21285 - SCTE Broadband Dec2021 COMPLETE v1

51 Vol. 43 No. 4 - November 2021 Issue technical than GPON, up to 1580nm for downstream. These evolutions are expected to represent the largest market during the next decade. Next generation PON2, delivering 10 Gigabits per wavelength up to 1625nm on a single fibre, was also standardised by ITU-T and it is expected to see significant market adoption in the coming years. The ITU and IEEE Standardisation bodies are now considering even higher speeds of 25 Gigabits and 50 Gigabits with high-speed PON (HS-PON) and WDM PON for 5G wireless fronthaul, where 20 channels resulting in an aggregate capacity of 500 Gigabits could be useful. Recently, operators have deployed WDM systems for mobile fronthaul. Both coarseWDM (CWDM) and denseWDM (DWDM) systems are being offered by equipment vendors. The adoption of WDM fronthaul puts extra constraints on the optical network, as more wavelengths are activated. As 5G grows and more antennas are deployed, WDM optics will also be required to manage system congestion. The long lifecycle of access infrastructure requires PON systems to be backwards compatible, with new, longer-wavelength windows needing to be activated. OTDR testing and monitoring signals will then be pushed up into the 1650nm range, where cable constraints become critical. Conclusion There’s one unique answer to securing the network evolution our future systems will need: building networks with bend- insensitive cabling systems from the very beginning, securing the full optical spectrum and offering the possibility of achieving high fibre density. Operators who choose these fibres, and in particular, G.657.A2, will achieve the most potential from their deployed networks. Ready to power the world of tomorrow, today? For more information, see https://www.prysmiangroup.com/en