Marvell samples first 1.6T Ethernet PHY with 100G PAM4 I/Os in 5nm

Marvell has begun sampling the industry's first 1.6T Ethernet PHY with 100G PAM4 electrical input/outputs (I/Os) in 5nm, enabling next-generation 100G serial-based 400G and 800G Ethernet links for high-density switches. The doubling of the signaling rate creates signal integrity challenges, driving the need for retimer devices for high port count switch designs. It's critical that retimer and gearboxes used for these applications are extremely power efficient. Implemented in the latest 5nm node, the Marvell 800GbE PHY provides a 40% savings in I/O power compared to existing 50G PAM4 based I/Os.  

The Marvell 1.6T PHY incorporates the company's 112G 5nm SerDes solution that was announced in November of last year, offering breakthrough performance with the ability to operate at 112G PAM4 across channels with >40dB insertion loss. This 112G 5nm SerDes technology will be designed in Marvell's industry-proven Prestera® switch portfolio across data center, enterprise and carrier segments. It has also been adopted for use by multiple customers of Marvell's 5nm ASIC offering in high-performance infrastructure applications across a variety of markets.

The company says its new Alaska C PHY accelerates the transition to 100G serial interconnects and doubles the bandwidth speeds of the previous generation of PHYs to bring scalability for performance-critical cloud workloads and applications such as artificial intelligence and machine learning.      

Marvell notes that its new 88X93160 is the industry's first PHY device fully compliant with IEEE's 802.3ck standards for 100G serial I/Os and the Ethernet Technology Consortium's 800GbE specifications. The device supports Gearboxing functionality which helps data center operators get the full bandwidth capabilities of the switch ASICs with 100G serial I/Os while interfacing with existing 50G PAM4 based 400G optical modules.

"Data center demand for 400GbE and beyond is experiencing exponential growth," said Achyut Shah, senior vice president and general manager of Marvell's PHY business unit. "We are very proud to offer the industry's first dual 1.6T PHY with 100G PAM4 I/Os designed for cloud data centers. Our 112G SerDes in 5nm boasts industry-leading power and greatly enhances the value that high-speed Ethernet brings to cloud data center applications."

http://www.marvell.com

Marvell completes acquisition of Inphi

Tuesday, April 20, 2021  Inphi, Marvell  

Marvell Technology completed its previously announced acquisition of Inphi Corporation.  The combination creates a U.S. semiconductor powerhouse positioned for end-to-end technology leadership in data infrastructure.“I am excited to welcome the Inphi team to Marvell and look forward to realizing the tremendous value creation potential of this combination for our customers, employees and shareholders. Together we will have the portfolio, capabilities,...

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Marvell announces first 112G 5nm SerDes

Tuesday, November 17, 2020  112G, Data Centers, Marvell, SerDes  

Marvell introduced the first 112G 5nm SerDes solution that has been validated in hardware. The company also confirmed that it has recently secured a new custom ASIC design win customer that will embed this new IP to build next generation top-of-rack (ToR) and spine switches for leading hyperscale data centers.The Marvell 5nm SerDes solution doubles the bandwidth of current systems based on 56G while enabling the deployment of 112G I/Os. The device...

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Ranovus leverages Co-packaged Optics in switch design

Ranovus introduced its Odin Analog-Drive CPO 2.0 architecture, which leverages co-packaged Optics (CPO) to provide nx100Gbps PAM4 Optical I/O for Ethernet switch and ML/AI silicon in a single packaged assembly.

In March 2020, Ranovus announced its first generation of co-packaged optics (CPO 1.0), which enabled an attractive multi-sourced solution for 51.2T Ethernet switch applications.

CPO 2.0 improves on CPO 1.0 while maintaining optical interoperability and brings the following advantages to the ecosystem:

• 40% cost and power consumption savings through:
• Eliminating the retimer function in the Odin™ Analog-Drive optical engine
• Enabling a cost-effective single die solution with the Odin™ Analog-Drive optical engine
• Smaller footprint
• Reuse and Optimization of existing 100G PAM4 and PCIe Ser/Des chips vs new investment in an XSR Ser/Des chip for data center applications

Customer trials with Odin Analog-Drive CPO 2.0 are planned in Q4 2021.

