SEPTEMBER 25, 2008 -- Finisar Corp. (search for Finisar) this week announced general availability of what it claims is the industry's first 50-GHz wavelength selection switch (search for ) for 10- and 40-Gbit/sec telecom and data-communications networks.
Qualified to Telcordia standards, Finisar's next-generation WSSs are the only production-qualified devices providing dual- and mixed-channel spacing for both 50- and 100-GHz channel plans, say company representatives. These highly flexible and reconfigurable devices increase 40G capacity in the network while reducing cost for applications from the core to the edge of the network.
Finisar's WSS devices feature Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) technology, which extends several advantages over traditional WSS and reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) linecard implementations, including dynamic reconfiguration to meet changes in traffic demand, mixed/dual channel plans, and programmable channel contouring/filter shaping. LCoS increases reliability and enhances bandwidth performance by having no moving parts.
"With our LCoS-based Wavelength Selection Switches, Finisar continues to integrate intelligent features into our WSS and ROADM portfolio to provide customers with the most reliable 40-Gbit/sec products at the lowest cost," reports Dr. Allen Conduit, vice president and general manager of WSS technology at Finisar. "Volume availability coupled with software-defined optical functionality will enable Finisar to target new applications and market segments."
Finisar's new WSSa are available in multiple configurations, including 1x9 and 1x4 (drop) and 9x1 and 4x1 (add) modules with both 50- and 100-GHz channel spacing, giving telecom and data-communications networks more options and flexibility. Wavelength Selection Switches are available now in volume quantities worldwide.
Visit Finisar