Optical Connections Magazine Summer 2025

Bringing the World the Latest in Optical Communications News

ISSUE 41 | Q2 2025

Forget the mobile hype | p20 FIBRE IS THE ENABLER OF IOT:

TOWARDS FIBRE-TO-THE-CHIP Andreas Matiss | p14

MONETISING FIBRE NETWORKS Raf Meersman | p8

ALTERNATIVES TO FTTP Antony Savvas | p10

800GBE GETS BOOST IN 2025  CONTROLLING LIGHT IN PICS  BROADCOM’S 3RD GEN CPO

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CONTENTS

4 Industry News 6 Transceiver design Jason Koshy 8 Network monetisation Raf Meersman 10 Alternatives to fibre Antony Savvas 14 Unleashing CPO and glass waveguides Andreas Matiss 16 UK AI NETWORKS Lee Myall 18 Fibre cleaning Liam Taylor 20 IoT and fibre George Malim 22 Data centre infrastructure Xavier Renard 24 EPIC executive briefing Vikram Vathulya 26 ANGACOM preview 31 Product News

GETTING READY FOR THE FUTURE

ANGACOM is upon us once again, and everything from FTTH to the smart home is on the agenda. In this issue, we reflect the importance of ensuring networks are fit for the future in the light of increasing demands for data throughput and latency. Acome’s Xavier Renard asks if current data centre infrastructure is adequate, given these challenges, while Neos Networks’ Lee Myall examines the UK’s AI strategy, and concludes that the success of the initiative will depend for a large part on having adequate optical infrastructure. In terms of access technologies, telecoms journalist George Malim looks at how fibre is fundamental to the success of IoT, AIoT, and smart home networks, while fellow journalist Antony Savvas notes that FTTH isn’t necessarily the best solution, particularly with regard to multiple dwelling units, apartments and offices. Network components are also having to meet future requirements and Infinite Electronics’ Jason Koshy told Optical Connections how transceivers need to evolve, while remaining compatible with existing networks. At the cutting edge of transmission technology, Corning’s Andreas Matiss explains how glass can play an important role in moving silicon-based electro-optical converters as close as possible to the silicon processor. Of course, however efficient optical networks are, they need to be reliable and above all else, they need to be profitable. Maintaining reliability is in part, about keeping optical connectors clean and MicroCare’s Liam Taylor explains how to do it. However, network monetisation is not nearly so simple, as IQGeo’s Raf Meersman points out. He observes that while fibre networks have been built all across Europe, the majority of citizens are still not connected, therefore some radical approaches are required if they are to be profitable in the longer term. And finally, after seven years, I will be stepping down as Contributing Editor of Optical Connections on publication of this issue. Working on the magazine and website has been a great way to end my career as a telecoms writer, helped in no small measure by the wonderful staff at Nexus Media Events, with whom I’ve had an excellent working relationship. I have also enjoyed the very friendly and positive co-operation from the many public relations professionals I have worked with since taking the post. I’m certain Optical Connections will continue to be the leading voice of the fibre optic industry going forward, and wish the team every success for the future.

Peter Dykes Contributing Editor, Optical Connections

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ISSUE 41 | Q2 2025

INDUSTRY NEWS

800GbE shipments to grow 60% in 2025

2024, and the majority of modules were shipped by Marvell, Acacia, and Ciena. “Hyperscale operator deployment of optics for connectivity both inside and between datacentre will continue to grow dramatically in 2025, although at reduced growth rates compared to those of 2024,” explained Scott Wilkinson, lead analyst for Optical Components at Cignal AI. “Operators will also begin a large-scale transition to 1.6T optics and coherent 800ZR modules in the second half of this year.” Additional Findings from the 4Q24 Optical Component report include: • The datacom optical

After explosive growth in 2024, 800G Datacom optics for AI and general computing applications will be the fastest growing segment of the market in 2025, according to the latest Optical Components Report from research firm Cignal AI. 1.6T optics will enter volume production in select Nvidia and hyperscale applications, but they will remain at a volume under 1M units for the year. Datacentre interconnect applications continue to consume record numbers of pluggable coherent modules, says the report. 400ZR and ZR+ accounted for the bulk of WDM bandwidth deployed in

years from co-packaged optics. • Telecom component revenue will rebound in 2025, with continued growth from 400ZR coherent optics coupling with accelerating sales of the latest generations of WSS modules & amplifiers. • Lumentum was the revenue leader for Telecom components in 2024, followed by 400ZR vendors Marvell and Acacia. No forecast adjustments have been made due to tariffs and trade uncertainty, but industry participants are notably pessimistic.

component market will grow 60%+ to reach over US$16 billion in revenue during 2025, based primarily on continued growth in 400G and 800G shipments. • Innolight, Coherent, and Eoptolink are the largest suppliers of Datacom modules, with Coherent, Broadcom, and Lumentum as key sources of critical optical components. • The transition to 1.6T Datacom optics begins in 2025, but it will not affect the growth rate of 400/800G technology

until 2026. Also, no material impact to pluggable shipments is expected in the next 3

Broadcom launches third generation CPO

New approach to controlling light in PICs

and senior author of the research, now published in Science Advances. Using parity-time (PT) symmetric photonic waveguides, they can manipulate the light waves to “reverse time” so the system behaves the same as before, Yang added. She said, “PT symmetry enables new ways to control light which are especially useful for applications in optical communications, lasers and sensors.” Postdoctoral researchers Wenbo Mao and Fu Li, co- first authors of the study, described their systems as enabling “reconfigurable transmission.”

