ADVA Optical Networking tests time sensitive Ethernet for 5G fronthaul with TransPacket IP cores

TransPacket, which provides IP cores that support deterministic Ethernet transport, says ADVA Optical Networking is using its technology trials of for 5G mobile fronthaul capabilities based on time-sensitive Ethernet. The trials form part of ADVA's work within the European Union's Horizon 2020 iCirrus project (intelligent Converged network consolidating Radio and optical access aRound USer equipment).

While today's centralized radio access networks (CRANs) work well with current CPRI/OBSAI technology, the demands of upcoming 5G fronthaul networks and cloud RANs are expected to put a premium on latency, packet delay variation, and uplink-downlink delay asymmetry that likely will require a different approach. Work is ongoing to create a new generation of CPRI for such purposes; however, many systems houses are looking at a time-sensitive version of Ethernet as an alternative approach (see, for example, "Nokia unveils 'Mobile Anyhaul' concept and upgraded optical transport capabilities" and "Infinera offers new mobile fronthaul, backhaul optical transport").

The iCirrus project also is investigating time-sensitive Ethernet for 5G fronthaul, which has led ADVA to turn to TransPacket. TransPacket says its FUSION technology enables deterministic Ethernet transport with fixed and low latency (see "TransPacket introduces first 100 Gbps deterministic Ethernet IP core").

"Low-latency packet transport is a key issue in 5G fronthaul. The testing with TransPacket's 100G IP Core demonstrates how future 5G fronthaul networks can be implemented with timesensitive Ethernet," said Christoph Glingener, CTO of ADVA Optical Networking, via a TransPacket press release.

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