According to Technavio’s latest market research report, the global Passive Optical Network (PON) market will grow by $25.89 billion between 2022-2026. This is mainly the result of increased data traffic and bandwidth demands, but also due to the increase in hybrid working following the global pandemic. Fibre optic cabling supports today’s hyperconnectivity requirements and we’re seeing a continued focus on adopting new technologies for short and long-haul optical data transmission. Communications service providers need to ensure they can deliver these swiftly and reliably, and ensure the full optical spectrum can be supported. Keeping up with bandwidth requirements can be achieved by fully utilising transmission bands across the wavelength spectrum. Today, Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) is regarded as legacy technology, and 10 Gigabit Symmetrical PON (XGS-PON, viewed by many as the clear successor to GPON) is becoming increasingly important. Significant amounts of XGS-PON equipment are being deployed, with larger deployments forecast over the next six years in Europe due to increasing network capacity requirements in brownfield and greenfield environments. As a result, operators need a high-capacity network that can operate outside of current standard ranges and offer the future-proof connectivity end-users now expect.
Utilizing the full wavelength spectrum is also necessary for monitoring trends and measuring network health. Fibre network visibility helps operators identify whether outages are caused by the network, software or applications. An end-to-end overview and instant analysis helps operators protect their networks, reduce costs and avoid downtime and productivity loss. Network issues can be rectified swiftly by monitoring network performance in any hosting environment. This includes public and private cloud, remote user locations and on-premises DCs. Preventative measures can be taken by effectively monitoring Data Centre Interconnect (DCI) and access networks.
By using PON’s 1650 – 1675 nm wavelength speed, operators can define optimum routes. They are not limited to monitoring DCI networks, but can monitor mobile and fibre networks as data travels across a variety of distances. This not only helps operators troubleshoot the network; they can also anticipate and address disruptions.
Long haul and metro Data Centre Interconnects (DCIs), also require monitoring at long wavelengths. Without an integrated monitoring and diagnostics solution, it may take days to identify an issue caused by intrusion, failure or (accidental) disconnections, or bending, for example.
By monitoring DCI fibre links continuously, alerts can be generated and Mean Time To Restore significantly reduced. By automating analysis, each section of the interconnects can be optimally monitored.
Businesses require secure, safe and reliable data transmission. However, if the entire optical spectrum is too crowded or congested, utilizing the longer wavelengths within the spectrum may be deemed more risky and less secure. The focus should shift to offering solutions with a reduced level of risk, as well as the ability to utilize the entire spectrum and have more space.
Bend-insensitive single mode fibres, especially ITU-T G.657.A2, are a crucial part of the world’s shift towards flexible and reliable connectivity. They are the only fibres capable of securing the whole fibre spectrum, especially at the longer wavelengths (1625 nm and above), by minimising losses linked to macro- and micro-bends. These fibres enable the development of extreme fibre count and reduced diameter cabling solutions, so we can meet today’s demand for the highest bandwidth capacity in duct installations. Operators should focus on unlocking the entire optical spectrum and look at using ITU-T G.657.A2 single mode fibres, such as BendBright® A2 and Bendbright® XS and their reduced cladding diameter versions, to help boost productivity, security and effectively monitor data trends and network health.
