Lumentum introduced, at ECOC, a next-generation contentionless MxN Wavelength Selective Switch (WSS), the TrueFlex Twin 8x24, adding to the company's portfolio of ROADM solutions.
The TrueFlex Twin 8x24 contentionless WSS delivers low loss, removing the need for Erbium-Doped Fibre Amplifier (EDFA) arrays in many network designs, while enabling add/drop port scaling to support capacity growth in CDC networks.
The WSS passband filters out wideband noise, delivering high performance independent of port count and relaxes complex filtering requirements on transmitters and receivers. Eliminating EDFA arrays enables the delivery of higher density, lower cost, higher reliability, highly power efficient solutions.
'ROADMs have become critical network elements as they enable network operators to dynamically deliver and maximise network bandwidth on demand,' said James Goodchild, director product line management, Wavelength Management products.
'Current solutions which employ multicast switches are challenged to support the cost, density, and performance required by network operators in the future as they scale next-generation Colourless, Directionless, Contentionless (CDC) networks. Only the contentionless MxN WSS, which takes a new innovative approach, provides the scale and performance benefits needed.'
The contentionless MxN WSS is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2019.