Abstract: According to an aspect of an embodiment, operations may include receiving a first Ethernet signal having a first data rate less than a second data rate, the second data rate being a ZR data rate. The operations may also include dividing the first Ethernet signal into a plurality of first-signal sub-signals that each have a third data rate that is less than the first data rate. Moreover, the operations may include generating a second Ethernet signal having the second data rate, the generating of the second Ethernet signal being based on the plurality of first-signal sub-signals such that the second Ethernet signal includes the plurality of first-signal sub-signals. Further, the operations may include providing the second Ethernet signal to a ZR network such that the second Ethernet signal is a ZR signal.