Cisco backs Telecom Infra Project’s Phoenix 400G transponder effort

Feb. 9, 2021

Cisco will run its NCS 1004 platform through a series of validation exercises with various combinations of transponder and line system vendors in the new phase of the Phoenix effort.

Stephen Hardy

In a blog posted last week, Cisco’s Bill Gartner, senior vice president/general manager of the company’s Optical Systems & Optics Group, revealed that Cisco will contribute to the Telecom Infra Project’s (TIP’s) Phoenix initiative. The Phoenix program aims to develop disaggregated 400-Gbps transponders and is managed by the Open Optical & Packet Transport (OOPT) group.

Gartner writes that Cisco will run its NCS 1004 platform through a series of validation exercises with various combinations of transponder and line system vendors in the new phase of the Phoenix effort. Deutsche Telekom, MTN, NTT Communications, Telefónica, Telia, and Vodafone lead the effort, and Gartner says the NCS 1004 was shortlisted by some of these network operators during a multi-operator RFI process last year. The company introduced the platform in 2018 to offer 4.8 Tbps of capacity within a 2RU platform with 600-Gbps interface support (see “Cisco expands NCS 1000 family with open NCS 1004 transponder, NCS 1010 line system”).

Software disaggregation will be a major goal for the new Phoenix phase, Gartner asserts. “While software disaggregation for optical transport applications still has open questions on commercial and operational models, the Phoenix project provides a great collaborative forum to investigate feasibility further and collaborate on these issues,” he writes.

Fujitsu Network Communications also has revealed itself as a participation in the Phoenix effort (see “Fujitsu contributes to TIP OOPT Phoenix 400G disaggregated transponder effort”). Infinera is also participating as one of six vendors shortlisted in via the RFI. The company plans to provide its Transcend SDN Controller, GX series of compact modular transponder/muxponders, and FlexILS optical line system, according to a blog posted last December. IP Infusion will supply software to the effort as well. Wistron and Wipro round out the vendor roster.

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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.