“We launched Odin, our next generation monolithic EPIC and laser platform for multi terabit Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) applications in data centers, in March 2020. The Odin platform is a low latency, high density, protocol agnostic monolithic optical engine that delivers massive optical interconnect bandwidth with industry-leading cost and power efficiency,” said Dr. Christoph Schulien, EVP of R&D and Systems at Ranovus. “The Odin Analog-Drive configuration eliminates the retimers in the CPO 1.0 configuration, which brings about a 40% cost and power reduction to the overall system.”

https://ranovus.com/

Ranovus launches Silicon Photonic Engine supporting 800G

Sunday, March 08, 2020  Ranovus  

Ranovus launched its "Odin" silicon photonics device scaling from 800Gbps to 3.2Tbps in a single chip and supporting both module and Co-Packaged Optics solutions. Ranovus’ Odin platform incorporates the company’s multi-wavelength Quantum Dot Laser (QDL), 100Gbps silicon photonics-based Micro Ring Resonator modulators and photodetectors, 100Gbps Driver, 100Gbps TIA and control Integrated Circuits supported by a Tier 1 packaging ecosystem. “ML/AI...

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NeoPhotonics: Pluggable 400G over 1500 km in a 75 GHz-spaced system

NeoPhotonics demonstrated its Multi-Rate CFP2-DCO coherent pluggable transceivers transmitting at a 400 Gbps data rate over a distance of 1500 km in a 75 GHz-spaced DWDM network. 

This 1500 km transmission demonstration was carried out on NeoPhotonics Transmission System Testbed using production modules with enhanced firmware and utilized 75 GHz spaced channels taking the adjacent channel crosstalk-induced penalty into account.  The transmission system contains 19 in-line erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFA). To achieve 1500 km reach and a 400G data rate, the modules were operated at 69 Gbaud using 16 QAM modulation.  Probabilistic constellation shaping and a soft-decision forward error correction codec were used to achieve a required OSNR of approximately 20 dB, which is comparable to coherent line card port performance from leading chassis-based coherent systems.  The modules each consumed considerably less electrical power than line card solutions operating at comparable data rates and distances. 

 “Coupled with our recent demonstration of 800 km 400 Gbps transmission using our 400ZR+ QSFP-DD, our CFP2-DCO 400G 1500 km transmission brings the use of pluggable modules in regional and long haul networks closer to reality,” said Tim Jenks, Chairman and CEO of NeoPhotonics. “The ability to implement a long haul coherent transponder in the size and power envelope of a pluggable module is a testament to the progress that has been made in photonic integration and DSP development, and has the potential to be a game changer for telecom as well as DCI networks,” concluded Mr. Jenks.

NeoPhotonics' 400G CFP2-DCO coherent pluggable transceiver modules use the company's high performance Indium Phosphide-based coherent components, along with its ultra-narrow linewidth tunable laser.  These components are all shipping in high volume into multiple coherent system applications, and include:

Class 40 CDM:  NeoPhotonics Class 40, polarization multiplexed, quadrature coherent driver modulator (CDM) features a co-packaged InP modulator with a linear, high bandwidth, differential driver, and is designed for low V-Pi, low insertion loss and a high extinction ratio.   The compact package is designed to be compliant with the form factor of the OIF Implementation Agreement #OIF-HB-CDM-01.0.

Class 40 Micro-ICR:  NeoPhotonics Class 40 High Bandwidth Micro-Intradyne Coherent Receiver (Micro-ICR) is designed for >60 GBaud symbol rates. The compact package is designed to be compliant with the OIF Implementation Agreement OIF-DPC-MRX-02.0.

Nano-ITLA:  NeoPhotonics Nano-ITLA is based on the same proven and reliable high performance external cavity architecture as NeoPhotonics’ industry leading Micro-ITLA and maintains comparable ultra-narrow linewidth, low frequency phase noise and the low power consumption in a compact package approximately one half the size. 

https://www.neophotonics.com/press-releases/?newsId=12486

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II-VI demos 400/800G transceivers

II-VI is demonstrating its 400/800G transceivers for next-generation 25.6T and 51.2T data center switches at this week's OFC 2021 event.

The demonstration will show a wide range of transceiver configurations, reach and form factors, each supporting 100Gbps PAM4 electrical compatible with next-generation 25.6T and 51.2T switch ASICs. . The density of these 400/800G transceivers enable 25.6T switch designs in compact form factors of 1RU height.

Highlights:

800G-DR8 OSFP and 400G-DR4 QSFP-DD

• II-VI will show the link operation of one 800G-DR8 OSFP module and two 400G-DR4 QSFP-DD modules on parallel single-mode fiber. The 800G-DR8 transceiver can also be interconnected with eight 100G transceivers or point-to-point with another 800G transceiver.

