network operators can have complex mesh networks across extensive metro, regional or national footprints, or may deploy simple point-to-point links for data center interconnection.

• Some operators may primarily offer high-speed wavelength services, while others offer a broad range of multi-rate services spanning MEF Carrier Ethernet, OTN, Fibre Channel and more.

• Certain customers require unique features such as high-accuracy synchronization distribution, or robust protected services with low latency to ensure always-on connectivity.

This should give you a better sense for the point I made about operators having many of the same challenges even though their networks and requirements might be quite different, and the focus that Nokia puts in meeting these requirements across our broad range of solutions.

More recently, the risk of disruption posed by bad actors seeking to intrude on networks has validated the investments we’ve made and the partnerships we’ve established to lead the industry in offering Quantum-Safe Network solutions. 

Nokia optical network solutions enable scalable, performance-optimized solutions from the network edge to the core, with end-to-end network automation, management and security. 

How do we make networks simpler to scale, operate and secure? As you can see in the figure above, we combine market-leading optical network solutions optimized across a wide range of form factors, feature sets and networking platforms, with common end-to-end optical network automation and secure transport solutions. Examples include compact modular solutions optimized for data center applications used by webscale customers, tightly integrated multiservice transport and WDM solutions for CSPs and enterprises, and highly scalable Packet-OTN solutions for enabling resilient and efficient business and wholesale services.

Underpinning our platform solutions are innovations from our Nokia Bell Labs and engineering teams in key enabling technologies such as silicon photonics, coherent modulation, quantum cryptography and artificial intelligence (AI), among many others. We apply these innovations across our portfolio, building them into products and solutions optimized for meeting the diverse needs of our customers.

So while I may be humming Tina Turner’s famous hit song "The Best" for a few days, the focus at Nokia is to help network operators continue to sustainably grow, evolve and transform their networks. As new services and applications emerge, we remain committed to driving the innovation and execution necessary to keep delivering the best all-round optical transport network solutions for our customers.

To learn more, visit our Optical Network Solutions page!