Microsemi's DIGI-G5 powers Terabit OTN switching cards

Microsemi introduced its DIGI-G5 Optical Transport Network (OTN) processor for terabit capacity OTN switching cards.

The company said this newest generation in its DIGI franchise enables packet-optical transport platforms to triple in capacity while slashing power consumption by 50 percent per port.

DIGI-G5 delivers 1.2 terabits per second (Tbps) of combined OTN and client interfaces and is first to market with newly standardized 25 Gigabit Ethernet (GE), 50GE, 200GE, 400GE, Flexible OTN (FlexO) and Flexible Ethernet (FlexE) with integrated security engine enabling flexible encrypted optical connections.

Transporting Ethernet, storage, intellectual property (IP)/ multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) and 4G/5G Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI)/eCPRI services over 100G OTN switched connections has proven to be the most fiber, power and cost-efficient deployment solution for moving bits in today's metro and long-haul networks.

“Our DIGI OTN processor portfolio has been instrumental in transforming service provider networks to mass deploy 100G OTN switched networks,” said Babak Samimi, vice president and business unit manager for Microsemi's Communications Business Unit. “Our DIGI-G5 breaks new ground by enabling the industry’s transition to new OTN 3.0 architectures at terabit scalability by delivering three times the port density while lowering power consumption by 50 percent per port.”

DIGI-G5 highlights

• Total interface bandwidth of up to 1.2Tbps
• Comprehensive Ethernet support: 10GE, 25GE, 50GE, 100GE, 200GE, 400GE and the new OIF FlexE specification
• New OTN 3.0 rates, enabling flexible (FlexO) and fractional 100G+ (OTUCn, OTUCn-m) transmission
• 56G PAM-4 Serializer/Deserializer (SerDes) allows direct connection to QSFP-DD, OSFP and coherent digital signal processors (DSPs)
• Integrated packet test set enables remote troubleshooting and debug, driving down capital and operating expenditures
• Integrated security engine enabling end-to-end AES-256 based encryption and authentication
• Integrated G.HAO bandwidth-on-demand processing for OTN switching networks
• Innovative DIGI-Mesh-Connect architecture which enables compact, pay-as-you-grow OTN switching at lowest cost and power by eliminating the need for a centralized switch fabric device.
• Sampling is expected in Q2

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NTT Electronics announces 64GBaud coherent DSP

NTT Electronics (NEL) has begun sampling a 64GBaud high-performance coherent DSP for DWDM optical transport systems. The DSP core leverages Broadcom’s 16nm CMOS fin-FET high-speed mixed-signal technologies which enhances per-lambda capacity by two-to-three times up to 600Gbps/λ.

NEL's new DSP supports flexible line capacities by combining multiple Baud-rates and modulation-formats, from 100Gbps/λ by 32GBaud QPSK to industry-first 600Gbps/λ by 64GBaud 64QAM.

The company says it is able to achieve a range of per-fiber DWDM capacity, from 5Tbps for tens of thousands of kilometers Ultra Long Haul (ULH) to over 30Tbps for 120km ZR transmission reaches, and further doubling the capacity by using both C-band and L-band. Real-time coherent processing at 64GBaud enables thousands-of-kilometers LH transport at 200Gbps/λ by Dual-Polarization (DP) QPSK, hundreds-of-kilometers Metro transport at 400Gbps/λ by DP 16QAM, or 120km ZR transport at 600Gbps/λ by DP 64QAM.

“Every Service Provider needs to maximize fiber capacity to meet increasing bandwidth demand,” said Haruhiko Ichino, NEL Executive Vice President and General Manager of Broadband System & Device Business Group. “We are strongly committed to be a pioneer in the coherent DSP innovation and to provide merchant-silicon solutions for cost-effective upgrades in LH, Metro, and shorter-reach data-center-interconnect (DCI) applications.”

Commercial production is expected in the second half of 2018.

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MACOM releases 400G chipset for Short Reach Optical #OFC2018

MACOM Technology Solutions is now sampling a four channel, 56 Gb/s PAM-4 VCSEL driver and companion four channel transimpedance amplifier (TIA) for short reach VCSEL-based optical module and active optical cables (AOC) applications.

These new devices complement previously announced transmit and receive clock data recovery (CDR) devices for a complete transmit and receive solution. MACOM’s chipset solution operates at up to 56 Gb/s PAM-4 (28GBbaud PAM-4)data rate per channel, enabling short reach (up to 100m) optical modules for 200G QSFP and 400G QSFP-DD and OSFP applications.

MACOM said its fully analog chipset solution delivers the high performance, low power, and low cost needed for 400G in cloud data centers.

“MACOM is excited to follow our successful 100Gbps chipset for short reach applications with the new generation of devices targeted for 400Gbps QSFP-DD and OSFP modules,” said Marek Tlalka, Senior Director of Marketing, High-Performance Analog, at MACOM. “By utilizing our analog circuit technology, we are delivering a complete chipset for high-performance, short reach optical interconnect at low power, low cost and low latency critical for cloud computing and HPC applications.”

