Padtec debuts 800 Gbps and 1.2 Tbps transponders

Padtec introduced its TM800G and TM1200G transponders for short, medium and long distances in a compact, rack mountable form for both telecom and data center applications. The muxponders enable service providers to combine multiple 100Gbps client signals into a single network signal.

Padtec said its new LightPad i6400G platform’s transponders combine a high data transmission rate with a lower cost per transmitted bit and are suited for alien wavelength applications. 

“The development of this product is in line with the company’s commitment to constantly invest in the evolution of its product line, providing the market with innovative solutions and state-of-the-art technology in optical systems”, says Manuel Andrade, Padtec North America’s CEO.

“Another of the technical innovations of this generation of transponders is the more flexible network interfaces that allow better adaptation of optical channels to meet the increasing demands for network performance and expansion”, says Manuel.

The new unit measures 1RU high and 300 mm deep, enabling rack mounting in both datacenters and telecom locations. 

https://www.padtec.com.br/en/padtec-introduces-its-new-generation-of-800-gbs-and-1-2-tbps-transponders/

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Next G Alliance looks to 6G

 A new Next G Alliance, organized by ATIS, has been formed to advance North American mobile technology leadership in 6G and beyond over the next decade. 

Founding members include AT&T, Bell Canada, Ciena, Ericsson, Facebook, InterDigital, JMA Wireless, Microsoft, Nokia, Qualcomm Technologies, Samsung, TELUS, Telnyx, T-Mobile, UScellular and Verizon.  

The Next G Alliance seeks "to encompass the full lifecycle of research and development, manufacturing, standardization and market readiness." 

The group says it will initially focus on three strategic actions:

• Develop a 6G national roadmap that addresses the changing competitive landscape and positions North America as the global leader in R&D, standardization, manufacturing and adoption of Next G technologies.
• Align the North American technology industry on a core set of priorities that will steer leadership for 6G and beyond to influence government policies and funding.
• Identify and define the early steps and strategies that will facilitate and lead to rapid commercialization of Next G technologies across new markets and business sectors and promote widescale adoption, both domestically and globally.

“As countries around the globe progress ambitious 6G research and development initiatives, it is critical that North American industry steps forward to develop a collaborative roadmap to advance its position as a global leader over the next decade,” said ATIS President and CEO Susan Miller. “The work of the Next G Alliance delivers just that – from research to commercialization – and it is setting the foundation for a vibrant marketplace for North American innovation in future generations of mobile technology.”

https://nextgalliance.org

Samsung’s 6G White Paper

Tuesday, July 14, 2020  6G, Samsung  

Samsung published a whitepaper outlining its vision for 6G, including technical and societal megatrends, new services, requirements, candidate technologies and an expected timeline of standardization. Samsung is predicting that the completion of the 6G standard and its earliest commercialization date could be as early as 2028, while mass commercialization may occur around 2030. Both humans and machines will be the main users of 6G, and 6G will be...

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NTT DOCOMO aims for 6G in 2030

Thursday, January 23, 2020  6G, DOCOMO, Japan, NTT  

NTT DOCOMO published a white paper outlining its ambition to launch 6G commercial services by 2030. The white paper summarizes the related technical concepts and the expected diverse use cases of evolving 5G and new 6G communication technologies, as well as the technology components and performance targets. DOCOMO has 6G research and development programs underway. In 2018, the company conducted successful radio wave propagation experiments at...

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Keysight joins 6G Flagship Program

Monday, August 19, 2019  6G, Finland, Keysight  

Keysight Technologies has joined the multi-party 6G Flagship Program, an initiative supported by the Academy of Finland and led by the University of Oulu, Finland. The parties envision that next generation beyond 5G  will leverage spectrum above millimeter waves called terahertz waves, from 300 GHz to 3 THz, enabling data rates of up to one terabit per second and ultra-low latencies. Keysight said its technical expertise and solutions across...

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German researchers investigate THz frequencies for 6G

Wednesday, November 06, 2019  6G, Germany  

Researchers at Rohde & Schwarz, the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich Hertz Institute, HHI and the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAF are testing the terahertz (THz) frequency band for possible use in the 6th generation wireless mobile communication (6G). The collaboration has resulted in a wireless transmit and receive system operating between 270 and 320 GHz, with further frequency extensions for potential...

