Fernando Capella - Credit: Ciena

Angola Cables announced an upgrade to its Monet and South Atlantic Cable System (SACS) networks using Ciena optical technology. The deployment, which is now underway, incorporates WaveLogic 6 Extreme (WL6e), together with Waveserver, the 6500 Packet-Optical platform and Navigator Network Control Suite.

The modernization will enable Angola Cables to offer services of up to 800 Gb/s while providing greater flexibility in the use of its existing submarine infrastructure.

Fernando Capella, Ciena’s regional director for Southern CALA, told Convergencialatina that Angola Cables was already a Ciena customer and that the current project is aimed at expanding network capacity and enabling 800 Gb/s services. He said the modernization will double the capacity available to the company’s customers.

Monet connects the United States and Brazil through a 10,556-kilometer submarine cable, while SACS links Brazil and Angola via a 6,165-kilometer route. Together, the two systems provide a direct connection between Angola and the United States, with round-trip latency of around 130 milliseconds.

Capella described the project as part of the network’s natural evolution in response to rising traffic demand. He said networks must add capacity to accommodate the growing volume of data carried across international infrastructure.

Beyond increasing capacity, the new optical platform will give Angola Cables greater flexibility in configuring services over its infrastructure. It supports configurations ranging from individual 100 Gb/s links to the use of an entire fiber pair.

The modernization also reflects changes in the nature of traffic carried over international networks. The expansion of data centers and cloud services, particularly the growth of AI applications, is driving greater capacity and performance requirements on long-haul routes.

Capella said the development of AI infrastructure is creating a different environment from that seen during previous network expansion cycles. The new optical capabilities are designed to meet rising demand and prepare existing cable systems to carry higher traffic volumes.