Thailand's UniNet Chooses Huawei DWDM Technology to Build a National Education Network

Network Infrastructure Promotes Advances in Education, Nationwide

First set up in 1996 and now run by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, the Thailand Education and Research Network—UniNet for short—is the central backbone network connecting universities and other higher education institutions across the country. Acting as a resource management center for information and communication technology, UniNet promotes resource sharing, knowledge development, and collaborative research across Thailand's academic community.

Digital transformation is essential for realizing this vision. UniNet is actively expanding educational opportunities to regional areas, using information technology (IT) to support teaching, learning, and research as well as providing access to shared digital resources, including the Thai Library Integrated System (ThaiLIS) project.

UniNet found itself facing growing infrastructure challenges. With more than 3,000 network institution members scattered across 90 provincial nodes—connecting to 10,000 last-mile nodes—its network architecture was struggling to keep pace and couldn't provide sufficient bandwidth to support high-speed videoconferencing, online learning platforms, collaborative research projects, and large data transfers.

So, to improve network performance and reliability, UniNet chose to work with Huawei, to roll out state-of-the-art dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) technology and build a future-oriented backbone network that could also scale to meet evolving educational demands.

From Initial Deployment to Nationwide Coverage: DWDM Builds UniNet's Digital Foundation

In fact, UniNet first partnered with Huawei back in 2009, deploying DWDM fiber optic communication technology. The initial implementation, in 2010, delivered 10 Gbit/s bandwidth across the backbone network, connecting major university hubs in Bangkok with regional nodes throughout Thailand. And, as network demands continued to grow, high-traffic areas were upgraded to 100 Gbit/s connections, dramatically improving performance for bandwidth-intensive applications.

Building on this success, Huawei proposed migration to advanced optical transport network (OTN) architecture. This forward-looking framework provides superior network management capabilities, enhanced reliability, and greater scalability. And it promised to transform how UniNet operates and maintains its nationwide backbone.

Enhanced Network Management and Diversified Campus Services

DWDM with OTN architecture is now delivering breakthrough features that directly address UniNet's operational challenges. Built-in optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR) functionality constantly monitors fiber cable quality across the entire network. When fiber damage occurs, the system immediately detects the issue and reports the precise location in real-time, dramatically reducing troubleshooting times and enabling rapid repairs that minimize network downtime. Given that the UniNet DWDM network serves as the main communication backbone for Thailand's universities, it supports core routers for inter-node connectivity, local area network (LAN) switches at individual campuses, and passive optical network (PON) fiber to the office (FTTO) technology, bringing fiber connectivity directly to buildings. This multi-technology approach delivers high bandwidth connections, long-distance connectivity without signal degradation, and optimized power consumption, reducing operational costs by 30%.

Beyond basic connectivity, the DWDM backbone also enables specialized educational services. Research collaboration platforms allow academics to seamlessly work together on joint projects. Distance learning programs deliver courses from urban universities to remote campuses, expanding educational access. And administrative systems integrate across institutions, facilitating student transfers and credential verification.

Future-Ready Infrastructure for Thailand's Educational Advancement

The latest Huawei DWDM deployment has successfully addressed UniNet's core objectives. By implementing fiber optic communication technology with advanced OTN management capabilities, UniNet now operates a robust, scalable backbone network that meets current demands while providing clear upgrade paths for future growth. The network's scalability means UniNet can incrementally expand capacity without major infrastructure replacement.

Indeed, as artificial intelligence (AI) transforms educational research and learning, UniNet's DWDM infrastructure is becoming even more critical. AI applications require substantial bandwidth to function effectively—from real-time data processing and machine learning (ML) model training to AI-powered research collaboration tools. Recognizing this, UniNet is advancing its vision to integrate AI across its ThaiLIS library network services. In partnership with King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT), UniNet is developing AI capabilities to enhance research database management, implement intelligent thesis writing assistance, and create automated systems for matching students with suitable advisors. And a 10-year AI development roadmap demonstrates how the high-capacity DWDM backbone enables next-generation educational services.

The success of UniNet's DWDM deployment illustrates the transformative impact of modern optical networking on education infrastructure. By providing reliable, high-bandwidth connectivity that supports both current operations and emerging AI applications, UniNet is enabling collaborative research, expanding educational access, and helping to prepare Thai students for success in an increasingly digital world. The Huawei DWDM solution has proven itself to be a robust foundation supporting Thailand's ongoing commitment to educational excellence and innovation.