Tellabs offers FlexSym ONT248 enterprise Ethernet switch/ONT

Feb. 25, 2020
As its name implies, the 1RU Tellabs FlexSym ONT248 offers a 48-port Ethernet switch capability that can be connected to a passive optical LAN as well as reuse existing copper horizontals.

Tellabs has introduced the Tellabs FlexSym Optical Network Terminal 248 (ONT248) as well as System Release 31.3 (SR31.3) software. The new offerings are in limited availability ahead of customer trials.

As its name implies, the 1RU Tellabs FlexSym ONT248 offers a 48-port Ethernet switch capability that can be connected to a passive optical LAN as well as reuse existing copper horizontals. Each port supports up to 60 W of Power over Ethernet, which the company says is limited only by the capacity of the redundant modular hot-swappable power supplies installed. The platform is XGS-PON compatible, meaning it can support symmetrical 10-Gbps downstream and upstream connections.

Tellabs sees the FlexSym ONT248 as a replacement for legacy Ethernet switches in the deployment of an optical LAN backbone. It can be paired with any of the company’s enterprise portfolio of ONTs for extension of fiber across buildings and campuses. Other benefits include:

  • economical one-to-one closet-based switch replacement
  • ability to reuse the last 100 m of CATx cables in the horizontal, walls, and drops
  • IT opex savings
  • reduction in known network vulnerability points
  • reduction of fiber cabling building-to-building and floor-to-floor
  • extended temperature range support
  • support of IoT, smart buildings, Wi-Fi, digital ceiling, and LED lighting requirements
  • ability to migrate to a deep fiber network design or combine with existing deep fiber.

“At this point in time, enterprise passive optical LAN [OLAN] is widely accepted as the better IT network design for new build greenfield, and now with the new Tellabs FlexSym ONT248 available, OLAN is definitely now the economical best choice for brownfield renovation and refresh projects too, which represents a significantly larger market opportunity for us and our partners,” said Rich Schroder, Tellabs president and CEO.

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About the Author

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.

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