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Apple: 5G just got real

Apple unveiled its new line-up of iPhones, which add 5G connectivity, along with a faster A14 Bionic chip with 11.8 billion transistors built on 5nm silicon, tougher screen glass, better cameras, and a new design.  

Apple has conducted 5G testing with 100 carriers in 30 regions, with peak download speeds of up to 3.5 Gbps in ideal conditions.

Apple claims the new iPhones will cover more 5G bands than any other smartphone on the market. These include:

• 5G NR (Bands n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n20, n25, n28, n38, n40, n41, n66, n71, n77, n78, n79)
• 5G NR mmWave (Bands n260, n261)

The new iPhones can access Verizon's mmWave and have achieved over 4.0 Gbps peak download speeds in ideal conditions and with uploads rated at up to 200 Mbps in ideal conditions. 

Apple is also supporting a new Smart Data Mode. When the iPhone does not need 5G, it automatically drops back to LTE.

Connectivity also includes: 

• Gigabit LTE with 4x4 MIMO and LAA4
• Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2x2 MIMO
• Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology
• Ultra Wideband chip for spatial awareness5
• NFC with reader mode

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Verizon launches 5G using Dynamic Spectrum Sharing

 Verizon also announced its launch of 5G Nationwide service using Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS), which allows 5G service to run simultaneously with 4G LTE on the same spectrum band. covering more than 200 million customers. The Verizon 5G Nationwide service, which runs on lower spectrum bands than its 5G Ultra Wideband service, now boasts 200 million population coverage footprint. 

"We were first in the world to 5G and we are continuing to drive 5G forward. Our job, our passion, is to push the boundaries of what’s possible, to bring the ecosystem together and to create experiences consumers and enterprises never even knew they needed or wanted," stated Hans Vestberg, Verizon CEO.

The Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband service is now available in 55 cities, 43 stadiums and arenas, and seven airports. On its mmWave spectrum Verizon is achieving download speeds of up to 4 Gbps by using carrier aggregation to combine eight separate channels of mmWave spectrum.

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Comcast expands 5G coverage nationwide

Comcast announced nationwide Xfinity Mobile 5G coverage at no additional charge.

Pricing starts at $15 for 1GB with a By-the-Gig plan, or $45 for one line of Unlimited service.

“Xfinity Mobile customers already have access to the fastest Internet at home with Xfinity Internet, and now they can access a fast nationwide 5G network when they are on the go,” said Billy Stephens, Senior Vice President of Wireless Devices for Xfinity Mobile. “Not only is Xfinity Mobile the only provider to give its customers the flexibility to seamlessly switch between 5G Unlimited or By-the-Gig data options to save money, but we also deliver the newest, most innovative 5G devices.”

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Alkira secures $54M for Cloud Services Exchange

 Alkira, a start-up based in San Jose, California, announced $54 million in Series B funding for its global network cloud delivered as-a-service.

Alkira's  Cloud Services Exchange (CSX) offers a simplified networking experience for on-premises, cloud, and multi-cloud environments with integrated network and security services, and full operational visibility and governance. The company was founded in 2018 by Amir and Atif Khan, who previously founded Viptela, an SD-WAN pioneer that was acquired by Cisco in 2017 for $610 million. 

The new funding was led by Koch Disruptive Technologies (KDT) with participation from Sequoia Capital, Kleiner Perkins, GV (formerly Google Ventures), and others. The company has now raised $76 million. to date. 

“Koch Industries is a significant customer to cloud providers, and we have seen first-hand how Alkira’s powerful and intuitive network simplifies a company’s transition to the cloud,” said Chase Koch, president of Koch Disruptive Technologies. “At Koch’s scale an agile, global, end-to end network is critical to our competitiveness and growth and we are excited to lead Alkira’s Series B investment.”

“Alkira has seen a tremendous response from customers and technology and GTM partners to deploy and deliver the Alkira Network Cloud. We are honored to have our Series B led by Koch, an early customer who deployed Alkira Cloud Services Exchange™ (CSX) and shares our vision to transform networking,” said Amir Khan, President, CEO and founder of Alkira. “Koch has entrusted Alkira to rebuild their cloud network backbone and expand their network infrastructure to multi-cloud. We are delighted to welcome Jason Illian to our Board, and to receive the ongoing support from Sequoia, Kleiner Perkins, and GV on this exciting journey.”

See video with Alkira founders: https://youtu.be/njxM65N0hjg

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NEC picks NXP chips for Massive MIMO 5G radios

NEC selected NXP to supply RF Airfast multi-chip modules to be used in a Massive MIMO 5G antenna Radio Unit (RU), which are being deployed by Rakuten Mobile in Japan.