MACOM will demonstrate the new chipset solution at OFC 2018 with a QSFP-DD module from Dust Photonics.

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Cisco extends its Network Convergence System

Cisco announced a major extension of its Network Convergence System (NCS) data center interconnect portfolio with the introduction of two new modular platforms:

Cisco NCS 1004

• A transponder platform that packs more than 100 Tbps of capacity into a single seven-foot rack
• Can transmit 4.8 Tbps within a 2RU platform, with a total fiber capacity of 76.8 Tbps
• Support for 600G interfaces
• Secure optical transport with line rate encryption
• Flexible modulation for tuning capacity and distance requirements in 50G increments

Cisco NCS 1010

• Full spectrum open line system
• Features a full colorless, directionless and contentionless (CDC) ROADM with an enhanced modular operational model that can ease the complexities of deploying massive bandwidth

Cisco is also adding automated capabilities for model-based provisioning and streaming telemetry for its Network Convergence System (NCS) 1000 Series.

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InnoLight to demo 400G QSFP-DD FR4 Optical Transceivers #OFC2018

InnoLight Technology announced its line-up of 400G QSFP-DD and OSFP optical transceivers:

• QSFP-DD SR8                                        
• QSFP-DD AOC
• QSFP-DD DR4                                        
• QSFP-DD FR4
• OSFP SR8
• OSFP AOC                          
• OSFP 2x FR4     
• OSFP LR8

These will be on display at the upcoming OFC2018 in San Diego.

"Both OSFP and QSFP-DD have been adopted as the next generation 400G optics for cloud networks. Each solution has its advantages and target applications. Depending upon the cloud operator's network architecture, either QSFP-DD or OSFP offers the most cost-effective solutions for 400G data center network connectivity. InnoLight, with its advanced R&D capability and strong technology partnerships, is proud to bring both form factors to the market simultaneously. 400G QSFP-DD excels in backward compatibility with 100G/200G QSFP28/56. 400G OSFP stands out in enabling upward migration to 800G. InnoLight is aggressively driving adoption of both 400G form factors to deliver the best price-performance optics in the industry," said Osa Mok, Chief Marketing Officer of InnoLight Technology.

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Qualcomm boosts its dividend by 9%

Qualcomm's Board of Directors announced a 9 percent increase in the company's quarterly cash dividend. The quarterly cash dividend will increase from $0.57 to $0.62 per share of common stock and will be effective for quarterly dividends payable after March 21, 2018. This dividend increase will raise the annualized dividend payout to $2.48 per share of common stock.

Steve Mollenkopf, CEO of Qualcomm Incorporated, said, "We are pleased to announce an increase in our quarterly dividend, a reflection of our commitment to returning capital to stockholders. We look forward to closing the pending acquisition of NXP and expect the strong combined cash profile of Qualcomm and NXP to further strengthen our foundation for future capital returns for our stockholders."

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Marvell posts revenue of $615 million

Marvell Technology Group reported revenue for the fourth quarter of its fiscal 2018 of $615 million.  GAAP net income from continuing operations for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 was $49 million, or $0.10 per share. Non-GAAP net income from continuing operations for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 was $165 million, or $0.32 per diluted share. Cash flow from operations for the fourth quarter was $120 million.

"Our strong fourth quarter and fiscal year results continue to demonstrate that Marvell's strategy is working and that our team is executing it very well," said Marvell President and CEO Matt Murphy. "We are making tremendous progress in the transformation of Marvell, and I look forward to the year ahead."

• In November, Marvell., which is a leading supplier of HDD and SSD storage controllers along with wireless and Ethernet components, agreed to acquire Cavium for $40.00 per share in cash and 2.1757 Marvell common shares for each Cavium share, representing a transaction value of $6 billion.

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ZTE makes a big showing at MWC with its push for 5G

ZTE, now one of the world’s major network equipment suppliers, recently reported 2017 operating revenue of RMB 108.82 billion, 7.49% higher than a year earlier, but not the double-digit growth rate seen earlier in the decade. The big 4G expansion projects in its home market of China have largely wrapped up and the company has pivoted from chasing any sale just for the sake of growing its global market share to the pursuit of profitability. For 2017, ZTE’s net profit RMB 4.55 billion, an increase of 293%. Net cash flow from operating activities for 2017 was approximately RMB 6.78 billion, about 28.88% year-on-year growth. This was a much stronger performance than 2016 when revenues grew just 4% and profits were lower.

The 2017 results were impacted by troubles with the U.S. government. In March 2017, ZTE made penalty payments of over US$1.19 billion to the U.S. government in the case involving the shipment of U.S.-origin technology to Iran during the period of economic sanctions. ZTE plead guilty in the case and paid the fine, but this has not opened new doors to the U.S. market. As with Huawei, U.S. government officials continue to cite national security as the reason to block the company from supplying any equipment to the U.S. government or U.S. carriers.

