Ciena 6500 WL5e MOTR Premium Base Kit — 800G Coherent Transport
Ciena 6500 WL5e MOTR Premium Base Kit — 800G Coherent Transport, Up to 1,000 km Reach
A single-slot muxponder and service-channel interface built on WaveLogic 5 Extreme, delivering up to 800 Gb/s per wavelength with the flexibility to scale client capacity as your network grows.
The Ciena 6500 WL5e MOTR Premium Base Kit (NTK540BD) is a coherent muxponder built for network operators who need to move large amounts of client traffic across metro, regional, and long-haul distances without stacking multiple transponder shelves. It slots directly into the Ciena 6500 Packet-Optical Platform and pairs a single coherent line interface with multiple client-side ports, converting several lower-rate signals into one high-capacity optical wavelength.
What sets the WL5e MOTR apart is its programmability. Rather than locking you into a fixed line rate, the module supports a range of baud rates and modulation formats, letting the same hardware be tuned for maximum reach at lower rates or maximum capacity at shorter distances. The Premium (BD) variant unlocks the module’s full performance envelope, including support for line rates up to 800 Gb/s using Ethernet Transcoded (ET) framing, while the base license shipped in this kit activates 2×100G of client capacity with reach up to 1,000 km — upgradable in the field as traffic demands grow.
For carriers, cloud operators, and enterprises building out DCI (data center interconnect), metro aggregation, or regional backbone links, this combination of density, distance, and pay-as-you-grow licensing is what makes the WL5e MOTR a practical fit rather than an over-engineered one.
Key Capabilities
WaveLogic 5 Extreme DSP
Seventh-generation coherent chipset delivering up to 800 Gb/s per wavelength with high spectral efficiency across the C-band.
Flexible Client Muxponding
Combines multiple 100GE / OTU4 / FlexO client signals onto a single coherent wavelength to save shelf slots and fiber.
Programmable Baud & Reach
Supports multiple baud rates (up to 95 GBaud) so the same module can be tuned for extended reach or maximum throughput.
Pay-As-You-Grow Licensing
Base kit activates 2×100G at 1,000 km reach; capacity and distance licenses can be added later without a hardware swap.
Data Sheet & Specifications
| Product Name | Ciena 6500 WL5e MOTR PREM BASE KIT |
| Ciena Model / Common Language | NTK540BD |
| Vendor Part Number | K74-540BD-TB-020001000 |
| Coherent Technology | WaveLogic 5 Extreme (WL5e) |
| Base Client Capacity | 2 × 100G |
| Base Reach | Up to 1,000 km |
| Maximum Line Rate | Up to 800 Gb/s per wavelength (with additional licensing) |
| Client Port Interfaces | Up to six 100G QSFP28 ports (100GE / OTU4 / FlexO); Port 6 also supports 400G QSFP-DD (400GE) |
| Platform Compatibility | Ciena 6500 Packet-Optical Platform, multiple shelf variants |
| Form Factor | Single-slot module, 6500 shelf-mounted |
| Modulation Formats | Multiple QAM formats, software-selectable for rate/reach trade-off |
| FEC | Enhanced soft-decision FEC for extended optical margin |
| Licensing Model | Field-upgradable via software license (capacity and reach) |
| Typical Applications | Metro/regional transport, DCI, long-haul backbone, service provider core |
| Condition | New, factory sealed |
| Warranty | Manufacturer standard warranty |
Performance at a Glance
Reach by Line Rate Configuration (illustrative, WL5e MOTR family)
Reach scales inversely with line rate. This base kit ships licensed for 2×100G client capacity at up to 1,000 km; higher-capacity, longer-reach licenses are available as add-ons.
Client Port Allocation on the WL5e MOTR Module
Where This Kit Fits
Metro & Regional Transport
Aggregate multiple 100G client streams onto one wavelength across metro rings without adding shelf slots.
Data Center Interconnect
Extend high-capacity links between data centers with headroom to grow from 200G to 800G on the same hardware.
Carrier Backbone
Support long-haul segments up to 1,000 km out of the box, with reach licenses available for longer spans.
Because the Premium (BD) license tier sits above the Enhanced (BC) tier, it’s worth confirming which license matches your deployment plan before ordering. The BD tier is the right call when you expect to eventually run at higher line rates or need the wider baud-rate range for future-proofing; the BC tier is a lower-cost entry point if your roadmap tops out around 400G. Our team can walk through both options against your specific link budget and traffic forecast.
Lead times, exact firmware revision, and available reach/capacity license bundles can shift with Ciena’s supply chain, so it’s worth confirming current stock and configuration before you finalize a purchase order — that’s exactly what the RFQ desk below is for.
Request a Quote
Get current pricing, stock availability, and lead time for the Ciena 6500 WL5e MOTR Premium Base Kit (NTK540BD, K74-540BD-TB-020001000) — plus guidance on which capacity and reach license fits your network plan.
