On October 8, 2026, Arelion announced the completion of a live network field trial with Nokia across a 500-kilometer route from Amsterdam to London. The trial demonstrated expanded optical spectrum capacity using Nokia's optical transport technology.
Trial Details
Arelion completed the live network field trial on a 500-kilometer route from Amsterdam to London. According to the company, the test utilized Nokia's 1830 Global Express (GX) Super C and Super L open line system, CHMQ6 thin transponder modules, and ICE-X 400G and 800G ZR+ coherent pluggable optics.
The field trial demonstrated that Arelion could increase usable optical spectrum by approximately 21 percent. This expansion leverages existing fiber infrastructure to help meet customer requirements for AI and other bandwidth-intensive applications.
Executive Statements
Dariusz Solowiej, VP of Networks and Operations at Arelion, said the field trial represents a milestone in continuous network investment. "By combining expanded optical spectrum with Nokia's coherent pluggable technology, we're evaluating a more scalable and energy-efficient approach to increasing backbone capacity," Solowiej stated.
Ron Johnson, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Optical Networks at Nokia, said the collaboration gives operators greater flexibility to increase fiber capacity. Johnson noted that the trial demonstrates how these technologies help operators cost-effectively scale their networks while maintaining performance and resiliency.
Market Context
Arelion's announcement highlights the acceleration of coherent optical technology driven by AI-related bandwidth growth. According to Cignal AI figures cited in the release, 400ZR/ZR+ pluggable optics accounted for almost half of all telecom bandwidth deployed in 2025.
Furthermore, Gartner projects that worldwide AI spending will reach $2.59 trillion in 2026, representing a 47 percent increase year over year.
Key facts and where they come from
- Arelion completed a live network field trial on a 500-kilometer route from Amsterdam to London using Nokia equipment.
completed a live network field trial on its 500-kilometer route from Amsterdam to London using Nokia's 1830 Global Express (GX) Super C and Super L open line system
- The trial successfully expanded usable optical spectrum by approximately 21 percent.
Arelion demonstrated the ability to expand usable optical spectrum by approximately 21 percent with Nokia's Super C and Super L band technology
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