Nokia says it collaborated with Chunghwa Telecom Laboratories (CHT-TL) on a successful trial of 25G PON for 5G small cell fronthaul. The company says this is the first trial of the technology for 5G fronthaul.
PON technology already has been used for 5G backhaul, Nokia states. The trial showed 25G PON’s ability to meet both the capacity and latency requirements of 5G small cell fronthaul as well, Nokia asserts. Fronthaul networks and broadband networks generally have similar footprints, according to the company, which means broadband PON infrastructure is a ready-made option for such fronthaul requirements.
“Using PON for mobile fronthaul is a breakthrough solution for network convergence,” commented Erik Keith, senior research analyst at S&P Global, via a Nokia press release. “25G PON provides the additional capacity that makes this possible. Leveraging the existing access networks to support mobile transport also means operators can do a lot more with less capital investment, which is good news for the bottom line.”
“A stable optical network aligned with a focus on reduced total cost of ownership are key for a successful transport solution providing coverage for a mobile network. We have verified that 25G PON can co-exist with our high-speed broadband network, leveraging the outside plant, which is the cornerstone to the success of fixed-mobile convergence,” stated Dr. Rong-Shy Lin, CTO and executive vice president of the Chunghwa Telecom Co. and president of the CHT-TL.
“This is a fantastic new use-case for 25G PON that is already being adopted for consumer and business services,” added Jason Liu, president of Nokia Solutions & Networks Taiwan. “Chunghwa Telecom joins a global list including giants like AT&T, Google Fiber, cities like Chattanooga in the U.S., and challenger brands like Ogi in the UK, who are trialing and introducing 25G PON. We are pleased to support Chunghwa Telecom to achieve its goal of converging fixed and mobile networks and at the same time fulfill its green commitments towards a sustainable environment.”
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