NEC’s Massive MIMO 5G antenna RU features a 5G open virtual radio access network (vRAN) interface and has been adopted by Rakuten Mobile for its fully virtualized cloud-native mobile network. The RU utilizes extremely accurate digital beam forming for efficient high-capacity transmission and is easy to install as a result of miniaturization achieved through an increased level of circuit integration.

NXP’s new AFSC5G40E38 RF Airfast multi-chip module offera a common footprint across frequency and power for different regions, enabling faster time to market for network mobile operators.

NEC teamed up with Rakuten Mobile to develop and manufacture the 5G infrastructure that leverages NXP’s RF Airfast multi-chip modules.

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ProLabs intros 1G DWDM tunable transceiver

ProLabs introduced its new 1G DWDM tunable transceiver line for data centers and enterprise networks.

The solution contains five tunables with the capability to tune to channels 20-27, 28-35, 36-43, 44-51, or 52-59 respectively by using the ProTune Coding & Tuning System.

"The flexibility to deploy and tune a 1G DWDM transceiver addresses a variety of operational challenges for network operators," said Jon Eikel, Chief Strategy Officer at ProLabs. "Having a 1G tunable transceiver in the access network helps operators reduce sparing and inventory complexity. This drives better performance in mean-time-to-repair by simplifying to a single part that fix agents can fit into any network segment on any wavelength."

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OSA Laser Congress underway this week

The all-virtual, web conference format OSA Laser Congress takes place this week,  13 – 16 October 2020. Key topics will be the next generation of laser-based manufacturing technologies and the history and future of solid state lasers

Plenary speaker Jan Kleinert, Research Director at Electro-Scientific Industries (ESI), a division of MKS Instruments, Inc., USA, will share latest innovations in laser based manufacturing technologies in his talk titled “From µs to fs, kHz to GHz: laser micromachining in the microelectronics industry.” Understanding the underlying highly nonlinear laser material interaction dynamics is key to keeping pace with faster, better and cheaper technologies.

“A Journey through 60 Years of Solid State Lasers” is the featured topic of the plenary talk by Peter F. Moulton, senior staff, Laser Applications and Applications Group at the MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington, MA, USA. Solid state lasers have achieved a dominant role in both scientific and industrial applications. Moulton will review 60 years of laser development and future applications.

The OSA Laser Congress plenary program is scheduled for Tuesday, 13 October, 08:00 – 10:00 EDT.

https://www.osa.org/en-us/meetings/osa_meetings/laser_congress/registration/

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CommScope pushes its vision for 10G cable services

 At this year's virtual SCTE event, CommScope plans to demonstrate its vision for 10G, virtualization, the access network and the connected home. 

Specifically, CommScope will be demonstrating its Virtual Headend Portfolio, which includes solutions for virtualizing the four primary planes of modern operator networks: data, video, control, and management. CommScope is adding a new range of Distributed Access Architecture (DAA) solutions to its portfolio, pushing physical processing to the fiber node. New products include more powerful node-based Remote PHY and Remote MACPHY devices. In addition, CommScope’s Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) demonstrations will show the technology’s ability to unlock the potential of 5G to compete with fixed-line services in urban and sub-urban areas.

CommScope said its vision for 10G extends throughout the connected home of the future. Ziply Fiber recently selected CommScope X5 Wi-Fi 6 extenders to enhance its wireless presence in their subscribers’ homes. The company also announced several recent additions to its extensive portfolio of DOCSIS 3.1 and Wi-Fi 6 modems and gateways.  CommScope experts will also be supporting the recently announced Wi-Fi 6E standard for delivering the next-generation of low-latency, deterministic wireless experiences for video, gaming, augmented and virtual reality, and more.

“SCTE is very different this year, but the theme of improving network capacity and speed in both the downlink and uplink is familiar and one that we’re building into important advances throughout our portfolio and in operator networks around the world,” said Morgan Kurk, CTO, CommScope. “At this year’s show, we’re demonstrating our vision for tomorrow’s cable networks—both wired and wireless, throughout the home and beyond. Our updated end-to-end portfolio is a testament to our focus on providing customers with unmatched choice as they make some of the biggest evolutionary leaps in their access and home networks.”

