This past week, a joint effort between French telecom company Orange and Alcatel Lucent has led to the fastest internet connection in the world, a 400 gigabyte/second connection, being set up between Paris and Lyon (450km or 275 miles). The connection, which uses Alcatel Lucent’s latest optical fiber technology, will consist of 44 wavelengths, and will be able to transfer 17.6 Terabits per second of traffic in total.

According to Alcatel Lucent in their press release, their Photonic Service Engine, which is currently commercially available, represents the next generation of high bandwidth connections for telecom providers. The Paris-Lyon connection is four times as strong as the current connection between the two locations, and, while Alcatel Lucent has had a rough week, having just announced that their CEO will step down in May, this, to me, is a sign as to why the company will be around in the years to come. Alcatel has showed record losses in 2012, which I believe reflect the company’s decision to invest in next-gen equipment.

Orange, on the other hand, has done well in almost every business line, and has withstood the Euro Crisis better than most. This demonstration of the latest internet conections, as well as Orange’s recent announcements of its first 4G network in parts of Paris, solidify its position as the #1 Mobile provider in France, not just in terms of subscribers, but in quality.