As part of its programme to support its customers’ escalating bandwidth requirements as they deploy artificial intelligence (AI) and other next-generation technologies, global enterprise connectivity firm Arelion has revealed it has completed a live network field trial on its 500km route from Amsterdam to London to demonstrate expanded optical spectrum and backbone capacity.
The field trial is part of Arelion’s mission to provide a global internet backbone to allow enterprises, service providers and content providers to offer access to scalable, resilient connectivity services across its network. These include IP Transit, Wavelengths, Dedicated Internet Access, Cloud Connect, Global 40G Ethernet, distributed denial-of-service mitigation services and Virtual Circuit.
Arelion said the field trial demonstrated how it can increase the capacity and cost efficiency of its IP and optical network, helping wholesale, neo-scaler and enterprise customers access scalable connectivity as they deploy AI and other bandwidth-intensive applications.
In the trial, Arelion deployed Nokia’s 1830 Global Express Super C and Super L open line system, CHMQ6 thin transponder modules and ICE-X 400G and 800G ZR+ coherent pluggable optics. Arelion said it was able to demonstrate the ability to expand usable optical spectrum by approximately 21%, enabling greater capacity over its existing fibre infrastructure to meet customers’ networking requirements.
The additional capacity can support high-bandwidth services such as Arelion’s Managed Optical Fiber Network (MOFN), which provides dedicated, managed optical connectivity between datacentres and other digital infrastructure.
The thin transponder modules and ICE-X coherent pluggable optics provide a modular, lower-power approach to high-capacity optical transport, while client splitting enables more efficient use of wavelength capacity across different high-speed customer services.
“This field trial is another milestone in our continuous network investment to support customers’ escalating bandwidth requirements as they deploy AI and other next-generation technologies,” said Dariusz Solowiej, vice-president of networks and operations at Arelion.
“By combining expanded optical spectrum with Nokia’s coherent pluggable technology, we’re evaluating a more scalable and energy-efficient approach to increasing backbone capacity, helping enterprises and other bandwidth-intensive customers reliably connect datacentres and cloud environments.”
Arelion’s deployment comes as AI-driven bandwidth growth accelerates the adoption of coherent optical technology. Nokia said such capabilities can help Arelion to support enterprises distributing AI workloads across datacentres and cloud environments, as well as growing neoscaler demand for high-capacity MOFN services.
According to research from analyst Cignal AI, 400ZR/ZR+ pluggable optics accounted for almost half of all telecom bandwidth deployed in 2025, with 800G pluggables expected to be the fastest-growing area for coherent interfaces in 2026.
Cignal AI recently published the fourth quarter and full year 2025 Optical components report, which reveals a market transformed by hyperscaler AI investment. Datacom optical component revenue alone exceeded $19bn for the year, marking a more than 70% increase compared with 2024.
“AI has completely reshaped the optical networking market, starting inside the datacentre and now outside as well,” said Scott Wilkinson, lead analyst for optical components at Cignal AI. “Hyperscalers revised capex forecasts even higher in 4Q25, and our unit forecast increase mirrors these aggressive revisions.
“800GbE modules in particular are on an unprecedented trajectory, even as 1.6TbE starts to ship in volume and ELSFP orders signal an upcoming wave of CPO deployments. And outside the datacentre, the race to fill Meta’s 800ZR+ scale-across orders has just begun.”
Nokia also said the trend reflected substantial growth across the broader AI market, citing Gartner research projecting worldwide AI spending will reach $2.59tn in 2026, increasing 47% year over year.
“As an operator at the heart of the global internet, Arelion plays a foundational role in supporting the digital infrastructure that underpins today’s connected economy,” said Ron Johnson, senior vice-president and general manager of optical networks at Nokia.
“Pairing expanded Super C and Super L spectrum with coherent pluggable technology gives operators greater flexibility to increase fibre capacity while improving power and cost efficiency. Arelion’s trial demonstrates how these technologies can help operators cost-effectively scale their networks to meet evolving customer requirements while maintaining high levels of performance and resiliency.”
