FROM THE INDUSTRY
happy with their broadband package. There are industry-wide innovations being proposed to address this need. L4S – or Low Latency, Low Loss and Scalable Throughput – is a technique to address data packet delays in the network and has backing from major operators and vendors. We’ve also got solutions such as out-of-band ONU discovery in coherent or C-PON to help improve the experience customers ultimately receive. PON deployment is also not without its challenges, not least as many operators look to upgrade their networks to keep pace with bandwidth-hungry applications, retain customers and provide differentiated services.
Fortunately, there are options for introducing and operating multiple generations of PON on existing
infrastructure that allows the operator to introduce new technologies at their own pace. Coexistence lets operators run two or more services on the same fibre by using wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technologies to overlay the different wavelengths of multiple PON services. This allows operators to upgrade at their own pace without replacing core infrastructure, with existing PON services such as GPON able to coexist with XGS-PON or NG- PON2. However, coexistence does not eliminate the issue of vendor lock-in, which can leave operators frustrated by the lack of flexibility to upgrade their networks to meet their needs. Complex and vendor-specific integrations that add cost to business operations and increase time to market for new products can make the prospect of upgrades from GPON to XGS-PON, for example, unattractive. Building on the standards and bridging the gaps PON equipment revenue is expected to grow from $10.5 billion in 2024 to $12.1 billion by 2029, broadening a landscape that must guarantee the interoperation of equipment in the Optical Distribution Network (ODN) to accelerate deployments and avoid vendor lock-ins. An open, competitive market is typically conducive to the availability of innovative, best in class and better options for buyers. Different types of customers, from single- family residentials, to mobile backhaul or small businesses, require different types of ONUs that need to be able to talk to the optical line terminal (OLT). One device and
Jan Dzacovsky/Adobe Stock
As the use cases for these high-performing networks become more wide-reaching and complex, it is the responsibility of operators, vendors and standards bodies to foster an environment of cross industry collaboration. This can ensure that innovation flourishes, network upgrades are as easy as possible and enhanced end-users experiences are made possible. After all, it is that approach that has encouraged the widespread investment in and deployment of XGS-PON and the ability to test 50G HS-PON.
US, or even 50G in the mature Chinese market, we get an idea of the scale of advancement our networking needs and the access technologies that deliver for them. It’s not just faster speeds that the modern – and future – customer is expecting, however. The incredible speeds being delivered and promised by PON are just one component on the route to a truly services-led broadband ecosystem. Multiscreen video use, cloud gaming, 4K/8K TV, and smart home technology are among the applications pushing us towards a third of broadband connections being at least 1Gbps by 2027. The more demanding and complex requirements placed on the network by these applications requires us to consider the overall experience that customers have, rather than just network performance metrics. L4S to coexistence Ensuring low latency, for example, is essential for ensuring a Quality of Experience (QoE) that keeps customers
Nodes for the changing end-user
Today’s PON market is a far cry from the first iteration of PON in 1993, which provided a maximum shared bandwidth of 54Mbps. This was sufficient at the time to support systems and standards over copper telephone wires, including Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) and Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) interfaces. But compared to the 10,000Mbps being deployed thanks to XGS-PON for residential purposes in Europe and the
MARCH 2025 Volume 47 No.1
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