VIAVI Solutions has partnered with Microsemi to enable flexible optical networking technologies to meet the demands of 5G networks, providing service providers globally with solution platforms to build, test and quickly deploy 5G-ready optical networks including OTUCn, Flexible OTN (FlexO) and Flexible Ethernet (FlexE) technologies.
VIAVI and Microsemi bring individual strengths to the mission of developing and validating platforms for different transport technologies. The VIAVI ONT has been proven in lab testing (see Viavi supplies 400G testers to cross-section of optical networking ecosystem), and the company says it has the industry’s first 400G support to include forward error correction, PAM4 modulation, and now with complete support of all 400G transponder form factors including CFP8, QSFPDD, and OSFP. It can also scale with a range of applications to address inflection points such as FlexE, OTUCn and FlexO.
Microsemi’s latest DIGI-G5 OTN processor delivers 1.2 terabits per second (Tb/s) of combined OTN and client interfaces, and it is, according to the company, first to market with newly standardised 25 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE), 50GbE, 200GbE, 400GbE, FlexO & OTUCn, and FlexE with an integrated security engine enabling flexible encrypted optical connections. DIGI-G5 enables packet optical transport platforms to triple in capacity while slashing power consumption by 50 per cent per port.
‘As service providers look to scale up their optical networks in preparation for 5G, our customers need new OTN 3.0 capabilities delivering rate-agile flexible connectivity underpinned by OTN switching at terabit capacities to market,’ said Babak Samimi, vice president and business unit manager for Microsemi’s communications business unit. ‘With the ecosystem in place between Microsemi and VIAVI, leading OTN transport OEMs can begin development of a new wave of products that enable support for OTUCn, FlexE and FlexO capabilities this year.’
Added Tom Fawcett, vice president and general manager, lab and production business unit, VIAVI Solutions: ‘The advent of 5G will require robust, scalable and coordinated technology development across the entire industry. Our technology leadership and deep relationships make us the ideal partner for this initiative.’