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U.S. Department of Defense award $600m for 5G testbeds

The U.S. Department of Defense awarded $600 million in contracts to 15 prime contractors to perform testing and evaluation of 5G technologies at five military installations across the United States. 

Five installations, including Hill Air Force Base, Utah; Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington; Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Georgia; Naval Base San Diego; and Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, will serve as locations for the application and evaluation of a variety of 5G technologies.

"5G networks — and the technologies that will be built upon them — are an integral component of the National Defense Strategy," said Michael Kratsios, during a teleconference from the Pentagon. "We at the DOD are committed to the advancement of this critical emerging technology to improve the lethality and modernization of our force."

"Outside of the department, in order for private sector companies to test the capabilities and functionality of 5G communications, they face an onerous process — negotiating agreements with state and local officials, attaining pole permits, funding the construction of antennas, and the list goes on," Kratsios said. "At the DOD, we already have the personnel, operational capacity, facilities, scale and regulatory green light to get the job done."

The five Tranche 1 test sites were selected for their ability to provide streamlined access to site spectrum bands, mature fiber and wireless infrastructure, access to key facilities, support for new or improved infrastructure requirements, and the ability to conduct controlled experimentation with dynamic spectrum sharing.  For the Tranche 1 locations, prime contractors include AT&T, Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte Consulting LLP, Ericsson, Federated Wireless, GBL System Corp., General Dynamics Mission Systems, Inc., GE Research, Key Bridge Wireless LLC, KPMG LLP, Nokia, Oceus Networks, Scientific Research Corporation, Shared Spectrum Company and Vectrus Mission Solutions Corporation.

• In June, the department also announced seven new locations to serve as Tranche 2 test beds for additional 5G capability testing. The Tranche 2 locations include Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia; Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii; Joint Base San Antonio; the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California; Fort Hood, Texas; Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California; and Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma.

https://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/2378047/dod-kicks-off-worlds-largest-dual-use-5g-testing-effort/

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U.S. Army signs FirstNet for base first responders

The U.S. Army has selected FirstNet to support firefighters, law enforcement and security personnel at 72 Army installations across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. 

FirstNet is built with AT&T in public-private partnership with the First Responder Network Authority – an independent agency within the federal government.  

Under the Task Order, AT&T is delivering nearly 3,200 lines of FirstNet services, more than 3,000 FirstNet-capable devices and 700+ signal boosters to help improve indoor connectivity. 

“FirstNet is helping us improve vital communications on our installations, depots and arsenals, including during catastrophic disasters or emergencies when communications capabilities are strained. We’re adopting FirstNet because it is designed for public safety professionals with priority, preemption and highly reliable data communications that will improve our overall response and our interoperability with our civilian partners,” stated Colonel Kevin Comfort, Command Provost Marshal at Headquarters, Installation Management Command located in Joint Base San Antonio at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

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Rockley Photonics secures $50 million in funding

 Rockley Photonics, a start-up specializing in integrated optical chips and modules, has closed an additional $50 million of growth funding from leading deep-tech VCs, strategic investors, and institutional funds including Credit Suisse backed SIG-i Capital and Applied Ventures, the venture capital arm of Applied Materials, as well as existing shareholders. To date, Rockley has raised over $225 million of financing to develop its unique silicon photonics platform.

“It is testament to the strength of our technology and emerging market opportunities that we have attracted such a preeminent list of new investors to join many of our existing shareholders in this funding round,” said Andrew Rickman, chief executive officer, Rockley Photonics. “This round provides the funding for Rockley as it moves into the next exciting growth phase and develops next generation disruptive silicon photonics powered healthcare and wellness sensors and communications products for its Tier-1 customers.”

Rockley Photonics was founded by Dr. Andrew Rickman in 2013. The company has offices in Pasadena, San Jose, Oxford, Cardiff, Cork, and Helsinki.

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Telefónica UK picks Nokia's cloud-native Subscriber Data Management

Telefónica UK has selected Nokia's cloud-native Subscriber Data Management (SDM) software. Nokia will also deploy Shared Data Layer, a cloud-native database accessible via industry standard protocols to enable an open ecosystem and the integration of third party applications.

As the heart of Telefónica UK’s converged mobile core, Nokia’s SDM will securely oversee pivotal functionality for all Telefónica UK networks and services, including 5G. By controlling network data in a centralized hub and utilizing containerized micro services that have only what is required by an application to efficiently and autonomously manage all subscriber data and services, SDM increases both reliability and operational efficiencies. 

