Enables telecom operator to meet growing demand for ultra-fast mobile connectivity in South Korea

Seoul, South Korea, February 22, 2017: Huawei today announced the successful deployment of its automatically switched optical network (ASON) solution on SK Telecom's 200G network, to meet growing demand for ultra-fast mobile broadband access. This is the first ever deployment of Huawei’s ASON solution on a commercial 200G network, and dramatically increases data capacity and transmission speeds to enable SK Telecom to expand its high-bandwidth mobile services and accommodate future 5G network traffic in South Korea.

As the largest mobile operator in South Korea, SK Telecom has already deployed LTE and LTE Advanced to drive high network speeds. The company plans to perform 5G tests before the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, as well as commercially trial mobile 3D imaging, ultra high definition video, hologram, and other emerging technologies. To prepare for widespread deployment of 5G and increase network capacity and performance, SK Telecom is planning to build a 5G-oriented high-speed backbone network. This network will drive the development of new services that require high bandwidth and seamless connectivity, while ensuring a smooth evolution to 5G.

Huawei's OTN+ASON solution is critical to the successful deployment of this high-speed backbone network. The solution, which enables 200 Gbit/s per wavelength, significantly increases network bandwidth, and allows for smooth future evolution to ultra-speed (1 Tbit/s) transmission networks while meeting SK Telecom's requirements of large capacity, efficient O&M, and high security. Based on the transmission distance, the solution allows SK Telecom to choose 16 QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation), 8QAM, or QPSK (quadrature phase shift keying). This flexibility helps the operator adapt to various transmission scenarios and supports future service development on Huawei programmable boards and universal boards. In addition, the OTN platform can be successfully integrated with multiple 2G, 3G, and 4G legacy backhaul networks that SK Telecom had previously constructed, simplifying SK Telecom networks and improving O&M efficiency.

The 200G backbone network also adopts the ASON structure and is fully meshed, which allows it to withstand multiple fiber cuts, enhancing network security and safeguarding SK Telecom's mobile services. Next-generation ASON uses unicast ASON to allow for a full range of video services, helping SK Telecom secure a lead in this growing business.

Huawei has a wealth of experience in ASON and has successfully deployed 175 ASON networks. As a leading network service provider, Huawei is committed to providing optimal network solutions to help customers succeed. As the world evolves, Huawei remains committed to customer-centric innovation and continued collaboration with global operators to build a better connected world.

The 2017 Mobile World Congress will be held in Barcelona, Spain, from February 27 to March 2. Huawei exhibition areas are located at #1J50 in Hall 1, #3I30 in Hall 3, and Innovation City in Hall 4, Fira Gran Via, Barcelona. For more information, please visit http://www.huawei.com/cn/events/mwc/2017/.