Ericsson/Calix and ADTRAN have been selected for a Verizon technology trial that aims to be a “cheaper method” for providing high-speed broadband. According to a press release, Verizon plans on replacing hardware at ends of the connection instead of the costly act of replacing underground fiber optic cable.
Watchdog.com reported that Verizon hopes to boost download speeds up to 10 gigabits per second, which is 10 times faster than current speeds. To begin, Verizon has asked ADTRAN and Ericsson/Calix to test NG-PON2 (next generation passive optical network) equipment in its Waltham, MA-based Innovation Lab. The companies, Watchdog.org noted, will supply the network architecture for both lab and field testing. “Testing will focus on several features of NG-PON2, including tuning performance, ability to carry residential and business services on the same platform, and interoperability and conformance testing to meet Verizon ONT specifications,” the release said.
Additionally, Verizon said that NG-PON2, which was approved last year by the International Telecommunications Union Telecommunications Standardization Sector (ITU-T), will “provide a cost-effective way to easily increase system capacity by adding wavelength to meet the demand of growing technology such as ultra high-definition video and virtual reality applications.”
Jay Wilson, ADTRAN’s senior vice president of technology and strategy, called NG-PON2 a “game changer” for scalable service architectures of the future. NG-PON2 can not only increase system capacity by adding wavelengths to meet high-data demand, but also can exist without changing fiber optic infrastructure. Additionally, with NG-PON2, “traffic can be shifted amongst multiple wavelengths without impacting customers,” the release said.
NG-PON2 supports up to 40G of total capacity and up to 10G speeds per customer, both upstream and downstream, over a single fiber, according to the release. Verizon plans to deploy sometime next year to business services based on market demand.
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