Juniper this week announced availability a 40Gbps interface for its T-series Internet core routers.

The vendor also announced that MCI is using the new OC-768c/STM 256 interface in a field trial.

The 40G interface will increase core network speed and capacity to support increasing adoption of broadband access and high bandwidth applications like IPTV, Juniper says. Core backbones usually operate at 10Gbps now.

The 40G interface supports both clear channel OC-768, as well as concatenated OC-192 traffic streams for backward compatibility to 10G systems. The OC-768 interface is supported on both the Juniper T640 and the multi-terabit TX Matrix platform.

Juniper says it has 1,000 T-series routers deployed worldwide with over 100 customers. The router line debuted almost four years ago.

The interface is currently shipping for customer field trials and will be generally available in the first quarter of 2006.  List price for the product is $770,000.