Nokia promotes pluggable optics for subsea network efficiency
Nokia says coherent pluggable optical technology can help submarine cable operators reduce power use, save space and lower costs while carrying more data. The modules, already deployed in land-based networks, have advanced from 100G and 200G to 800G speeds through improved digital signal processors. In a trial with Telxius on the Brazil-USA cable, Nokia's ICE-X 800G technology achieved 600G per wavelength over 2,841 km and a 400G per wavelength record over 5,862 km, though traditional embedded optics will still be needed for the longest routes.
Nokia's optical marketing lead, Serge Melle, outlined in a blog how compact coherent pluggable modules are moving from terrestrial metro and long-haul use toward submarine cables. These devices pack high-capacity fibre transmission into less power and physical space than conventional embedded systems, with DSP progress lifting supported rates from 100G/200G to 800G.
A Telxius trial on the Brazil-USA cable tested Nokia's ICE-X 800G. It reached 600G per wavelength across 2,841 km and set a 400G per wavelength mark over 5,862 km. Nokia still sees embedded optics as necessary for the longest routes, such as 15,000 km or more, while anticipating future pluggables at 800G and above.
More efficient submarine links could help telecom operators and cloud providers move growing international data with less energy and equipment, potentially supporting faster or more affordable connectivity. Internet users, businesses and public services that depend on cross-border traffic may benefit indirectly if capacity expands and costs fall. However, gains may vary by route, and the longest cables could still rely on embedded optics, so the effect on end users may be gradual rather than immediate.