To improve photonic and electronic circuitry used in semiconductor chips and fibre optic systems, researchers at the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, USA, tinkered with the rules of physics that govern movement of light over time and space. They have introduced a new way to manipulate light transmission, opening possibilities for advanced optical devices. Their method causes a “mirror- flip of the system,” said Lan Yang, the Edwin H. & Florence G. Skinner Professor of Electrical & Systems Engineering

Broadcom Inc. has announced significant advancements in its CPO technology with the launch of its third-generation 200G/lane product line. In addition, the company has demonstrated the maturity of its second-generation 100G/lane CPO products and ecosystem, highlighting key improvements in OSAT processes, thermal designs, handling procedures, fibre routing, and overall yield. A growing list of publicly- announced industry partners further underscores Broadcom’s CPO platform

Building on previous success, the second-

generation Tomahawk 5-Bailly (TH5-Bailly) chipset became the industry’s first volume- production CPO solution. As part of this production,

Broadcom focused on automated testing and scalable manufacturing

processes, setting the stage for high-volume production of future generations. The deployment of Broadcom’s 100G/lane CPO product line has enabled the company to gain expertise in CPO system design, seamlessly integrating optical and electrical components to maximise the performance while delivering the lowest power optical interconnects in the industry.

readiness, enabling AI scale-out and scale-up applications for large AI deployments.

www.opticalconnectionsnews.com

| ISSUE 41 | Q2 2025

INDUSTRY NEWS

OIF advances critical projects

OIF held its Q2 2025 Technical and Market Awareness & Education Committees Member Meeting May 5th -8th, 2025 ,in Tallinn, Estonia. The meeting advanced technical specifications and key projects essential to scaling next-generation networks, highlighted progress on related implementation agreements and featured guest speaker Tarko Tikan of Telia Estonia. It also featured a recap of OIF’s interoperability demo at OFC 2025, highlights from the 448Gbps Signalling for AI Workshop, and discussion around the upcoming ECOC 2025 interoperability demo, building on the success and momentum from OFC.

• FlexE 3.0 Implementation Agreement (IA): Building on previous IAs, FlexE 3.0 supports Flex Ethernet Groups composed of 800G Ethernet PHYs and introduces 100G calendar slots and payload type overhead. These features address growing demands in high-capacity transport and hyperscale environments, increasing flexibility and enabling scalable Ethernet service delivery. In addition, OIF announced that presentations from its recent 448Gbps Signalling for AI Workshop—featuring perspectives from hyperscalers, analysts and member companies driving next-gen electrical

Key project updates include: • C-CMIS 1.4 Implementation Agreement (IA): The latest update to the C-CMIS IA introduces expanded support for coherent interfaces, including enhanced maintenance/ replacement signal control, enhanced consequent action control, payload type support, additional alarming, CD target set and a new CDB command to display Coherent Application Attributes. These updates strengthen

signalling—are now publicly available on its website. The workshop, held April 15–16 in Santa Clara, provided a comprehensive look at the ecosystem readiness and future direction of 448G, with robust participation and insight from across the industry, and is directly driving work within OIF moving forward. “As network requirements evolve and grow more complex, OIF’s collaborative environment is where real, measurable progress happens,” said OIF Officer and Technical Committee Vice Chair Sam Kocsis (Amphenol). “Our member meetings are designed to accelerate technical consensus and ensure alignment across the ecosystem.”

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ISSUE 41 | Q2 2025

JASON KOSHY OPTICAL TRANSCEIVERS

Optical transceiver design is changing as higher performance is demanded in every aspect of operation and capabilities, but how do they remain compatible with existing network infrastructure? Optical Connections editor Peter Dykes spoke with Jason Koshy , Vice President, Global Sales at U.S.-based Infinite Electronics to find out the latest developments. ADAPTING TO THE NETWORK OPTICAL TRANSCEIVER DESIGN

last summer, even though they were not yet available in the market. Starting at the end of last year, we started seeing 1.6T solutions with deliveries in the next three to six months. It’s interesting because usually, you spend a lot of time releasing one technology, and then you talk about the next one. Today, advancements in technology and product innovation are driving solutions to the market for adoption, with the next technology projected to be released in six months versus years.

Are design changes to optical transceiver design also impacting on other network equipment? It depends. When you look at the telecom industry, it’s moving much slower than data centres,