400G-FR4 QSFP112 and 2x400G-FR4 QSFP-DD800

• II-VI will show one 2x400G-FR4 QSFP-DD800 module and two 400G-FR4 QSFP112 modules running on a link.

400G-SR4 QSFP112

• II-VI will show a pair of 400G-SR4 QSFP112 modules running on one link. Multimode transceivers and AOCs using VCSEL technology provide the lowest cost for short-distance optical interconnection applications, and this trend is expected to continue in 800G products. The 400G-SR4 transceiver can also be interconnected with four 100G transceivers

https://ii-vi.com/news/ii-vi-incorporated-to-demonstrate-400-800g-transceivers-for-next-generation-25-6t-and-51-2t-datacenter-switches-at-ofc-2021/

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Marvell intros low power, multi-mode 400G DSP

Marvell announced sampling of is new Deneb ultra-low power, multi-mode 400G DSP for disaggregated optical platforms. 

The new 7nm CDSP for 400G pluggable, which is compatible with its predecessor (Canopus), provides a seamless upgrade to interoperable pluggables across multiple platforms. Deneb can be used to enable standards based ITU, Open ROADM and OpenZR+ compliant 100G/200G/300G/400G pluggable transceivers.

"Standards-based interoperable CDSPs will be critical to fuel the growth in coherent pluggables that are expected to address the majority of transport applications," said Pranay Aiya, AVP Product Marketing and Customer Applications at Marvell. "Deneb enables our partners to seamlessly augment their Canopus CDSP based solutions with standards-based technology and expand their addressable market with minimal investment."

https://www.marvell.com/company/newsroom/marvell-announces-400G-dsp-proliferate-adoption-coherent-pluggable-modules-cloud-access.html

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MACOM ships 25Gbps and 50Gbps distributed feedback (DFB) single ridge lasers

MACOM Technology Solutions announced the production release of its new high speed laser portfolio, after the successful completion of Telcordia GR-468 qualification testing. All products in the portfolio incorporate a new single ridge design for enhanced optical performance and utilize MACOM’s patented Etched Facet Technology (EFT) and wafer-scale Indium Phosphide (InP) manufacturing capabilities which can support high volume applications, including 5G wireless infrastructure and Cloud Data Center.

“We are pleased to achieve this milestone,” said Stephen G. Daly, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Customer feedback on our new 25 and 50 gigabit laser performance has been positive and our focus will now turn to gaining market share.”

MACOM is branding the new 25Gbps and 50Gbps distributed feedback (DFB) single ridge laser portfolio as CLEAR DIAMOND LASERS. The portfolio includes over fifty laser products with wavelengths between 1260nm and 1380nm to support multiple global 5G infrastructure applications, including 1310 BiDi, CWDM6, MWDM12, LWDM12, DWDM16 and 50Gbps PAM4. The portfolio also supports 200G FR4, 100G CWDM4 and LR4 applications for Data Center networks.

https://www.macom.com

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CommScope updates fiber outside plant terminals/closures

CommScope introduced a portfolio of outside plant terminals and closures for fiber networks. 

The new NOVUX line leverages a flexible, modular, and backwards-compatible architecture that allows operators to adapt and scale to a wide variety of field applications. NOVUX simplifies fiber deployment by allowing operators to use 75% fewer components than existing solutions while delivering fifty times the number of configurations available today. The system is designed with sustainable practices for packaging, labeling, and installation equipment, and it features class-leading innovations like CommScope’s Octopus sealing gel, which offers protection in harsh environments while allowing easy access for upgrades and regular maintenance.

"Our NOVUX portfolio is all about giving our operator customers the highest degree of agility and flexibility in their growing fiber deployments,” said James DeCoe, vice president, Network Connectivity, CommScope. “The new NOVUX range allows operators to maximize their network and respond quickly to changing market conditions and high-volume demand. These solutions deliver unprecedented ease of installation today, with the flexibility to ensure that the network meets tomorrow’s needs. Furthermore, CommScope offers our customers the security of a dedicated, agile global supply chain built on common platform designs and processes.”

http://www.commscope.com

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OSFP MSA completes specification for 800G modules

The Octal Small Form Factor Pluggable (OSFP) Multi Source Agreement (MSA) group has published its OSFP 4.0 Specification for 800G OSFP modules. 

While the OSFP module was designed from the beginning to support 800G performance, the OSFP 4.0 specification adds support for dual 400G and octal 100G breakout modules with dual LC, dual Mini-LC, dual MPO and octal SN/MDC fiber connector options.

