Russia Swaps Key Telecom Links to Homegrown 100 Gbps Gear

In the Russian Far East, a 400-kilometer backbone has gone fully domestic — marking the first time local DWDM technology has powered a project of this scale.

In Russia’s Khabarovsk region, telecom operator MegaFon has replaced over 400 kilometers of backbone fiber with homegrown equipment capable of transmitting data at 100 gigabits per second. The new line connects Khabarovsk and Komsomolsk-on-Amur, and, according to the company, is the first large-scale infrastructure project to use Russian-made DWDM hardware.

Engineers from MegaFon and Moscow-based manufacturer T8 ran specialized calculations for the DWDM system’s components — from transponders to optical amplifiers — to counteract potential signal loss along the uneven cable route.

The locally built system, MegaFon says, proved flexible, reliable, and compatible with existing infrastructure. Its scalability could boost the line’s capacity to 800 Gbps in the future.

T8 is Russia’s leading producer of DWDM gear, supplying multiplexers, transponders, and network management solutions. The company has a strong R&D base and dominates the domestic market.

The shift is part of a broader push across Russia to replace foreign tech in critical sectors — from enterprise IT platforms to oil and gas infrastructure. Industrial players in strategic fields are increasingly adopting local systems, citing their reliability and security.

Projects like this, Russian officials argue, show that the country’s telecom sector can not only replace imported technology but also deliver products on par with global standards.