We’re also seeing a growing need for greater temperature tolerance. Internet service providers’ equipment is located outdoors to support fiber to the home (FTTH), and can see very high temperatures, especially during the summer months. Data centers require more power to support network equipment growth and more processing, which generate more heat. As a result, transceivers are now being designed to use less power and have submersion capabilities. In addition, transceivers need to carry more data than they used to. That said, the form factors are not changing much. There is a lot of conversation about CPO (co-packaged optics) technology, but I think CPO solutions are still years away. CPOs have limited flexibility when it comes to servicing, single-point-of-failure concerns, and no option for infield recoding of transceivers. With CPO, if there’s something wrong with the transceiver at the board level, you’re going to have to replace the whole thing. As with all advancements, there are always trade-offs, and it’s going to really depend on what trade-offs network engineers decide they can live with. A high priority for data centres is the need for reliability. Given what’s happening in data centres these days, the requirement for uptime is becoming a much greater concern than before. What could bring your network down? What could cause a rack to fail? Those are considerations that engineers look at when considering new technology. Technology shifts can be seen at trade shows, which are a great place to see vendors’ latest solutions and future technology road maps. We started seeing 800G solutions

for example, because the demand for data from AI, autonomous vehicles and streaming services is drastically driving the need for faster speeds. These processing needs are causing a rapid evolution in transceiver speed capabilities. The introduction of a new generation of transceivers, which once took around three years, is now happening in less than a year. We were doing 100G just a few years ago, then we jumped to 400G, and 800G came out last year. Now, we’re about to release 1.6T into the market this summer. That evolution has been very drastic, and so you’re seeing network equipment essentially being replaced to enable the accommodation of faster speeds. A lot of that is driven by AI, and you’re seeing the impact of Nvidia’s accelerated processing solutions on some of the technology that has been developed with its processing chips. A broad range of things are happening in the market that are really causing that technology to be introduced in a faster timeframe.

Are there limitations when buying transceivers from OEMs?

The problem is the reliability. If a transceiver goes down, you’ve got somebody unhappy somewhere.

What we’ve seen with some of our customers is that there’s a higher failure rate because transceivers are not the core of what they do, and they don’t want to keep inventory. OEM transceivers are more expensive than third-party transceivers. Most operators are looking for redundancy, uptime and backup, which means they need a lot of products if something goes down. With our transceivers, we can code them into a different platform very quickly. Network operators are not going to save on the CapEx of buying new equipment, but there are areas in OpEx and long-term ownership of the network that can be managed in a more cost- efficient way. We can code in the field with our smart coder, as well as access transceivers remotely from anywhere and see their full history. These are things that can’t be done with OEM transceivers, and that’s why our customers include some of the largest telecom companies

Will these advances impact on the form factors of transceivers?

Not necessarily. We’re really talking about what transceivers are capable of doing. While data

centres don’t require transmission over great distances, the telecom industry requires faster speeds and longer distances, in some cases 120 kilometres.

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| ISSUE 41 | Q2 2025

JASON KOSHY OPTICAL TRANSCEIVERS

When you’re talking about the MSA and some of the pre-coded things that come out, I think that a lot of that stuff does help by at least creating some guidelines. But when you’re looking at the network, and certain companies that have multiple pieces of OEM equipment in that network, it gets even more complicated than that. This is because you want to try to understand what they’re trying to do and be able to support their network specifically. MSA-coded products are critical for third-party suppliers to ensure interoperability and compatibility with various network equipment brands, regardless of the transceiver manufacturer. The value of MSA is that it allows third parties to compete with OEM transceivers with cost-effective alternatives and provide customers more choices.

lot of the military projects that we have here in the U.S. We have a strong position in the U.S. market, with brands like L-Com, Transtector, Pasternack, PolyPhaser and Integra Optics, which are also recognized globally. We also do custom cables in multiple facilities in the U.S., cutting them to length with termination. So, we’ve got a pretty broad business that covers a broad market range. One of the unique things about us is that we support a range of markets including utility, military, data center and telecom, based on our broad product offerings.

in the U.S., and some of the bigger MSOs and internet service providers also use third-party solutions. They don’t use OEMs because of the flexibility, the cost savings and the reliability they get with us. We also do a lot more inspections than a typical OEM would do. We do an extensive vendor validation process — which includes testing, interoperability and quality testing of incoming raw parts and outbound coded transceivers — to ensure performance and reliability. We can code transceivers to work in multiple platforms, allowing the flexibility to use products in various applications. We work with customers to understand their needs and their network, which enables us to make recommendations that make it easier for them to manage their equipment.

Thank you.

How important is it to have things like standardisation and MSAs for transceivers? I think when you’re managing a network, standardisation is important, because it allows new

Tell me more about Infinite Electronics. Judging from the number of brands on your

website, it seems like it’s a distributor rather than a manufacturing company.

people coming into your business to be familiar with what you’re doing. A lot of the larger carriers write great standards, requirements and specs around what they’re trying to accomplish because they want to make sure they can manage the network for a long time into the future.

JK A lot of people make that mistake, but we are a manufacturer. We do keep a lot of inventory, but these are our own branded products. We have a broad portfolio of about 20 brands, ranging from RF solutions to data communication, all the way to things like electromagnetic pulse filters, or EMP, for a

Jason Koshy, Vice President, Global Sales, Infinite Electronics.

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ISSUE 41 | Q2 2025

RAF MEERSMAN NETWORK MONETISATION

The rollout of fibre in Europe has been an enormous infrastructure achievement, and in many ways, a great success. By the end of 2023, almost 70% of homes in the EU39 area had access to fibre-to-the-home or building (FTTH/B) networks. But the commercial viability of fibre networks depends on actual usage, and here the figures tell a different story, writes Raf Meersman , SVP EMEA, at IQGeo. Fewer than half of these homes have taken up a fibre subscription. So while Europe has built the network, the majority of citizens are still not connected. STRATEGIES FOR NETWORK MONETISATION IF YOU BUILD IT, WILL THEY COME?

