Hotwire Communications Validates 51.2Tbps Cisco 8223 and 800G ZR+ Coherent Optics Over Live Production Fiber

Hotwire Communications Validates 51.2Tbps Cisco 8223 and 800G ZR+ Coherent Optics Over Live Production Fiber

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Hotwire Communications Validates 51.2Tbps Cisco 8223 and 800G ZR+ Coherent Optics Over Live Production Fiber

Field test of existing South Florida fiber carrying next-generation traffic in a production service provider environment

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Oct. 19, 2026: Hotwire Communications, a leading fiber-optic telecommunications provider, today announced the successful completion of a field test proving the existing fiber already in the ground can carry next-generation traffic. Hotwire successfully tested 800GE using Cisco networking and optics over its live South Florida network, demonstrating it can meet bandwidth demand in a production service provider environment.

Hotwire conducted the test with the Cisco 8223 router, which is powered by Cisco Silicon One P200 and delivers 51.2 Tbps of system capacity. Cisco introduced the platform for hyperscale and distributed AI workloads; Hotwire's test evaluated it between two production sites over existing fiber under real-world optical and operating conditions. The test demonstrates how Cisco 800G ZR+ coherent optics can extend the life of older fiber networks.

"Reaching 800GE is significant, but the bigger story is what this technology represents for the future of network infrastructure," said Pragash Pillai, Chief Technology Officer at Hotwire Communications. "We are seeing increased capacity and greater density delivered from increasingly compact platforms. By testing emerging technologies under real-world conditions, our teams can validate firsthand how the next generation of infrastructure performs in our current fiber network and can shape the networks of the future."

"Field trials like this are essential to proving that next-generation technology performs in the real-world conditions our customers operate in every day. Successfully validating 800GE using Cisco 8223 and Cisco 800G ZR+ coherent pluggable optics demonstrates the kind of high-density, high-capacity platforms that will define the next era of networking - giving service providers the scale, efficiency, and simplicity they need to keep pace with explosive bandwidth demand. We're proud to partner with forward-thinking operators like Hotwire as they build the networks of the future," said Guru Shenoy, Senior Vice President, Data Center and Provider Connectivity at Cisco.

Increasing Network Capacity While Optimizing Space

As bandwidth demands continue to grow, service providers must expand network capacity while also considering the physical infrastructure required to support that growth. The Cisco 8223, powered by Silicon One P200, demonstrates how advances in capacity and port density can help service providers scale network capability without forklifting existing physical infrastructure at the same time.

Greater capacity in a more compact footprint creates new options for how service providers approach aggregation, core, edge and interconnect architectures, while potentially reducing the space and power required to support future growth.

"Technology leadership requires us to look beyond what the network needs today," said Pillai. "We want to understand tomorrow's technology before tomorrow's demand arrives. Working directly with emerging platforms gives our teams the knowledge and experience to make informed decisions about how we continue evolving our network."

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About Hotwire Communications:

Hotwire Communications, headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has been an innovative leader in fiber-optic technology since 2002. Operating a 100% fiber-optic network, the company serves customers throughout Florida, Georgia, Texas, the Carolinas, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada, and California.

Karla Nelson-Thatcher - [email protected]