“At 800G, the number of use cases involving aggregation or breakouts are increasing,” said Andreas Bechtolsheim, OSFP MSA Chair. “Being able to use existing standard fiber connectors for these breakout ports is a key issue since it avoids the optical performance impact and cost of fiber adaptor cables, splitter cables or patch panels.”

“Cloud operators have deployed tens of millions of LC and MPO fiber connectors with existing optics transceivers,” said Sameh Boujelbene, Senior Director at Dell’Oro Group. “A smooth transition from single port to dual port 400G optics in the 800G form factor requires backward compatibility with this large installed base of fiber connectors.”

“The ability to do rolling networking upgrades in existing cloud data centers is essential since cloud data centers are always on,” said Alan Weckel, Founding Technology Analyst at the 650 Group. “As the Cloud grows in size, the majority of equipment installed goes into existing facilities, a very different dynamic compared to previous upgrade cycles. Being able to install new network switches without replacing millions of installed fiber connectors is one of the most important issues customers are facing as they transition to 800G optics form factor modules.”

“The OSFP 4.0 specification offers customers compatibility with existing fiber connectors and a broad choice of potential optical breakout options, which will likely become even more important with the upcoming early adoption of 800GbE data center switching starting next year,” said Seamus Crehan, President of Crehan Research.

With the 800G OSFP module specification completed, the OSFP MSA has sponsored a working group that is defining 200G/Lane electrical specifications to support 1600G OSFP modules. When this activity is completed, this development will be merged into a future OSFP 5.0 Specification.

“We have received strong interest from OSFP MSA members to start the 200G/Lane Electrical Signaling Group,” said Brian Kirk, Director of Engineering, Amphenol Corp. “Based on the work done so far, we are confident that the OSFP module will be able to support 200G electrical signaling speed per lane in a backward compatible fashion.”

“1600G-OSFP enables next-generation switch designs with up to 57.6T bandwidth per rack unit,” said Nathan Tracy, Technologist at TE Connectivity. “It is remarkable that the OSFP can support this level of bandwidth density in a pluggable form factor.”

https://www.osfpmsa.org/press-releases/pr-20210603.html

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Source Photonics announces 800G optical transceivers

Source Photonics unveiled a suite of 800G optical transceivers for data center and telecom applications. Sampling is expected to start in Q3.

Here are the highlights:

800G DR8 OSFP & QSFP-DD800

• Support 500m, 2km and 10km reaches for 800G-DR8, 800G-DR8+ and 800G-DR8++, respectively
• Support 8x100GbE and 2x400GbE breakout modes
• Compliant to IEEE P802.3ck and IEEE 802.3cu-2021 standards
• Complaint to OSFP Multi Source Agreement (MSA) and QSFP-DD800 MSA
• 800G DR8 OSFP supports
• MPO-16
• Dual MPO-12 for backward compatible to 2x400GbE DR4 breakout
• 800G DR8 QSFP-DD800 supports MPO-16

2x400G FR4 OSFP & QSFP-DD800

• Support 2km, 6km and 10km reaches for 2x400G-FR4, 2x400G-LR4-6 and 2x400G-LR4-10, respectively
• Compliant to IEEE P802.3ck, IEEE 802.3cu-2021 and 100G Lambda MSA standards
• Complaint to OSFP MSA and QSFP-DD800 MSA
• 2x400G FR4 OSFP supports
• Dual CS
• Dual LC for legacy fiber plants
• 2x400G FR4 QSFP-DD800 supports Dual CS

“Multiple 800G transceiver offerings in different form factors and optical interfaces will be available to support optical connectivity between transport, routing and switching equipment,” said Sheng Zhang, CTO at Source Photonics. “These transceivers will be available for customer samples starting Q3’21 to address the demand that has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

https://www.sourcephotonics.com/

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Turkcell validates IP Infusion's disaggregated optical transport software

 Turkcell has validated IP Infusion’s OcNOS Optical Transport Solution in a Telecom Infra Project (TIP) test on the Turkcell network. The test of IP Infusion’s disaggregated networking solution for optical networks was the first trial of open networking in Turkey and verified that the solution is able to fulfill Turkcell’s requirements for reliable and high-speed data transfer.

TIP’s Cassini Open Optical Packet Transport solution, supported by OcNOS as the network operating system and Edgecore Networks hardware, is being evaluated by various telecommunications companies around the world to confirm that the solution’s flexible, scalable and reliable infrastructure will meet the increasing fiber communications needs of the rapidly digitalizing world. The Turkcell test was carried out within their network of Gebze data centers.

