Huawei says it has conducted a test with Openreach, the access network business unit of BT, of a symmetrical 25G/100G PON prototype that can deliver an aggregate of 100 Gbps based on four 25-Gbps wavelengths. Huawei created the PON prototype based on its commercially deployed MA5800 optical line terminal (OLT).
The prototype supports a single channel of 25 Gbps for fiber to the x (FTTx) requirements as well as two or four channels for business and mobile backhaul services, according to Huawei. When tested in Openreach's labs, Huawei says the symmetrical PON prototype supported four channels, providing a maximum symmetrical bandwidth of 100 Gbps.
"This test proves that Openreach can deliver user services with higher bandwidth based on their fiber networks, unlocking greater potential for broadband networks," said Tim Whitley, BT's managing director for research and innovation.
The prototype 25G PON system will help operators manage network demands from ultra-high definition (UHD) video and high-value enterprise leased lines, Huawei says. It also will enable existing optical distribution network (ODN) infrastructures to be reused. By enabling operators to increase speeds and bandwidth on existing network infrastructure, this technology can prepare networks for 5G speeds, the company added.
Huawei addressed the development of the symmetrical 25-Gbps PON technology in April at the Huawei Analyst Summit in Shenzhen, describing the benefits of 25-Gbps wavelengths as a building block toward multi-wavelength PONs (see Huawei touts symmetrical 25G PON).
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