Ekinops to offer 400-Gbps transponder/muxponder in 3Q16

Ekinops says it will offer a 400-Gbps transponder/muxponder line in the third quarter of this year. The programmable modules will be able to support a variety of optical transmission rates and modulation formats.

The new capability will leverage an advanced digital signal processor (DSP) and Ekinops' T-Chip (Transport-on-a-Chip) technology to support both DP-QPSK and 16QAM modulation formats on the same line card. Operators will be able to change from formats — and therefore bump up their transmission rates — through a software upgrade from a remote network operation center. No hardware replacement will be necessary, Ekinops says.

In the 16QAM mode, the module will support a reach of 1,000 km. That reach will stretch to 10,000 km in DP-QPSK mode. Thus, depending upon transmission rate and reach requirements, the same module could be used in applications ranging from metro to ultra-long-haul.

The modules also will feature multiprotocol support for client-side 10, 40, and 100 Gigabit Ethernet as well as 8G, 10G, and 16G Fibre Channel; OC-192 and STM-64; and OTU2 and OTU2e in any combination up to the full line rate, Ekinops says.

"400G is a top priority for network operators and we are seeing more and more demand for flexible rate functionality," said François Xavier Ollivier, COO at Ekinops. "Network operators need a faster and easier way to increase bandwidth without increasing network costs, especially on their highest capacity routes.

"The problem for many operators is that some of these routes are long-haul while others are metro, which typically requires having multiple line cards on hand and in inventory. The ability to double the line rate in minutes without having to dispatch a technician provides a compelling value proposition," Ollivier concluded.

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