ADOPTION IS KEY TO MONETISATION

SCENARIO MODELLING TO SUPPORT LONG-TERM PLANNING As networks expand, planning becomes more uncertain. Operators are required to make choices not only about where to build but when and in what form. These choices are often made with partial data and without a structured way to explore alternatives. Scenario modelling addresses this by allowing operators to test different combinations of deployment strategy, design limits and commercial objectives before committing capital or scheduling work. This approach helps planners weigh trade-offs more clearly. For example, they can weigh the costs of densifying the network against expanding it to the edge or adjust timelines to fit available resources. Some operators go further and include planning approvals, access rules or demographic trends in their models. The purpose is not to remove uncertainty, but to support a more disciplined way of planning that focuses on what is most likely to affect results. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AS A TOOL FOR PRIORITISATION Artificial intelligence (AI) is starting to play a more useful role in helping operators decide where to focus their efforts. Fibre providers already have access to large volumes of network, market and operational data. But making sense of that data and acting on it in time is still not easy. AI tools can help by pulling this information together and pointing to areas where there is a better chance of success. This includes ranking serviceable areas by revenue potential, identifying groups of addresses that are close to

work with different tools, assumptions and priorities. Sales may follow up on leads that turn out to be difficult or expensive to serve, while engineers may design for efficiency without knowing where demand is strongest. Planners are left trying to coordinate between the two, without a clear view of how their decisions affect profits. This fragmented process is a real disadvantage. Operators may know where the revenue opportunities are, but without automation and shared data, it is hard to act quickly. And in a market where success depends on speed and accuracy, this is a problem. STRATEGIC TARGETING BASED ON COMMERCIAL LOGIC Operators obviously understand that not every address within reach of the network presents the same value. But turning that understanding into action at scale remains difficult. The problem is not so much visibility, as most organisations know (at least roughly) where their network is and where service is technically possible. What’s currently missing is a system for consistently identifying which areas also meet the commercial thresholds for attention. They need to move beyond case- by-case decisions and apply a method that connects service availability with expected revenue. When quoting is based on margin potential and the chance of conversion, sales teams can focus their time better. The goal is not just to move faster, but to use financial criteria to guide the process from the beginning. This helps avoid spending time on marginal leads and makes sure resources are used where they are more likely to bring results.

This gap in adoption is already having consequences for the business case behind fibre deployments. According to the FTTH Council Europe, more than €130 billion in additional investment is needed to reach 90% coverage across the continent, about the same as has already been spent. This highlights the urgency to prove that existing networks can generate revenue. Without this, it will be difficult to justify further investment from the business perspective. Investors are also becoming more cautious in many European markets. The attention is moving away from building fast and at scale. Instead, investors want to see steady income from fibre networks and a clear business case for expanding coverage. Lenders are now focused on homes activated rather than homes passed and are using this metric to assess the cash-flow potential of fibre operators. This marks a clear shift in investor priorities, TRADITIONAL METHODS LIMIT GROWTH In many cases, operators are still relying on outdated ways of working that do not scale well. Manual, route-by-route quoting slows down delivery, as sales teams often must ask for technical assessments one case at a time, with little context and understanding of wider impact. Outreach is not structured, promising leads near the network are often ignored and RFQ responses take too long. It’s also hard to know which leads are worth pursuing when departments are using disconnected systems. Sales, planning and engineering teams often

www.opticalconnectionsnews.com

| ISSUE 41 | Q2 2025

RAF MEERSMAN NETWORK MONETISATION

THE NEW OPERATIONAL STANDARD While monetisation intelligence is not a completely new idea, automation is expanding the impact it can have. When every monetisation opportunity is acted on in real time, we can close the adoption gap faster. And as financial pressure increases, operators who make monetisation a central part of their strategy will come out ahead. It’s the new standard for success in a saturated fibre market.

the network and likely to convert, or highlighting patterns that are harder to spot manually. In practice, this allows planning teams to direct attention toward areas where the network is ready, customer interest is emerging and returns are likely to justify the effort. AI does not replace human judgement, but it helps teams focus their time where it is more likely to produce results. RESPONSIVE OPERATIONS IN CHANGING MARKETS Plans are often based on assumptions that do not hold over time. Competitor activity, population shifts, changes to local policy or unexpected construction delays can all cause problems. Operators that rely on fixed plans or rigid cycles for decision-making often find themselves missing early signals of change. A more responsive approach depends on having access to current information and the ability to act on it without delay. Teams need a clear understanding of what is happening on the ground, supported by systems that allow plans to be adjusted quickly. Responsiveness is not about chasing every shift in the market. It is about recognising when something important

has changed and having the structure in place to take action at the right moment. MONETISATION INTELLIGENCE AS A CONTINUOUS OPERATIONAL PROCESS In many fibre businesses, monetisation is still seen as something that happens after the network is built. But when adoption is the main limit on revenue, this approach creates delays and missed opportunities. Monetisation needs to be part of daily operations. This means keeping a live view of which addresses are ready for service, what the projected revenue is and how much it will cost to connect each one. With access to up-to-date data, teams can adjust their plans, moving resources, updating sales activity or putting projects on hold, without waiting for long review cycles. This creates a faster, more flexible way of working. It also allows commercial priorities to shape day-to-day decisions, not just long-term strategy. In other words, operators need to create a revenue twin on top of the network digital twin. Together, they create a unified decision-making lens, helping teams quote faster, prioritize smarter and build where it pays.

