Swisscom, Switzerland’s leading telecom provider, and Nokia have marked a significant milestone with the successful completion of the Next Evolution Wavelength Transport Optical Network (NEWTON).
The collaboration emerged as a response to the escalating demands triggered by the exponential rise in remote work, e-learning, video streaming, gaming, and cloud computing. Recognizing the necessity to fortify support for critical fixed and wireless traffic, Swisscom embarked on an ambitious journey in 2021. Nokia’s cutting-edge optical networking solution stood out as the choice to equip Swisscom with a service-centric network meticulously optimized for high performance, cost efficiency, and an elevated customer experience.
The deployment, encompassing 22 backbone sites and 560 metro sites, was completed ahead of schedule, enabling Swisscom and Nokia to initiate the seamless migration of services to the revamped network. This modernized infrastructure is engineered to efficiently handle Swisscom’s fixed and wireless traffic, spanning from customer-provided equipment to metro access to the backbone. Its versatility accommodates client services ranging from 1G to 400G, ensuring optimal traffic management while maximizing fiber usage.
Notably, the solution not only addresses burgeoning traffic growth but also revolutionizes operational efficiency.
Swisscom, which is targeting revenue of about CHF 11 billion and capital expenditure of CHF 2.3 billion in 2023, anticipates a substantial reduction in overall ownership costs. This will be through the elimination of redundant tasks and accelerated service delivery.
Furthermore, the network’s innovation includes significantly lower power consumption, aligning with Swisscom’s sustainability objectives by diminishing its carbon footprint.
Christoph Aeschlimann, CEO at Swisscom, emphasized the transformative impact of the network upgrade: “The modernization of Swisscom’s optical network is pivotal for our digital future. Our partnership with Nokia has yielded a network that swiftly adapts to changes, ensures superior customer service, and aligns with our sustainability objectives.”
Federico Guillen, President of Network Infrastructure at Nokia, expressed pride in the partnership and the network’s successful modernization amidst global uncertainties: “Swisscom’s optical transport network stands as a prime example of service-centric architecture, leveraging automation to streamline operations and minimize costs while effortlessly scaling to meet escalating customer traffic demands.”
The transformation journey leveraged Nokia’s comprehensive portfolio of optical networking hardware, software, and professional services, notably featuring the Nokia Photonic Service Engine (PSE)-V powered 1830 family of Wavelength Division Multiplexing/Optical Transport Networking (WDM/OTN) platforms, and the WaveSuite portfolio of networking applications.
