3 June 2003 Atlanta, GA Lightwave -- The Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) has approved a multi-source Tunable Laser Implementation Agreement (Tunable Laser MSA-IA). The newly released IA specifically addresses module physical (electrical) interface, communications interfaces, and optical performance parameters for continuous wavelength (CW) tunable laser modules. The new IA builds upon the OIF's first tunable laser specification (OIF TL-01.1), which was released in November 2002.
"This agreement is a further demonstration of the OIF's commitment to the tunable laser industry," contends Joe Berthold, CIENA Corp., president of the OIF. "As the market for tunable lasers matures, industry-accepted specifications will be critical to enhance interoperability and modularity. This will ultimately benefit service providers and their customers by simplifying inventory management, enabling faster introduction of wavelength-based services and reducing operations costs," he adds.
The new agreement was passed in record time, say Forum representatives, going from proposal in February 2003 to completion last month. In 2002, the OIF membership approved the industry's first tunable laser specification that covered a broad range of applications and included the path for form factor reduction. Based on member feedback, the OIF's Tunable Laser MSA-IA focuses on a single mechanical form factor, while specifically addressing multiple application spaces based on switching speed and optical performance.