Nokia’s SDM solution serves approximately 4.8 billion subscribers and devices around the world.

Bhaskar Gorti, President of Nokia Software and Nokia Chief Digital Officer, said: “As we drive cloud-native 5G innovation together, Nokia is pleased to be building on our existing relationship with Telefónica UK by further optimizing and securing the company’s networks with Nokia’s software portfolio, and enriching the customer experience.”

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Nokia boosts its Altiplano cloud SDN platform

 Nokia is now offering Cloud Acceleration Services for its Altiplano platform, which can operate as traditional network management system, as full-featured SDN access domain controller or as open modular solution, offering selected tools and applications to control, visualize and optimize the fixed access network.

Nokia says its open, modular and fully programmable Altiplano platform allows network builders to leverage broadband networks as a platform. Cloud Acceleration Services help build and maintain personalized SDN solutions, making sure all network nodes - third party, virtual and legacy - find their place in the network

Nokia Cloud Acceleration Services cover:

• Business and technology consulting services and modeling tools help quantify the operator specific SDAN benefits and use cases.
• System integration, automated testing services and key assets like Nokia SDAN Multivendor Integration Centers and Migration Operations Centers bring the customized SDAN solution from the drawing board into reality.
• The cloud-native capabilities of the Nokia Altiplano platform, combined with Nokia’s System Integration approach and Nokia DevOps Automation Platform help operators to test and launch new features and services on the market, faster.

In addition, Nokia has added a new 1RU Lightspan DF-16G fiber node and the modular chassis Lightspan MX-6. The Lightspan MX supports VDSL and G.fast technologies, powered by the Quillion chipset and new G.fast 212 MHz line cards, to deliver symmetrical gigabit services with best-in-class vectoring performance.

Nokia expands fiber access portfolio with Lightspan MF-2 node

Wednesday, March 04, 2020  Nokia  

Nokia is expanding its fiber access portfolio with a new Lightspan MF access node designed for the 5G era, a new Beacon 6 in-home gateway that supports 5G mobile data offloading and several Nokia Bell Labs innovations that reduce latency.

Nokia’s new Lightspan MF-2 fiber access node is based on its Quillion chipset family. Some details:

• High capacity, small form factor access node fit for distributed deployments
• 10G PON today, and ready for evolution beyond
• Supports Multi-PON
• Optimized for low latency 5G Anyhaul

Nokia’s new Beacon 6 mesh WiFi solution supports Wi-Fi 6 and includes several core 5G technologies. Some details:

• Support for Wi-Fi 6 which improves the overall speed, performance and latency needed for 5G mobile offload
• Wi-Fi Certified EasyMesh and is fully interoperable with third-party Wi-Fi Certified EasyMesh products
• Includes Nokia Bell Labs low-latency innovations – PI2 algorithm and L4S

Nokia Bell Labs’ PI2 active queue management algorithm reduces excessive delays in congested networks, while L4S technology provides an “express lane” for data in network equipment to further reduce latency needed in applications like gaming and virtual reality. Operators can then use Nokia’s Software Defined Access Network solution to create a high-priority slice in the fiber access network to ensure low latency is further guaranteed from the home to the core.

“Fixed networks will be the critical technology behind 5G’s success,” said Sandra Motley, President of Fixed Networks at Nokia. “By leveraging existing FTTH and in-home Wi-Fi networks, operators will be able to deploy 5G faster and ensure a seamless, powerful 5G end-user experience is achieved.”

“Low-latency innovations like PI2 and L4S demonstrate the many ways Nokia Bell Labs continues to push the boundaries of technology innovation,” said Marcus Weldon, Nokia Corporate CTO and President of Nokia Bell Labs. “These technologies will play a critical role in the network and how end users ultimately engage with low-latency applications like gaming and AR/VR experiences. We’re excited to be the first in the industry to bring these innovations into our WiFi portfolio and offer this to customers and end users alike.”

Nokia aims Quillion chipset at next gen access

Tuesday, October 08, 2019  Nokia, Silicon  

Nokia outlined plans for a new family of chipsets to power next-generation massive scale access networks.

The forthcoming "Quillion" chipset will allow operators to introduce 10G PON in their fiber networks and to serve more users from G.fast access nodes. For next-generation fiber access networks, the Quillion chipset powers Nokia’s 16-port Multi-PON line card, which supports both GPON and NG-PON on each port. This allows operators with an existing GPON network to simply “switch on” NG-PON services on each port without recabling or disrupting the GPON service.