Raf Meersman, SVP EMEA, IQGeo.

www.opticalconnectionsnews.com

ISSUE 41 | Q2 2025

ANTONY SAVVAS ACCESS ALTERNATIVES

ALTERNATIVES TO FIBRE ACCESS IN MDUs AND OFFICES WHEN FIBRE DOESN’T FIT:

Finding good connectivity access solutions for multi-dwelling units (MDUs), office spaces, rural areas, and places where fibre access is scarce generally, can be problematic. Therefore, service providers are looking at alternatives to FTTH (fibre to-the-home). Primarily,

MoCA (Multimedia over Coax Alliance), FWA (fixed wireless access), and DOCSIS (data over cable service interface specification) are potential solutions, outlines Antony Savvas . O n the general challenge facing the industry, Broadband Forum CEO, Craig Thomas, says: “Solving the MDU broadband conundrum is critical for addressing the urban ‘digital divide’, as well as the issue of gaining access for cabling to the MDU/ MOCA Multimedia over Coax Alliance is a technology that uses the existing coaxial cables already in most people’s homes. MoCA can create a wired internet home network, but without having to drill new holes or running new wires. And because MoCA technology is wired, it can also deliver without the need for new Ethernet cabling or major civil works. It also supports sustainability, by minimising construction waste and resource use.” infrastructure, “significantly reducing cost, complexity, and installation times”. It can also be combined with FWA technology for backhaul services. “This approach extends ‘fibre-like’ services

MoCA is also seen by some in the industry as an ideal option where building accessibility, historical preservation, or construction limitations restrict fibre rollouts. Nokia is one major proponent of the technology. Nokia is offering InCoax’s Fiber Access Extension tech within its Gigabit Connect and PON offerings. The joint offering targets the global broadband operator market, in particular MSOs and cable operators. “With InCoax’s solution, we can better support cable operators to easily deliver muti-gigabit services over the existing coax in MDUs and buildings that are too difficult to serve with fibre”, says Geert Heyninck, general manager for the broadband access business unit at Nokia. “The integration also makes it easy for operators, since both the FTTH and MoCA can be managed as a single network.” Jeff Heynen, vice president for broadband access and home networking at analyst house Dell’Oro, adds: “As cable operators migrate to FTTH to address the market, they will need to find a way to service existing

MTU [maximum transmission unit] to ensure tenants have competitive broadband service provider (BSP) options. “Urban broadband connectivity choices like FTTB [fibre to-the-building or fibre to-the-basement] and FWA utilise existing ‘in-building’ copper cabling to reduce time to market, bypass access restrictions, and deliver multi-gigabit speeds.” Thomas says FWA standards are being developed to enable connectivity for all apartments using existing cabling, by optimising performance and speeds with mid-band or high-band (mmWave) frequencies without requiring multiple antennas. He adds that FTTeP (fibre to-the-extension-point) standards allow BSPs to extend fibre to buildings, integrating PON with existing copper under a unified management and services platform. “This enables BSPs to rapidly launch new broadband services across MDUs, ensuring a consistent offering regardless of whether subscribers are connected to FTTH or FTTB setups.

a reliable, low-lag, and ultra-high- speed connection. These properties can be critical when it comes to reliable streaming video or online gaming, for instance. With MoCA network adapters or MoCA Wi-Fi extenders, users can usually speed up their home networks to at least 2.5 Gbps, with latency as low as 3.5 ms. InCoax is a leading provider of MoCA systems. Helge Tiainen, business development director at the company, says: “Deploying full-fibre networks to underserved MDUs is challenging, as property owners often expect internet service providers (ISPs) to bear the in- building construction costs. Meanwhile, government funding programmes, particularly in the US, are accelerating fibre build-outs to underserved areas. To compete, Multiple Service Operators (MSOs) - who still hold a significant share of the broadband market - must move swiftly to secure MDU access agreements.” A MoCA Access Fiber Extension solution, he says, enables operators to deliver multi-gigabit broadband over existing coaxial

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| ISSUE 41 | Q2 2025

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ISSUE 41 | Q2 2025

ANTONY SAVVAS ACCESS ALTERNATIVES

customers in MDUs that lack fibre. MoCA is an easy and cost-effective method to do so. Nokia is clearly committed to helping its customers maximise the reach and revenue potential of their FTTH networks.” THE NOKIA SYSTEM Initial Nokia MoCA systems offered include a one-port indoor/outdoor DPU (data processing unit) serving up to sixteen subscribers, two models of modems that can be self-installed by the consumer, and a passive splitter/ combiner to enable coexistence with legacy services. The Gigabit Connect MoCA technology can deliver a 2Gbps symmetrical subscriber experience with low latency on both point-to-point and point-to-multipoint deployments. It can be managed through a single pane of glass using Nokia’s Altiplano Access Controller platform. FIXED WIRELESS ACCESS Ericsson forecasts there will be over 330m FWA connections by 2029, up from the 130m that were there at the end of 2023. This would represent almost a fifth (18%) of all fixed broadband connections, says Ericsson. Of the 330m connections projected, Ericsson adds that around 85% are expected to be over 5G networks. Analyst IDC says, that by 2026, 75% of enterprises will have assigned all deployment responsibility, operational control, and technology innovation for at least one major network domain to a trusted management partner. Earlier this year, Ericsson unveiled its latest technology to help serve this market, through its subsidiary business unit Cradlepoint. The Cradlepoint X20 5G Router is designed to enable “enterprise-class” fixed wireless access connectivity for small- to medium-sized and home-based businesses, temporary sites, and remote workers. With the Cradlepoint X20, service providers can offer managed services with tiered service packages catering to diverse customer needs, and differentiate themselves in a rapidly expanding market, we are told. The X20 delivers plug-and-play FWA 5G connectivity with

