Arelion partners with Nokia to demonstrate expanded optical spectrum and backbone capacity

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Oct. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Arelion today announced it has 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, CHMQ6 thin transponder modules and ICE-X 400G and 800G ZR+ coherent pluggable optics. The field trial demonstrated how Arelion can increase the capacity and cost efficiency of its IP and optical network, helping wholesale, neoscaler and enterprise customers access scalable connectivity as they deploy AI and other bandwidth-intensive applications.

Arelion demonstrated the ability to expand usable optical spectrum by approximately 21 percent with Nokia's Super C and Super L band technology, enabling greater capacity over its existing fiber infrastructure to meet customers' networking requirements.

This additional capacity can support high-bandwidth services such as Arelion's Managed Optical Fiber Network (MOFN), which provides dedicated, managed optical connectivity between data centers and other digital infrastructure.

Nokia's CHMQ6 thin transponder modules and ICE-X coherent pluggable optics provide a modular, lower-power approach to high-capacity optical transport, while client splitting enables more efficient use of wavelength capacity across different high-speed customer services.

These capabilities help Arelion support enterprises distributing AI workloads across data centers and cloud environments, as well as growing neoscaler demand for high-capacity MOFN services.

Arelion's achievement comes as AI-driven bandwidth growth accelerates the adoption of coherent optical technology. According to Cignal AI, 400ZR/ZR+ pluggable optics accounted for almost half of all telecom bandwidth deployed in 2025, with 800G pluggables expected to be the fastest-growing area for coherent interfaces in 2026.

This trend reflects substantial growth across the broader AI market, with Gartner projecting worldwide AI spending will reach $2.59 trillion in 2026, increasing 47 percent year over year.

"This field trial is another milestone in our continuous network investment to support customers' escalating bandwidth requirements as they deploy AI and other next-generation technologies," said Dariusz Solowiej, VP of Networks and Operations, Arelion. "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, helping enterprises and other bandwidth-intensive customers reliably connect data centers and cloud environments."

"As an operator at the heart of the global Internet, Arelion plays a foundational role in supporting the digital infrastructure that underpins today's connected economy," said Ron Johnson, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Optical Networks, Nokia. "Pairing expanded Super C and Super L spectrum with coherent pluggable technology gives operators greater flexibility to increase fiber capacity while improving power and cost efficiency. Arelion's trial demonstrates how these technologies can help operators cost effectively scale their networks to meet evolving customer requirements while maintaining high levels of performance and resiliency."

The field trial continues Arelion's investments in its #1 ranked global Internet backbone, helping enterprises, service providers and content providers access scalable, resilient connectivity services across its network. These include IP Transit, Wavelengths, Dedicated Internet Access (DIA), Cloud Connect, Global 40G Ethernet Virtual Circuit (VC) and DDoS Mitigation services.

About Arelion

Arelion solves global connectivity challenges for multinational enterprises whose businesses rely on digital infrastructure. On top of the world's #1 ranked IP backbone and a unique ecosystem of cloud and network service providers, we provide an award-winning customer experience to customers in close to 130 countries worldwide. Our global Internet services connect more than 700 cloud, security and content providers with low latency. For further resilience, our private Cloud Connect service connects directly to Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, IBM Cloud and Oracle cloud across North America, Europe and Asia. Discover more at Arelion.com, and follow us on LinkedIn and X.

Arelion
Martin Sjögren, Senior Manager PR and Analyst Relations
+46 (0)707 770 522
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SOURCE Arelion