Verizon tests NG-PON2 technology to deliver 10-Gig broadband

Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) tested next-generation passive optical (NG-PON2)  fiber-to-the-premises technology from a central office in Framingham, Mass., to a FiOS customer's home three miles away and to a local business. The trial, which used gear from Cisco and PT Inovação, was able to deliver broadband speeds of 10-Gbps and higher.

Verizon said that based upon the success of its tests it will issue an RFP for NG-PON2 technology later this year.

For the NG-PON2 trial, Verizon installed a new optical line terminal in its central office, generating four wavelengths, or colors of light, each capable of operating at 10G/2.5G.  The company believes that later versions of NG-PON2 will be able to support the same download and upload speeds of 10G/10G per color. According to Verizon's Director of Access Technology Vincent O'Byrne, one test conducted by Verizon transmitted the NG-PON2 signals over a fiber serving live GPON customers. O'Byrne said this proves that the network can simultaneously deliver GPON and NG-PON2 on the same fiber.

According to Verizon's Vice President of Network Technology Lee Hicks, the NG-PON2 technology will have the capacity to grow to 40-80 Gbps as the market demands. The company will be able to upgrade speeds by adding new colors of light onto existing fiber, each augmenting the capacity by up to 10 Gbps.

Hicks added that Verizon will begin upgrading its FTTP network when commercial equipment is available to support business services such as switched Ethernet. The company initially will target business customers for the service but believes it will also be critical to delivering such services as 4K video as well as connecting the billions of anticipated Internet of Things devices that are expected by 2020.

Verizon said the trial also proved the reliability of NG-PON2 because during the test the company simulated a fault in the central office equipment, and the customer's optical line terminal automatically tuned to another wavelength and was able to restore the 10-Gig service in seconds.

Vendors such as Alcatel-Lucent, Huawei and others have been talking up the potential for NG-PON2, which can accommodate high-capacity applications such as 4K and 8K video as well as provide next-generation backhaul for wireless networks. Verizon's endorsement of NG-PON2 is significant as it will likely provide the traction needed for NG-PON2.

For more:
- see this press release

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