advanced network slicing and security capabilities. Featuring routing, switching, and Wi-Fi 7, the X20 promises “robust, easy-to-maintain connectivity, essential for critical business operations”. “Now, enterprises can quickly deploy high- bandwidth 5G connectivity, with unprecedented reliability enabled by dual-SIM failover capabilities and an 8-hour battery backup,” says Ericsson. “We are enabling service providers to offer highly differentiated FWA solutions to business customers, while monetising their 5G network investments,” says Justin Blair, vice president of carrier business development, Americas, enterprise wireless solutions, Ericsson. “The X20 puts operators in a much better position to support a wide range of business environments.” Chris Melus, vice president of product management at T-Mobile Business Group, adds: “Ericsson’s business FWA solutions play a vital role in enhancing our managed services, such as Connected Workplace, by enabling reliable, highly secure, fast connectivity, with advanced cloud management capabilities. Our collaboration with Ericsson allows us to deliver scalable and flexible business FWA services that seamlessly adapt to the evolving needs of businesses.” DOCSIS DOCSIS is the international telecoms standard that permits the addition of high-bandwidth data transfer over existing cable television systems. The DOCSIS 4.0 standard, recently upgraded from the established DOCSIS 3.1 standard, enables the next generation of broadband connectivity over cable hybrid fibre coax (HFC) networks, delivering multi-gigabit speeds while also supporting high reliability and low latency. DOCSIS 4.0 is designed to support maximum speeds of up to 10 Gbps downstream and up to 6 Gbps upstream – higher down and up speeds than the average, slower commercial fibre speeds commonly offered to users by service providers in shared commercial buildings and individual homes. Evolving applications, such as interactive video conferencing, remote

learning and healthcare, IoT, virtual reality, self-broadcasting, and high- end gaming, increasingly need these high-capacity, down and up speeds that DOCSIS can potentially offer. However, DOCSIS 4.0 is not widely commercially available yet, so potential users may have to wait a while before enjoying the promised benefits. Also, many operators are also thinking about how a 3.1 Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) can take advantage of the bandwidth that’s natively built into new 4.0 modems. The specification of 4.0 says its silicon has to work with a 3.1 system. And there may be opportunities for higher speeds in the future. Broadcom, Charter Communications, and Comcast recently announced a joint development of Unified DOCSIS chipsets for network nodes, smart amps, and cable modems, setting the stage to deliver “upwards of 25 Gbps speeds over existing networks”. Designed for compliance with the existing DOCSIS 4.0 standard, and creating a foundation for the next generation, these technology solutions will enable all operators, through a single and open standard, to gain a speed advantage. “By pushing the benefits of AI and ML [machine learning] to the edge of our network, we are maximising network performance, improving the internet experience, and introducing new and exciting services to support our customers’ incredible appetite for more, higher quality data,” says Charlie Herrin, president, technology and product, connectivity and platforms, at Comcast. “Supporting a single technology that can be used by all operators efficiently, over their existing networks, allows the industry to leverage its collective investment, and to increase the benefits of AI at the edge.” Tried and tested fibre to-the-home may well still be the preferred choice for many organisations, but network vendors and service providers are making sure alternatives continue to be developed in response to cost, technical, and deployment and skills factors in the field, that continually have to be mitigated in a very competitive broadband communications market.

Craig Thomas CEO, Broadband Forum.

Helge Tiainen Business Development Director, InCoax.

Geert Heyninck General Manager, Broadband Access Business Unit, Nokia.

Jeff Heynen Vice President, Broadband Access And Home Networking Dell’Oro.

Justin Blair Vice President, Carrier Business Development Americas, Enterprise Wireless Solutions, Ericsson.

Chris Melus Vice President, Product Management, T-Mobile Business Group.

Charlie Herrin President, Technology and Product, Connectivity and Platforms, Comcast.

www.opticalconnectionsnews.com

| ISSUE 41 | Q2 2025

SPONSORED FEATURE ZTE

The rapid development of communication technology is like a torrent, completely reshaping people’s lifestyles and work patterns. Optical access technology is undoubtedly a key cornerstone in this vast communication network, creating a stable and reliable channel for the high-speed transmission of massive data, and building a bridge for digital interaction in modern society. As a leader in optical access, ZTE is driving innovation and leading FTTx networks into the “Zero” era. FTTx into the “Zero” Era Leading the Full Lifecycle of

“ZERO”-CONTACT PLANNING: ONE-CLICK SITE SURVEY, AUTOMATIC PLANNING AND DESIGN, DESIGN AS OUTPUT ZTE’s innovations in paperless planning and closed-loop management improve network planning accuracy and efficiency. One-click site survey technology cuts survey time by 83%, while enhancing accuracy. A unified platform reduces inter-design time by 80%, boosting output efficiency by 65%. “ZERO”-THRESHOLD NETWORK CONSTRUCTION: COVERING HOMES AND ENTERPRISES, EASY DEPLOYMENT ZTE’s FTTx network solution enables ultra-fast access, efficient construction, and smooth upgrades, meeting urgent connectivity needs. It supports HD video, online education, cloud gaming for households. For enterprises, it simplifies interconnection, reduces equipment room space and cabling costs by over 80%, lowers power consumption by 30%, aiding digital transformation.

