ACE Cable Selects Ciena for 30 Tb/s Upgrade

Publication Staff, Ciena
September 21, 2026

The Africa Coast to Europe consortium has selected Ciena's WaveLogic 6 Extreme coherent optics to upgrade the ACE submarine cable system. Ciena says the program is designed to lift total system capacity above 30 Tb/s while strengthening connectivity between Africa and Europe. ACE spans about 17,000 kilometers, connects 18 landing stations and serves more than 20 countries along its route, reaching a combined population of more than 500 million people. The upgrade focuses on the transmission equipment operating across the existing subsea system rather than adding a new marine route.

The upgrade will use Ciena 6500 platforms powered by WaveLogic 6 Extreme over ACE's existing submarine line terminal equipment. Reusing that installed terminal environment is intended to reduce the disruption and traffic migration that can accompany a capacity expansion. The consortium will also use Ciena's Navigator Network Control Suite and Channel Margin Gauge, which provide real-time visibility into optical signal-to-noise margins and help operators manage available transmission headroom across individual channels.

For ACE's landing markets, the additional capacity can support continued growth in international traffic without waiting for a replacement wet plant. The management layer is also commercially relevant: clearer performance margins can help the consortium plan upgrades, troubleshoot optical conditions and make more deliberate use of the system's available spectrum. Ciena Services will support the deployment, ongoing maintenance and network transformation, tying the equipment change to continuing operational support rather than a one-time platform delivery. The supplier describes the program as a way to increase scale while simplifying operations across a geographically extensive multi-landing system.

Ciena's September 21 announcement confirms the technology selection and deployment program, but it does not identify a completion date or a new ready-for-service milestone. The current status is therefore an active capacity upgrade to the existing ACE system, not the launch of a new cable. The next confirmed operational milestone will require a consortium or supplier update showing that the WaveLogic 6 Extreme deployment has been completed, activated or placed into commercial use.

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