Telecom operator Bharti Airtel on Monday said it will deploy Ciena's optical and software platforms to build one of the world's "largest" photonic control plane networks in India for ultra-fast data services.

The network will provide data services over 4G, 5G and FTTH, Airtel said in a statement.

It would span 130,000 km and connect 4,000-plus towns across India.

"We will work with Ciena to build one of world's largest optical spine and leaf networks, which is also a big step towards 5G readiness... This will not only scale our network for massive capacity but also protect traffic and enhance service delivery to all our customers," Bharti Airtel CTO Randeep Sekhon said.

Photonics combined with advanced software intelligence enables a smart and agile network that allows simplified provisioning of end-to-end network wavelengths, speed and capability to handle multiple fiber failures, the statement said.

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