The IEEE approved the IEEE 802.3ca 25G/50G-EPON standard at its most recent meeting, June 4, 2020. The standard describes the technical details of an Ethernet-based PON that can support one or two wavelengths of 25G (the latter achieving an aggregate capacity of 50G), as enumerated in a recent blog by Curtis Knittle, vice president, Wired Technologies Research and Development at CableLabs and chair of the IEEE P802.3ca Task Force, on his organization’s website.
Unlike the multi-wavelength NG-PON2, IEEE 802.3ca PONs will not require tunable optics at the optical network unit (ONU) endpoint to support the two 25-Gbps wavelengths. The ability to use fixed optics should make the approach easier and cheaper to deploy than NG-PON2. The wideband optics will operate in the O-Band without dispersion compensation, Knittle writes. The top-end aggregate transmission rate of 50 Gbps also is greater than the 40 Gbps current generation NG-PON2 systems are designed to support. (The NG-PON2 standard accommodates up to eight 10-Gbps wavelengths.) The specification is designed to enable symmetrical 10G to coexist with either symmetrical 25G or 50G traffic on the same fiber as well. 25G/50G-EPON will support the same split ratios as earlier versions of EPON as well as a nominal 20-km reach.
The ball is now in the court of the technology vendors to commercialize such high-speed PONs. Huawei has discussed its work in proprietary 25G PONs previously (see “Huawei touts symmetrical 25G PON”).
The P802.3ca Task Force originally began work in 2016 with a goal of developing 100G-EPON as well as 25G- and 50G-EPON. However, the 4x25G avenue was abandoned in the face of several technical and economic hurdles, including the difficulty of staying within ODN power budgets and finding four wavelengths that would promote interoperability at a reasonable cost.
For related articles, visit the FTTx Topic Center.
For more information on FTTx technology and suppliers, visit the Lightwave Buyer’s Guide.
To stay abreast of fiber network deployments, subscribe to Lightwave’s Service Providers and Datacom/Data Center newsletters.
Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn as well as Twitter.