Spark launches Auckland data centre interconnect service

Spark has launched a data centre interconnect service across Auckland using Ciena technology, linking data centres from Silverdale to Papakura.

The service gives Spark Wholesale a dedicated offer for organisations that need private links between facilities and need to move large volumes of data between sites. It will be available at 10G, 100G and 400G, with 800G connectivity to be added later.

The network is based on Ciena's WaveLogic 6 Extreme coherent optics on the Waveserver platform. Spark is also using Ciena's Navigator Network Control Suite to manage capacity planning, service fulfilment and fault finding.

New Zealand's data centre market has been expanding, with dozens of facilities already operating and more in development. The new service is intended to support demand for secure data transmission as organisations build out cloud and AI workloads.

"New Zealand's digital future is full of opportunity. Together, Ciena and Spark Wholesale are creating the high-performance foundations that will help organisations harness AI, accelerate innovation and confidently scale for what's next. We're excited to be investing in the infrastructure that will power the next generation of growth across New Zealand," said Raj Singh, Tribe Lead, Spark Wholesale.

Ciena said Auckland is becoming an important hub for regional data centre activity. Its regional head said Spark was using the rollout to support faster interconnection between facilities.

"New Zealand is emerging as a strategic regional hub for hyperscale and AI data centres," said Matt Vesperman, Vice President, Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands, Ciena.

"Spark is taking advantage of this opportunity, creating a foundation for delivering high-speed DCI services with Ciena's WaveLogic technology," Vesperman said.

Australian test

In a separate development, Telstra and Ciena said they had carried 1.6 Tb/s over 1,100km on a live production network between Melbourne and Sydney. They described it as the longest distance yet achieved for a single-channel transmission at that rate.

The trial transported four 400GbE client services over a single wavelength without regeneration and used L-band spectrum on Telstra's intercity route. The companies said the result extends the distance of an earlier 1.6 Tb/s demonstration by about 50%.

Telstra used Ciena's 6500 Reconfigurable Line System with C+L band support alongside WaveLogic 6 Extreme. The route ran over the carrier's Aura Network, which provided the low-loss fibre needed for the test, according to the companies.

The work highlights how operators are trying to increase capacity on existing fibre infrastructure as traffic from cloud services and data-heavy applications rises. By using spectrum beyond the traditional C-band, carriers can increase the amount of traffic each fibre can carry without building entirely new routes.

"This trial demonstrates how Telstra's Aura Network can unlock significantly more capacity by extending beyond the traditional C-band into L-band spectrum. For customers, that means greater scalability and the ability to support growing demand from AI, cloud, and data-intensive applications across Australia, both today and into the future," said Sandy Cameron, Digital Infrastructure Executive, Telstra.

Ciena said the result showed what could be achieved on terrestrial optical links by combining newer coherent transmission with broader spectrum use. It added that the Melbourne-Sydney corridor is one of Australia's busiest long-haul routes.

"This achievement raises the bar for what's possible in terrestrial optical networking," said Vesperman.

"Ciena's industry-leading coherent optical technology powers Telstra's advanced Aura Network, unlocking additional capacity through L-band expansion and realising unprecedented performance at distances previously thought unattainable," Vesperman said.