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Lucent Technologies last week unveiled a pair of new fiber-optic routers aimed at revving up optical networks - including the first to use fully-optic switching.
The WaveStar LambdaRouter, billed as the first-ever optical router, uses microscopic mirrors the diameter of a human hair to transmit optic signals from one fiber network to another, without the need to translate them into electric signals as traditional router switches do. The result could save network providers up to 25% in operating costs, Lucent estimates.
Because it is designed for high-capacity optic networks using OC-192 fiber or greater, it is out of the reach of cable plants or even the main backbone of broadband Internet providers Road Runner or Excite@Home. But the two cable modem...