Nokia said Quillion is also optimized to allow for low-latency applications that are critical for 5G transport and has built-in programmability to support intents that pave the way toward automated workflows, such as network slicing for 5G transport.

In addition, the Quillion chipset supports copper infrastructure access, including the highest density G.fast and Vplus solutions on the market.

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Vivacom Bulgaria to deploy XGS-PON with Nokia

Vivacom awarded a contract to Nokia to extend its GPON network in Bulgaria and introduce XGS-PON in strategic locations. Nokia was named sole network equipment supplier.

XGS-PON allows Vivacom to offer 10 Gbps symmetrical broadband services to residential and business customers.

Vivacom, a leading fiber access provider in Bulgaria, focuses on accelerating broadband coverage across the country. The roll-out is based on Nokia Lightspan series FX.

Sandra Motley, President of Fixed Networks at Nokia, said: “We see an increasing momentum for fiber access deployments and upgrades to XGS-PON, especially now that the need for broadband access has dramatically increased. We are bringing Vivacom solutions that help it to smoothly evolve its networks by leveraging its existing assets and providing advanced capabilities for future growth.”

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Verizon Business and Cisco bring 5G Edge to stadiums

Verizon Business and Cisco are collaborating to offer solutions combining Verizon’s 5G network and 5G Edge for stadiums, arenas and event spaces.

The solutions will be powered by Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband with mobile edge computing (MEC) interfaces with the Cisco Sports and Entertainment portfolio. The joint solution integrates with a variety of Cisco innovations including: Cisco DNA Spaces for secure location analytics, Cisco switching and data center technology, connected venue analytics and more. The 5G and MEC environments will help deliver near real-time enablement and experiences.

Together, Verizon and Cisco said they can to bring these capabilities to stadiums:

• Leverage analytics to estimate wait times associated with lines at check in, restrooms and concession stands; interfaces with digital signage and mobile applications to direct patrons to alternative locations with shorter lines
• Identify crowd density and manage crowd flows with the use of digital signage and messages to venue staff to help maintain social distancing standards

“While all sports and entertainment fans are looking forward to the day they can get back to their favorite venues, many are understandably nervous about their safety in large crowds. This solution will help put minds at ease so fans can re-enter venues with the knowledge that strong steps are being taken to safeguard their wellbeing," said Aamir Hussain, SVP Chief Product Officer for Verizon Business. “This is one of the many 5G-enabled experiences powered by Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband that is changing the in-person fan experience in dozens of stadiums.”

“Our combined expertise and technology innovation is furthering the evolution of 5G, creating a dynamic offering for the industry that will redefine stadium sports and entertainment for the future,” said Jonathan Davidson, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Mass-Scale Infrastructure Group, Cisco. “With the power of 5G and MEC solutions, we can bring cloud-powered services closer to the edge for more flexible development of applications, helping venues to deliver new experiences better, faster and with more clarity and precision.”

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Acacia intros coherent bi-directional pluggables for Cable and 5G

Acacia Communications is sampling new coherent bi-directional pluggable optical modules that were designed to transmit and receive data in both directions on a single fiber for 100G. In cable networks, particularly Remote PHY and fiber deep applications, providers often run into situations where only a single fiber is available. Historically, these networks have been served by 10G bi-directional optical modules.

Acacia’s coherent bi-directional module is offered in a pluggable CFP2-DCO form factor. 

The company said its new products leverage its 3D Siliconization approach, which utilizes high-volume manufacturing processes and benefits from the maturity of Acacia’s silicon photonics technology. Acacia’s coherent point-to-point, DWDM and bi-directional pluggable solutions were designed to meet the form factor, low power consumption and cost requirements that edge and access providers need to scale their networks in the future. 

“With the addition of this coherent bi-directional solution to our recently announced 100G point-to-point and DWDM coherent solutions, Acacia is now able to offer a portfolio of products to address a wide variety of requirements in the edge and access market,” said Fenghai Liu, Vice President of Product Line Management at Acacia Communications. “In fiber-limited networks, optical waves are transmitted in a single fiber medium from both directions. In these networks, coherent receivers can efficiently help to eliminate the crosstalk from back reflections when it operates at a different wavelength than its transmitter. Acacia’s coherent bi-directional CFP2-DCO module is purpose-built for these applications.”

http://www.acacia-inc.com 

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100G Lambda MSA completes 400G spec for 2~10 km

The 100G Lambda Multisource Agreement (MSA) Group released a 400 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) specification up to 10 km based on 100 Gbps per wavelength PAM4 optical technology. 

