VIAVI collaborates with Microsemi to accelerate Flexible OTN and Flexible Ethernet Networking deployment for 5G

VIAVI Solutions announced collaboration with Microsemi, a leading provider of semiconductor solutions differentiated by power, security, reliability and performance, to enable flexible optical networking technologies needed to meet the demands of 5G networks. With the VIAVI ONT-600 and Microsemi’s DIGI-G5, the newest member of its award-winning DIGI OTN processors, telecom service providers globally now have solution platforms to build, test and quickly deploy 5G-ready optical networks including OTUCn, Flexible OTN (FlexO) and Flexible Ethernet (FlexE) technologies.

As communication service providers and their technology partners investigate 5G network requirements, the transport network is a key focus, necessitating an architecture capable of supporting stringent bandwidth, traffic modeling, network slicing, latency and time synchronization characteristics. With the largest population of mobile subscribers in the world, China’s service providers are at the forefront of this initiative. China Mobile is planning to adopt Slicing Packet Network (SPN) with FlexE for its 5G transport network, while other carriers are pursuing Optical Transport Network with enhancements like Mobile optimized OTN (M-OTN).

VIAVI and Microsemi bring individual strengths to the mission of developing and validating platforms for these different transport technologies. The VIAVI ONT has been proven in lab testing of 100G components and systems, and has the industry’s first 400G support to include forward error correction (FEC), PAM4 modulation, and now with complete support of all 400G transponder form factors including CFP8, QSFPDD, and OSFP. The ONT can also scale with a range of applications to address inflection points such as FlexE, OTUCn and FlexO.

Microsemi’s latest DIGI-G5 OTN processor delivers an unprecedented 1.2 terabits per second (Tbps) of combined OTN and client interfaces, and is first to market with newly standardized 25 Gigabit Ethernet (GE), 50GE, 200GE, 400GE, Flexible OTN (FlexO & OTUCn) and FlexE with an integrated security engine enabling flexible encrypted optical connections. DIGI-G5 enables packet optical transport platforms to triple in capacity while slashing power consumption by 50 percent per port.

“As service providers look to scale up their optical networks in preparation for 5G, our customers need new OTN 3.0 capabilities delivering rate-agile flexible connectivity underpinned by OTN switching at terabit capacities to market,” said Babak Samimi, Vice President and Business Unit Manager for Microsemi’s Communications Business Unit. “With the ecosystem in place between Microsemi and VIAVI, leading OTN transport OEMs can begin development of a new wave of products that enable support for OTUCn, FlexE and FlexO capabilities this year.”

“VIAVI is pleased to be part of the ecosystem with Microsemi to support the network requirements of leading carriers worldwide,” said Tom Fawcett, Vice President and General Manager, Lab and Production Business Unit, VIAVI Solutions. “The advent of 5G will require robust, scalable and coordinated technology development across the entire industry. Our technology leadership and deep relationships make us the ideal partner for this initiative.”