“Thanks to these trials, we will be able to fulfill the reliable and high-speed data transfer needs of applications such as virtual reality, autonomous driving, remote surgery and smart cities that will become widespread with 5G,” said Gediz Sezgin, Deputy General Manager, Turkcell Network Technologies. “In order to be ready for 5G, we will continue to test and include the latest innovative solutions in our network to meet the challenges of digital requirements and the growing needs of Turkish businesses and residents.”

“This successful trial of the Cassini technology is the result of joint work developed by Turkcell and suppliers such as IP Infusion and Edgecore Networks. The test proves that open network products meet commercial use requirements and meets the growing demand for data traffic,” said Attilo Zani, Telecom Infra Project Executive Director.

“With this disaggregated networking solution, Turkcell will be able to upgrade their network to deliver capacity and high speeds for the superior user experience promised by 5G,” said Atsushi Ogata, President and CEO, IP Infusion. “The next-generation technology of this solution will pave the way for Turkcell to generate more revenue and to transform the lives of their customers by meeting their high-speed data needs.”

http://www.ipinfusion.com

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Vodafone tests multi-vendor RAN intelligent controller

Vodafone, in conjunction with Cohere Technologies, VMware, Capgemini Engineering, Intel and Telecom Infra Project (TIP), demonstrated an Open Radio Access Network (RAN) platform capable of increasing the capacity of a 5G cell site by two-fold using a programmable, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC).

Specifically, he companies showed the first demonstration of 5G Multi-User MIMO (MU-MIMO) – providing more capacity at a single cell site – running on a RIC located at a multi-vendor Open RAN test site.  MU-MIMO apportions ample bandwidth to individual users connected to the same mobile site and is considered the pivotal technique to boost cell capacity in future 5G networks. It is a major development in supporting the insatiable demand for faster and more responsive digital connections to deliver high definition graphics, virtual reality, cloud and IT applications.

Based on the performance of Cohere’s Spectrum Multiplier MU-MIMO scheduler in the trial, when the technique is commercially deployed in a low-band (e.g. 700MHz) network, users will benefit from up to 2x the capacity achieved using traditional MIMO. This software can be extended to Massive MIMO in mid-band (e.g. 3.5GHz) networks in order to push capacity gains towards 4-5x.

https://www.vodafone.com/news/press-release/vodafone-and-partners-boost-5g-capacity

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II-VI intros optical monitoring system for transport and access

II-VI introduced an optical monitoring system (OMS) that enables service providers to obtain real-time critical information about the health or disruption of optical transport and access networks, including the integrity of fiber cables, the quality of optical connectors, and the signal strength of optical channels.

“The OMS is a modular, vertically integrated platform that leverages our industry-leading and field-proven optical monitoring modules, namely, our optical time-domain reflectometers and optical channel monitors, and our deep expertise in subsystem development to achieve a versatile, reliable, and cost-effective network-ready solution,” said Dr. Richard Smart, Sr. Vice President, ROADM Business Unit. “The OMS enables telecom, cable, and cloud service providers to obtain a comprehensive view of their optical networks, from the core to the edge, optimizing network uptime and providing differentiated quality of service.”

The OMS can be integrated seamlessly into the network by simply plugging it into the existing optical test ports, enabling service providers to overlay a universal network-level monitoring solution without any service interruption. A single OMS can cycle through up to 48 monitoring ports, thanks to an embedded optical switch designed and manufactured for high reliability by II-VI. 

https://ii-vi.com/news/ii-vi-incorporated-introduces-optical-monitoring-system-for-optical-transport-and-access-networks/

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NTIA to procure Open RAN equipment for testing

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS)  issued a Broad Agency Announcement to procure prototype or commercial-off-the-shelf Open RAN equipment and software as part of an effort to test state-of-the-art Open RAN technology.

ITS is seeking equipment used in Open RAN 4G and 5G networks, as well as Virtualized RAN (vRAN) software and RAN automation software. ITS will deploy the technology in its Communications Research and Innovation Network to evaluate performance, inter-vendor interoperability, and standard maturity compared with established RAN technologies.

