Ciena bagged a big ticket contract from Reliance Jio, the country’s newest 4G service provider, to deploy multi-terabit converged packet-optical technology for the latter’s pan-India 4G network across the country. The deployment will help Reliance Jio “unleash the digital revolution in India,” according to an official statement.

Operating at speeds up to 200 Gb/s, this deployment gives Jio a high-speed, highly resilient mesh network with an unprecedented scale to support its surging subscriber base and subsequent data explosion. Jio is India’s newest mobile network operator, with a pan-India 4G network. Jio has set up the world’s largest greenfield all-IP, video-ready network. Jio commenced operations in September 2016 and has added more than 100 million subscribers in just 170 days. Jio is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries.

“With Ciena, we are not only able to provide robust scalability to offer new levels of data consumption, which is already 8 to 10 times above market levels, but also a supreme level of confidence in our network’s reliability and level of service that stands out in our marketplace. Ciena’s coherent technological offerings and proven control plane technology is helping to make us the fastest growing 4G network in the world,” Jyotindra Thacker, President at Reliance Jio.

Jio deployed Ciena’s 6500 and 5430 Packet-Optical Platforms, powered by WaveLogic coherent technology to provide ultra-high-bandwidth services across its entire network. This core network connects all major cities of India and is already carrying more than 85 percent of the total data traffic carried through Indian telecom networks, and the deployed network is ready for subscriber additions for months to come. This scale makes it one of the world’s largest multi-terabit networks.

With Ciena-enabled OneConnect restoration, unexpected fiber route failures are restored by autonomously choosing a divergent path that provides higher uptime and unmatched customer experience compared to traditional network architectures.

“In fast-growing markets like India, there’s a pent-up demand for more bandwidth not only for personal use but also to sustain business growth and development. Jio understands the necessity in today’s digital environment to provide high-bandwidth services anytime, anywhere. Ciena seeks to continue our momentum across these markets in developing long-lasting customer relationships to enrich the lives of residents in these areas,” Steve Alexander, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Ciena.