“ZERO”-BLIND SPOT O&M: REAL- TIME LINK FAULT DIAGNOSIS, EARLY WARNING TO PREVENT POTENTIAL RISKS ZTE’s integration of AI and big data analysis enables 24/7 real-time fault detection, enhancing network reliability through predictive capabilities. The FTTx solution accurately locates faults, reducing repair time by 90%, ensuring efficient and intelligent network maintenance. “ZERO”-WASTE RESOURCE UTILIZATION: FULLY VISUAL NETWORK, REVITALIZING IDLE RESOURCES ZTE’s FTTx network solution ensures 100% ODN accuracy with real-time topology updates. It activates and sorts resources, boosting utilization by 9.3%, with zero waste. Precise resource management cuts order cancellations by 90%, enhancing service efficiency and user experience. ZTE, a leader in optical access, offers innovative FTTx products and

solutions for diverse networking needs. Pioneering 10G PON technology, ZTE serves global customers, enhancing market competitiveness with a 34% global market share. Leading in 50G PON technology, ZTE collaborates with over 50 operators for technical verification and pilot trials, promoting 50G PON commercialization and network upgrades. In addition, ZTE provides a full range of innovative ODN solutions, including traditional ODN, pre-connectorized, and fiber fingerprint solutions to address diverse application scenarios and technical demands. Whether in urban skyscrapers or remote villages, there is always a suitable ZTE ODN product.

www.opticalconnectionsnews.com

ISSUE 41 | Q2 2025

ANDREAS MATISS CO-PACKAGED OPTICS

CPO has been around for a while, however it is still a technology in development. Andreas Matiss , Senior Manager Optical Components and Integration, Corning Optical Communications explains how glass can play an important role in moving silicon-based electro-optical converters as close as possible to the silicon processor. UNLEASHING THE POTENTIAL OF CPO AND GLASS WAVEGUIDE SUBSTRATES A LEAP TOWARDS FIBRE-TO-THE-CHIP TECHNOLOGY

D ata centre networks are evolving rapidly. This has accelerated further with the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and large deployments of AI clusters. This trend has accelerated recently, with notable deployments such as NVIDIA’s DGX SuperPOD and Google’s TPU clusters. The shift is fueled by the need for high-performance computing to support AI training and inference tasks. It is expected that multiple million AI-optimised GPU units will be shipped annually in the next five years just by NVIDIA alone, reaching high volumes by 2028. The number of transceivers required to build these networks are in the range of tens of millions transceiver units per year operating at the highest speeds, like 1.6Tbps and 3.2Tbps. Industry analysts are expecting the number of transceivers per GPU to go up to more than 10 transceivers per accelerator (GPU) in the future, which would correspond to roughly a 10x increase in optical connectivity needs versus today’s deployments. In a typical data centre, a standard pluggable Ethernet transceiver consumes about 20W of electrical power. For a next generation transceiver, the power consumption is expected to almost double. With shipment volumes today, roughly 200 Mega-Watt (MW) of power to drive transceivers is deployed in 2024. Continuing on the transceiver trajectory and the expected 10x increase in optical connectivity needs, the annual deployed power for transceiver could increase to 2 Giga-Watt (GW) per year, about

the power generated by a large nuclear power plant. This does not include the power required to drive the host-side electronics and electrical re-timers to move the data from the integrated circuit to the transceiver at the front of the equipment. As an example, the introduction of CPO in an AI data centre with one million GPU’s would save about 150 MW of power generation capacity alone, for one single data centre. Besides the investment costs to build the required power plant capacity, there are very significant operating cost savings that, depending on the regional energy costs, can easily exceed 100M Euro per year in power bills. Addressing this unsustainable trend requires new innovations. INTRODUCING CO-PACKAGED OPTICS Co-packaged optics (CPO) is the most promising technology to overcome this power bottleneck in the near future. This technology describes moving the electro-optic conversion module from the transceiver at the front-plate deeper into the equipment. Ideally, directly on the CPU or GPU package substrate. This way, the electrical losses over copper lanes can be minimised. This accounts for more power efficient links and can reduce the power consumption compared to a pluggable transceiver by more than 50% - even 75% in some instances. The power saving is not only derived from removing lossy copper lanes, but also simplifying, or even eliminating, the digital signal processor (DSP) that is needed to compensate signal impairments over the electrical pathway.