The new 400GbE specification is designated as 400G-LR4-10 for duplex single-mode links up to 10 km and relies on multiplexing 4 wavelengths of 100 Gb/s PAM4 modulated optical signals.

The MSA members developed the 400GbE specification to fully address market requirements for 2 km to 10 km reaches over duplex single-mode for both 100GbE and 400GbE. The MSA believes that the 10 km reach specification will be fully interoperable with the 6 km version being developed by another industry standards group. The nomenclature use of “-10” in 400G-LR4-10 will inform users of the target reach.

The 100G Lambda MSA Group is going to continue its work by next addressing extended reach specifications beyond 10 km.

“Industry organizations are valued for producing rigorous specifications assuring reliable, interoperable communications,” remarked Dale Murray, Principal Analyst for LightCounting Market Research. “The 100G Lambda MSA members were able to, again, quickly identify the market requirements and build on their earlier work to extend it to meet the market need for a full 10 km specification at 400G.”

“The MSA received feedback from the industry of a strong need for a 400GbE 10 km specification to be available and the MSA has worked hard to provide specifications to enable interoperable products to meet this demand,” said Mark Nowell, 100G Lambda MSA co-chair.

“Maintaining consistency and interoperability with industry standard’s progression has always been a target for the MSA members,” said Jeffery Maki, 100G Lambda MSA co-chair. “With this updated specification we continue to support the industry’s needs to make specifications available in a timely manner.”

The 100G Lambda MSA Group member companies are: II-VI, Alibaba, Applied OptoElectronics, Arista, Broadcom, Cambridge Industries Group, China Unicom, Ciena, Cisco Systems, Color Chip, Credo, Delta, Eoptolink, Fujitsu Optical Components, HG Genuine, HiSense, HiSilicon, IDT, Innolight, Inphi, Intel, Juniper Networks, Keysight Technologies, Lightwave Logic, Lumentum, MACOM, Maxim, Maxlinear, Mellanox, Microsoft, Mitsubishi Electric, Molex, MultiLane, Neophotonics, Nokia, Panduit, Rockley Photonics, Semtech, Sicoya, SiFotonics Technologies, Source Photonics, Sumitomo Electric, TE Connectivity, TFC Optical Communication, Tektronix and ZTE.

http://www.100glambda.com

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Comcast cites progress on its path to 10G cable services

Comcast achieved 1.25 Gbps upload and download speeds over a live production network using Network Function Virtualization (NFV) combined with the latest DOCSIS Technology.

The trial used equipment installed at a home in Jacksonville, Florida, where Comcast has deployed a Distributed Access Architecture (DAA). The architecture includes a suite of software-powered networking technologies, including digital fiber optics, “Remote PHY” digital nodes, and a cloud-based, virtualized cable modem termination system platform (vCMTS), enabling delivery of gigabit-plus symmetrical speeds using existing cable connections.

“Our customers build their digital lives on the foundation of our Internet service, so we continue to push the technological envelope to anticipate their future needs,” said Tony Werner, President of Technology, Product, Xperience at Comcast Cable. “The great strength of our network technology is that we will have the ability to scale these next-generation speeds to tens of millions of homes in the future without digging up yards, or starting massive construction projects. This technology provides a path to meeting the needs of the future and making multi-gigabit symmetrical speeds a reality for everyone, not just a select few.”

Comcast said the trial represents an important milestone on the path to deliver on the promise of the industry’s 10G platform, which aims to eventually enable 10-gigabit-per-second speeds and beyond by leveraging continuing advances in DOCSIS and other key network technologies. Comcast is engaged in the 10G initiative along with NCTA, CableLabs and SCTE, as well as operators from around the world. In addition, Comcast and Charter Communications have worked closely to align on their approaches to 10G and are driving technology standards and architectures to benefit the industry. The latest advancements in 10G technology will be on full display next week at SCTE EXPO.

“We’re excited to move these incredible 10G technologies from the laboratory to the living room,” said Elad Nafshi, Senior Vice President of Next-Generation Access Technologies at Comcast Cable. “We’ve been inspired by the work our global technical community has done to advance the technologies that made this performance possible and are proud to begin the process of delivering those benefits to customers.”

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