This has not impeded ZTE from growing sales in other global markets. ZTE generates about 40% of its revenue abroad. Like other suppliers from China, the company has been backed by substantial export/import loans from the China Development Bank (CDB), which have helped expand its international reach, especially in developing countries.

In Russia, ZTE has just clinched a 70% share of the first stage of  Rostelecom's the access network modernization project. ZTE's Multi-Service Access Network (MSAN) product delivers VDSL. Rostelcom is currently testing G.vectoring and G.fast for deployment in a second stage of its upgrade project. Rostelecom, of course, is Russia's leading broadband and pay-TV provider with over 12.7 million fixed-line broadband subscribers and over 9.7 million pay-TV subscribers, over 4.7 million of which are subscribed to its IPTV service.

One might have expected certain Nordic vendors to have been the likely choice for this Rostelecom tender, but it was not too be. Although geopolitics perhaps plays its role in deals at this level, there is no denying that ZTE has been highly successful with its MSAN platform in many other markets outside its home territory and that it is investing in the future of copper and fibre access technology just as aggressively as with 5G. On the copper side, ZTE recently became the first vendor to add 35b bonding profile support to its VDSL2 CPE device. Profile 35b technology can provide downstream rates three times those of profile 17a by expanding the spectrum to 35 MHz. This enables the CPE to deliver 500 Mbps downstream and 100 Mbps upstream rates over a 200-meter telephone line – a great solution for where it is not cost effective for the operator to pull fibre over that last link from the street to the home. As of February 2018, ZTE claims to have shipped over 280 million CPE devices.  Think about that number – certainly enough scale to become the major supplier in Russia going forwards.

A more surprising series of wins perhaps, given geopolitics, comes in India, where ZTE is now a major supplier of low-cost smartphones and optical transmission gear. From our records, we know that ZTE has been growing its engineering team in India since at least 2010. In October 2017, ZTE announced a 100G WDM Backbone Network Project and metro area network (MAN) construction contract with Idea Cellular, the third largest mobile operator in India with 189 million subscribers. With this deal, ZTE’s OTN optical transport platform captured a 95% share in the metro optical backbones that carry Idea Cellular’s traffic. ZTE has previously disclosed major contracts with Bharti Airtel as well. This success comes despite some protectionist voices in India warning against Chinese suppliers for critical network infrastructure.

With 5G, we are seeing the results of ZTE massive R&D efforts over the past five years. In 4G, ZTE already established itself as an equal to rival Huawei. The company knows that 5G is the opportunity to race ahead not only in core mobile infrastructure but also in smart city and industrial IoT deployments.

At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, ZTE captured the “Best Technology Innovation for 5G" award for its end-to-end vision encompassing the radio access network, the core network, bearer platforms, custom 5G silicon and CPE terminals. As with other suppliers, many of these are “works in progress” rather than commercially deployable solutions right now.

The company believes its 5G strengths to include its work with Massive MIMO, the antenna technology which has been shown to improve spectral efficiency up to 8 times.

ZTE has been pioneering a multi-user shared access (MUSA) technology to effectively increase the number of connections served, and thereby enable support for scenarios involving mass connectivity with low power consumption. This could be extremely useful in very crowded areas, such as subway systems, when everyone is using their smartphone. The MUSA technology works by allowing high overload and eliminating scheduling operations, thereby increasing the number of connections by between 3- and 6-fold. It uses advanced spread spectrum sequence and SIC technology to simplify terminal implementation and help reduce energy consumption.

In an ongoing series of tests in China, ZTE’s MUSA reached 90 million connections / MHz / hour -- which far exceeds current network capacity/efficiency performance levels.

In the network core, ZTE is ready to commercialize end-to-end 5G network slicing. Its Cloud ServCore platform implements lightweight micro-service components to enable the network slices to operate independently and with easy scalability. This will allow IoT applications, for instance, to scale smoothly and without impacting other network slices.

ZTE is also readying a 5G Flexhaul bearer solution based on next-gen FlexE technology. Part of this vision to achieve a unified bearer network for 3G / 4G / 5G traffic. ZTE says its 5G Flexhaul achieves end-to-end protection switching time of less than 1ms, as well as single node forwarding latency of less than 0.5μs.

ZTE’s MWC performance included the signing of a 5G agreement with Ooredoo Group, which serves 164 million customers across the Middle East. ZTE will provide Ooredoo Group with end-to-end networks, applications, and terminals. Currently, the parties are completing the joint verification of the 5G architecture,. There are also the questions of defining the 5G business model and user experience. It is too early to quantify this work in financial terms, as it remains to be seen how fast the market adopts 5G and whether customers will pay more for 5G than their current 4G plans.  South Africa-based MTN also inked a deal with ZTE while at Mobile World Congress.  MTN is also currently conducting lab and field tests of ZTE’s 5G NR radio access, 5G virtualized network slicing, carrier DevOps and container-based vEPC, and 5G Flexhaul bearer network.

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