The equipment requested are Open RAN prototype or COTS device types as follows:

• Radio Units (RU)
• Distributed Units (DU)
• Central Units (CU)
• Combination Units (DU/CU, RU/DU/CU, etc.) o Network Control Software
• RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) Software

“The development of open interfaces and vendor diversity are a significant part of NTIA’s overall vision for building out secure 5G networks,” said Acting NTIA Administrator Evelyn Remaley. “Today’s announcement is an important step for testing the ability of these technologies to interoperate and scale, and to achieve a more secure and resilient global 5G supply chain.”

https://www.ntia.doc.gov/press-release/2021/ntia-s-institute-telecommunication-sciences-announces-plan-procure-open-ran

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NSF funds development of an Open Source 5G Standalone software stack

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is funding a consortium of 35 leading wireless companies and associations to develop an Open Source 5G Standalone software stack.

The OpenAirX-Labs (OAX) project, which is part of the NSF's Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research (PAWR) Project Office, is focused on the development, testing, and integration of the OpenAirInterface (OAI) Software Alliance's open source 5G standalone software stack. It is the newest resource in the PAWR program, a public-private partnership promoting wireless research through the development of multiple outdoor, large-scale wireless testbeds across the U.S.

Founding industry partners for OAX include Facebook, Interdigital, NI, Qualcomm, Radisys, and Xilinx – all part of the larger PAWR Industry Consortium. Federal funding for OAX activities is provided by NSF and the U.S. Department of Defense's Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering [DOD OUSD (R&E)] through awards under the PAWR program. OAX is located at the Institute for the Wireless Internet of Things at Northeastern University in Boston.

"The launch of OAX puts muscle not only behind U.S. efforts to expand the capabilities and performance of 5G networks, but also behind the technologies that will move the wireless industry beyond 5G," said PAWR Technical Program Director Abhimanyu (Manu) Gosain. "By hosting OAX as part of the PAWR program, we are also ensuring there is a clear path from software development through to testing and prototyping of new software, hardware, and wireless applications."

"A lot of thinking and hard work from the board as well as the engineering teams of EURECOM and the OpenAirInterface Software Alliance (OSA) has gone into laying the ground work for the launch of the OpenAirX-Labs," said Raymond Knopp, President of the OpenAirInterface Software Alliance and Professor at EURECOM. "The Alliance from its onset has remained fully committed to creating the conditions for openness and thus to the worldwide adoption of OAI. This has involved the laser focus of developers from EURECOM, OSA and the key partners in the community to deliver end-to-end 5G core and RAN stacks that are complete, stable, easy to deploy, and appealing for the use cases of our contributors and users. We see great opportunities ahead as OAI now expands through its U.S. home, the OAX labs in North America."

https://advancedwireless.org/

https://openairinterface.org/

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UK pilots ‘vehicle-to-everything’ road safety system

The UK Government Centre for Connected and Automated Vehicles (CCAV) and the Midlands Future Mobility (MFM) consortium has begun testing a "vehicle-to-everything" environment developed by Vodafone, Nokia and Chordan.

Vodafone’s 4G and 5G network and advanced multi-access edge computing (MEC) technology is built into the platform, allowing real time road information from Highways England to be displayed initially on users’ smartphones, and in the future, on in-car infotainment systems. 

The platform works with Convex, Chordant’s Mobility Data Exchange facility, to enable dynamic data to be exchanged with road operators and their traffic systems and is the UK’s first live implementation of Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) technology. C-V2X combines the latest mobile technologies with in-vehicle computer systems to create new mobility services for improved safety and reliability as well as allowing road operators to build ‘greener’ and more sustainable transport networks.

Mike Waters, Director of Policy, Strategy and Innovation at TfWM, said: “We are now reaching the point where connected vehicle technology is genuinely able to start making a meaningful and very powerful difference to the big issues in transport like safety and energy efficiency. The work we have done with Convex and Vodafone is moving solutions forward not just for the West Midlands, but for the whole country and really exemplifies the UK’s position of global excellence in this space.”

https://www.vodafone.com/news/press-release/trial-uks-first-mobile-vehicle-everything-road-safety-system-goes-live

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Sumitomo develops AI-driven active clad alignment fusion splicer

Sumitomo Electric Industries introduced a handheld fiber splicer that uses artificial intelligence to significantly improve splicing efficiency and accuracy regardless of operational condition and user skill.

The new T-502S slicer provides accurate estimated loss by analyzing the fiber image through high-quality microscopes during splicing.

The splicer also features an industry-first fiber type detection function tha allows the unit to distinguish between MMF and SMF fiber types and ensure use of the correct splice program.

https://sumitomoelectric.com/publications/pr-news-articles/2021/06/sumitomo-electric-launches-t-502s-worlds-first-ai-programmed

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Broadcom broadens portfolio of fiber optics, PHY, switching for 100/200/400/800G

Broadcom has expanded its portfolio of 100Gb, 200Gb, 400Gb, and 800Gb electro-optics platform solutions for data center and cloud networks. 

