May 30, 2006 Richardson, TX -- Fujitsu Network Communications Inc. has announced the availability of its new FLASHWAVE 6100 Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) offering. The Fujitsu GPON family consists of the FLASHWAVE 6100 Optical Line Terminal (OLT) and a series of FLASHWAVE 6100 Optical Network Terminals (ONTs). A "hybrid" architecture that leverages CWDM promises the ability to increase bandwidth per user by 8X.
The FLASHWAVE 6100 GPON platform supports dual- and quad-port GPON cards within a 9U (15.75-inch) chassis to provide broadband services to up to 10,240 homes and businesses per standard rack. Full compliance with the ITU-T G.984 standard guarantees full compatibility and interoperability for the FLASHWAVE 6100 system, the company asserts.
The FLASHWAVE 6100 series ONTs are designed to provide a full complement of ONT options for a variety of premises needs. All of the ONTs include an integrated Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) interface, which uses existing coaxial wiring within a home to provide a broadband distribution network.
Fujitsu has designed the FLASHWAVE 6100 platform to integrate seamlessly with existing networks. Thus, in addition to the new GPON service units, the FLASHWAVE 6100 platform supports all service interface cards from the FLASHWAVE 4100 Multi-Service Provisioning Platform (MSPP). This capability gives service providers the option of deploying traditional MSPP, Ethernet, and GPON services from a single multi-service access node. The integrated TDM gateway function enables the provisioning of both packet and TDM services, which enables service providers to manage the transition to a carrier-class packet-based network efficiently and within their own timeframe.
Randy Eisenach of Fujitsu says that additional service cards, including one for VDSL2, are on the drawing board.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the FLASHWAVE 6100 GPON system is its "hybrid GPON" capabilities. The OLT initially will support 2.488 Gbits/sec of downstream bandwidth and 1.244 Gbits/sec of upstream bandwidth, allowing for residential speeds of up to 75 Mbits/sec per home. However, the hybrid GPON architecture will enable carriers to replace modules within the OLT with CWDM-based devices that will transmit eight wavelengths through a single fiber to the splitter cabinet. While a CWDM coupler will need to be incorporated in the splitter cabinet to accept the incoming multiwavelength signal, Eisenach says that no changes will be necessary at the individual ONTs. Thus, service providers can offer an 8X increase in bandwidth to a service area without requiring truck rolls to replace ONTs.
Fujitsu's entry into the North American broadband access space leverages expertise and technology from its Gigabit Ethernet PON (GEPON) program in the Asian market. Fujitsu is also the primary supplier of Multi-Service Access Node (MSAN) systems and IP DSLAMs for the British Telecom 21CN network in the U.K. Eisenach says that while the GEPON equipment has been very successful in Japan, the company feels that GEPON will be a "niche technology" in the United States. Therefore, Fujitsu will focus on GPON in North America and will not offer a GEPON product in this market.
The multi-service nature of the 6100 also lends itself to MSAN applications. Eisenach would not comment on whether the MSAN delivered to BT would have GPON capabilities, as that product was developed specifically for the European market, which was outside his area of expertise.