DB Systel GmbH Selects Ribbon to Build Optical Backbone Network

Westford, MA – Ribbon Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: RBBN), a global provider of real time communications software and network solutions to service providers, enterprises, and critical infrastructure sectors, today announced that ECI, now part of Ribbon, was selected by DB Systel GmbH, the digital partner to Deutsche Bahn AG, one of the world’s leading mobility and logistics companies, to build and deploy a state-of-the-art, flexible optical backbone network. This new network will fulfill the railway company’s digitization and bandwidth needs while offering maximum availability, flexibility and scalability.

DB Systel implemented this network as part of Deutsche Bahn AG’s "broaDBand project". The new Dense Wave Division Multiplexing (DWDM)-based high-performance optical transport network enables DB Systel to offer transmission capacities to carriers, service providers and other companies while executing its own bandwidth initiatives.

“We are very proud that we were able to quickly build a complete optical backbone network,” said Jens Liebel, Head of Network Services at DB Systel. “With Ribbon, we have a highly competent partner who knows how to best implement the diverse requirements of a railway company, and we can now meet all the requirements of advanced digital networking within Deutsche Bahn and with our partners to the external market."

DB Systel rolled out a 100G DWDM network spanning around 100 locations across Germany based on Ribbon’s Apollo family of OTN transport and switching products. Apollo combines high-capacity, low-latency OTN transport and switching with software-configurable, colorless, directionless, and gridless optical routing for maximum efficiency. Combined with Ribbon’s advanced software and management functions, complex daily operations can be simplified, and the availability and reliability of the network assured.

"We are delighted to be working with DB Systel in multiple areas and to be contributing to this large national infrastructure project, which will benefit many both within the company and likely throughout Germany," said Fernando Valdivielso, Ribbon’s EVP of EMEA and APAC Sales. "Our ability to provide advanced technical services so flexibly, reliably and cost effectively makes us the ideal partner for national projects of this kind, in Germany and in other countries around the world."