Nokia and Vodafone have unveiled a 100-gigabit fibre broadband network on a single PON wavelength.
The trial marks Vodafone as the first operator to trial 100G PON, using 25G optics in combination with new DSP techniques.
Going beyond 25G would require advanced DSP capabilities, providing the stepping stone to 50G and 100G technology which could be commercially available in the second half of the 2020s.
The tests, carried out by Nokia Bell Labs, is the first application of flexible rate transmission in a PON network, working by grouping fibre modems that exhibit similar physical network characteristics (such as loss or dispersion), making data transmission more efficient.
Flexible rate transmission allows for lower latency on a PON, halving power consumption. The 100G PON could be used as a way to create flexible and scalable PON networks that mitigate the risk of future peak-hour congestion, enabling densification of cable and mobile networks.
Gavin Young, head of fixed access centre of excellent, Vodafone, commented: “100G PON has 40 times the capacity of today’s GPON networks, and 10 times the capacity of XGS-GPON, so it will help us keep ahead of the demand curve. In addition to ultra-high speeds, the technology supports our vision of highly efficient and adaptable next-generation networks. 100G PON enables flexible rates, and works by grouping modems using a technique similar to the one we already use in our cable networks, so this experience can help us to better evaluate and exploit this new PON technology.”
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