1.28 Tb/s (32/spl times/40 Gb/s) transmission over 4,500 km

To traverse transoceanic distances with 40 Gb/s DWDM channels require numerous challenges to be overcome. We have demonstrated 1.28 Tb/s (32/spl times/40 Gb/s) transmission over 4,500 km using only those techniques and technologies capable of being developed for field deployment. These include return-to-zero (RZ) modulation format, dispersion and dispersion-slope matched fiber spans with large effective area, wide bandwidth C-band EDFAs, and standard 7% forward error correction (FEC). We achieved this result without any Raman amplification, L-band EDFAs or in-line regeneration.