The rollout includes the first 100Gb PAM-4 VCSEL and multi-mode kit, proven 112Gb PAM-4 PHY with direct-drive technology, and uncooled 100Gb PAM-4 EML capability. The expanded portfolio complements Broadcom’s 12.8-Tbps Tomahawk 3 and 25.6-Tbps Tomahawk 4 switch platforms. Highlights:

100G PAM-4 VCSEL Kit and Uncooled EML

• More than 10M channels of 50Gb VCSEL deployed in cloud data centers
• Complete 100Gb MMF kit including VCSEL, PD, driver, and TIA addressing fast growing cloud demand
• Expanding production of uncooled 100Gb EML to meet low power dissipation and system cost requirements for hyper-scale applications
• Advanced 200Gb EML optics available in second half of 2021 to address cost and power consumption challenges for next generation 800Gb and 1.6Tb data center applications
• New optical components for 4x100Gb MMF kit targeting 400Gb and 800Gb applications:
• VCSEL: AFCD-V84LP
• PD: BPD3056-4
• Driver: AFSI-N94C4S2
• TIA: AFSI-R94C4S2
• New optical components for 100Gb/lane SMF kits:
• EML: 283QT1xx for 100/200/400/800Gb application
• TOSA: TX-E1x112-SU131 for 100Gb DR1 application

112Gb/56Gb PAM-4 PHY

• Industry-leading DSP performance and power efficiency enabling MMF and SMF optical transceivers to meet IEEE and all optical module MSA specifications
• Client-side interoperability with Broadcom merchant switch devices using proven industry leading 28-Gbaud and 56-Gbaud SerDes architecture and flexibility to support either 56-Gb/s or 112-Gb/s PAM-4 physical lanes
• Option to support direct drive capability from the PHY for 50-Gb/s per lane and 100-Gb/s per lane eliminating the need for an external laser driver
• Key PHY product families
• BCM874xx/871xx -- Centenario family with 50-Gb/s per lane client side to 100-Gb/s per lane for optical line side interfaces
• BCM878xx -- Portofino family with 100-Gb/s per lane client side and 100-Gb/s per lane for optical line side interfaces 
• BCM875xx -- Estoque family with 50-Gb/s per lane client side and 50-Gb/s per lane for optical line side interfaces

Broadcom will demonstrate multiple products based on 112Gb PAM-4 PHY with 100Gb PAM-4 EML and 100Gb PAM-4 VCSEL technologies running on Broadcom’s Tomahawk switch platform at the 2021 Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibition (OFC) from June 7th to 11th. 

Additionally, Broadcom is showcasing its latest 100Gb, 200Gb, 400Gb and 800Gb electro-optics platform solutions in the Broadcom OFC Virtual Exhibit.

“Broadcom offers a complete line of PAM-4 PHYs with direct drive capability that reduce power and cost while enhancing the ease of deployment,” said Vijay Janapaty, vice president and general manager of the Physical Layer Products Division at Broadcom. “Broadcom’s portfolio of optimized solutions for a wide range of optical and line card applications at both 50G/lane and 100G/lane enable customers to rapidly deploy leadership networking solutions to meet the demanding growth of hyperscale cloud datacenters.”

https://www.broadcom.com/company/news/product-releases/54656

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Corning intros bendable SMF-28 optical fiber

Corning introduced its SMF-28 Contour optical fiber featuring enhanced bend resilience, network compatibility, and industry-leading low loss characteristics.

Highlights:

• Superior bendability designed to reduce the impact of errors during installation and optimize reach in densely cabled environments where 5G networks are being deployed. SMF-28 Contour fiber is an ITU-T G.657.A2 fiber that has 10 times the macrobend resilience of G.652.D fibers and seven times the macrobend resilience of G.657.A1 fibers. The associated increase in microbend resilience enables dense, high-fiber-count cables needed to meet the demands of future high-capacity networks.
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  Exceptional compatibility with legacy networks while providing superior bend protection, which can mean up to 50% faster installation by minimizing corrective splice-loss work. Other G.657.A2 fibers also provide bend protection but with a compromised, lower mode field diameter. SMF-28 Contour fiber does not compromise, providing both G.657.A2 bend protection and a matched 9.2-micron mode field diameter in the same product.
• Wide spectrum and industry-leading low-loss transmission across all the wavelengths that constitute the communication systems of today and tomorrow. First, SMF-28 Contour fiber’s industry-leading low attenuation delivers 10% longer reach in all networks and up to 20% wider access-network coverage. Second, SMF-28 Contour fiber’s bend loss protection enables up to twice the network reach in new long-wavelength FTTH systems. Together, these features enable larger FTTH subscriber areas and greater revenue potential.