A secondary effect is that the latency is improved, as a signal transmitted over a co-packaged optics module needs less pre- and postconditioning for error-free communication. In summary, co-packaged optics offer high-speed, low power and low latency optical connections. Everything that is key for advanced AI networks. Another notable alternative to reduce power is Linear-Drive Pluggable Optics (LPO), which eliminates DSP chips, thus reducing power consumption and latency while maintaining the front-plate pluggable transceiver form factor and ecosystem. While CPO offers better signal integrity and lower latency, LPO is more cost-effective and suitable for short distances. LPO’s cost-effectiveness and lower power consumption might delay CPO’s widespread adoption due to quicker market readiness. Still, as LPO consumes more power than co- packaged-optics and is also significantly more difficult to manage to maintain high signal quality as link speeds go up to 200G and beyond, CPO is expected to become the solution of choice when the technology becomes available over time. HOW GLASS IS ENABLING CO- PACKAGED OPTICS Glass is expected to play an important role in the next generation of co- packaged optics. In order to move the electro-optical converter, mostly a silicon photonics chip, as close as possible to the actual silicon processor (CPU/GPU), a new packaging technology is required that allows for large substrate size and also optical connectivity to the silicon photonics chips.

www.opticalconnectionsnews.com

| ISSUE 41 | Q2 2025

ANDREAS MATISS CO-PACKAGED OPTICS

CPO has the potential to revolutionise the structure of interconnections for AI in multiple directions.

Traditionally, organic substrates are used for semiconductor packaging. These materials have larger thermal expansion coefficients than silicon which limits the maximum size a semiconductor package can have. As the industry is pushing for larger packaging substrates on the incumbent organic technology platforms, problems related to reliability, such as integrity of solder joints and an increased risk of delamination, as well as manufacturing challenges like the creation of high quality fine-pitch interconnects and high-density wiring are emerging and drive up packaging and testing costs. Glass can be engineered to have an optimised thermal expansion coefficient that is better matched to the silicon chips compared to the organic substrates. As a result, engineered glass substrates offer superior thermal stability, reducing the risk of mechanical stress and damage during temperature changes. They provide excellent mechanical strength and flatness, enhancing the reliability of chip packages. Additionally, glass supports higher interconnect densities and finer pitch interconnects, improving electrical performance and reducing parasitic effects. These properties make glass a highly reliable and precise option for advanced semiconductor packaging. Therefore, there are significant efforts in the semiconductor packaging industry to leverage advanced glass substrate as the next generation substrate technology. GLASS WAVEGUIDES SUBSTRATES In addition to its excellent thermal and mechanical properties, glass can be treated in a way that allows the implementation of optical waveguides. These waveguides in glass are typically created using a process called ion exchange. This involves replacing ions in the glass with different ions from a salt solution, altering the glass’ refractive index. The modified regions guide light by confining it within the higher refractive index area. This technique allows precise control over the waveguide’s properties, making it suitable for various optical applications. Therefore, in an optical waveguide - similar to an optical fibre - the light can propagate along the integrated glass waveguides and efficiently couple either into a fibre or into a silicon photonics

chip. This makes glass a very attractive material for advanced co-packaged optics applications. Combining electrical and optical interconnects on the same substrate also resolves the interconnect density problem that companies are facing when building large AI clusters. The number of optical lanes is currently constrained by the geometry of the optical fibre, which typically has a cladding diametre of 127 micrometres, roughly the thickness of a human hair. However, waveguides on glass can be made significantly denser, allowing for much higher input/output (I/O) density compared to what is achievable with direct fibre-to-chip connections. This integration of electrical and optical interconnects not only resolves the density issue but also enhances the overall performance and scalability of AI clusters. By leveraging the compact nature of glass waveguides, it becomes possible to fit more optical lanes within the same physical space, thereby increasing the data transfer capacity and efficiency of the system. This advancement is crucial for the development of next-generation AI infrastructure, where high-density interconnects are essential for managing the vast amounts of data processed by these systems. Integrated glass waveguides would also allow the building of full optical systems on the same substrate, with photonic integrated circuits communicating with each other directly through the optical waveguides. This could be achieved without the need for fibre interconnects, significantly enhancing the chip-to- chip communication bandwidth and reach. Using glass optical waveguides in densely packed systems with many interconnects offers lower signal loss, higher bandwidth density, and improved durability compared to discrete optical fibres. These advantages make glass waveguides ideal for high-performance

to rethink and redesign their networks. With the increased bandwidth and simplified network structures, they can achieve better network performance properties, leading to more efficient and streamlined operations. CONCLUSION CPO has the potential to revolutionise the structure of interconnections for AI in multiple directions. It can significantly improve power consumption and sustainability, making AI systems more environmentally friendly and cost- effective. Additionally, CPO facilitates better efficiency and scalability, allowing AI systems to handle larger and more complex tasks with ease. By addressing density, CPO can enhance data transfer rates, ensuring faster and more reliable communication between AI components. This also helps in decreasing bottlenecks in upcoming AI systems, leading to smoother and more efficient operations. The future of AI interconnections is expected to introduce direct optical links, which will remove the need for compute switches. This innovation will expand bandwidth for AI tasks, enabling faster and more efficient processing of large datasets. The optimal vehicle for achieving these advancements is glass, which offers superior properties for data transmission and scalability. Glass-based optical links will play a crucial role in the next generation of AI systems, providing the necessary infrastructure for high- performance computing and advanced AI applications.

optical interconnect systems. Using co-packaged optics in

next-generation data centres and AI supercomputer networks increases the chip escape bandwidth, opening up numerous possibilities for creating high-speed and high-radix switches for 102T and beyond. Network architects are presented with a unique opportunity

Senior Manager Optical Components and Integration, Corning Optical

www.opticalconnectionsnews.com

ISSUE 41 | Q2 2025

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