SMF-28 Contour fiber is available in a standard 242-micron configuration and a smaller 190-micron configuration. 

Corning says smaller-diameter designs are increasingly important because while bandwidth demands have grown, the space available for network infrastructure has not. The 190-micron version of SMF-28 Contour fiber enables smaller cables with higher fiber counts – maximizing use of existing infrastructure

“Corning’s revolutionary SMF-28 Contour optical fiber is the latest example of our ability to solve tough industry challenges,” said Dr. Bernhard Deutsch, vice president and general manager, Corning Optical Fiber and Cable. “Operators today are looking to deploy future-ready networks as efficiently as possible, often in densely cabled environments, and we’ve designed this new product to answer those needs. Fifty years after Corning scientists invented the first low-loss optical fiber, we’re proud to help drive a new era of industry growth and network transformation.”

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Lumentum intros 400G CFP2-DCO coherent modules, PAM4 DMLs with 2 km reach for 400G+

At next week's virtual Optical Fiber Communication Conference (OFC) Lumentum will introduce new 400G CFP2-DCO coherent modules, enhanced PAM4 DMLs with 2 km reach for 400G+ applications, and expanded WSS capabilities.

The new high-performance 400G CFP2-DCO coherent transmission modules build on the company's existing its 200G CFP2-DCO coherent pluggable transceiver modules, enabling next-generation data center interconnects (DCI) and metro/regional to long-haul coherent networks at bit rates of 100G, 200G, 300G, and 400G. The new flex-coherent module supports all major industry initiatives including OpenROADM, OpenZR+, and OIF 400G ZR. It also adds numerous innovative proprietary modes when best performance is needed and cross-vendor interoperability is not. In addition, it supports L1 encryption, Link Layer Discovery Protocol, and Overhead IO channel. Currently, the 400G CFP2-DCO is shipping as beta samples with production release planned for the third quarter of 2021. To sample the 400G CFP2-DCO, contact a Lumentum representative at customer.service@lumentum.com.

High-Speed 100G PAM4 DML for up to 2 km Data Center Reach 400G+ Applications - Lumentum has enhanced its latest 100G PAM4 (53 Gbaud) directly-modulated laser (DML) to expand the usage from 500m for 100G DR and 400G DR4 and 100m for 800G PSM8 DR4, to also transmit up to 2 km for 100G FR and 400G FR4 CWDM transceiver module applications. These DMLs satisfy the needs of customers seeking lower cost and lower power consumption solutions by providing a smaller footprint with fewer components needed to operate in high-speed transceiver applications. To request beta samples of the new 100G PAM4 DML for 2 km applications, contact a Lumentum representative at customer.service@lumentum.com.

Expanded Capability for its TrueFlex wavelength selective switches (WSS) to now support all spectral bands, including C-band, L-band, and extended C-band for next-generation colorless, directionless, and contentionless (CDC) and colorless, directionless (CD) ROADM architectures. Additionally, Lumentum has reinforced their exceptional manufacturing scale with production, agility, and flexibility to rapidly respond to changes in requested build configurations and spectral bands across any of its high-performance WSS products. Lumentum's best-in-class lead on WSS delivery continues to be a critical enabler for network operators worldwide as they resume buildouts of massively-scalable and flexible high-capacity optical networks.

https://www.lumentum.com/en/media-room/news-releases/lumentum-highlight-and-present-latest-innovations-ofc-2021-virtual-event

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Fujitsu samples 100GBaud coherent receivers for 800G

Fujitsu Optical Components Limited (FOC) is launching a 100GBaud integrated coherent receiver for applications in 800 Gbps optical networks.

The device integrates 90-degree hybrid, balanced receivers, polarization beam splitter and VOA function into a small, single package using micro assembly technology. Sampling is underway.

The 100GBaud integrated coherent receiver supports three times higher symbol rates than the traditional 32GBaud integrated coherent receiver. This supports flexible QPSK and xQAM modulation methods from 32GBaud to 100GBaud, enabling optimization of the transmission distance and capacity of optical networks.

FOC notes that it is already developing  products for 130 GBaud and beyond.

https://www.fujitsu.com/jp/group/foc/en/subsidiary-gig5-sample/about/resources/news/press-releases/downloads/20210601.html

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