How does xWDM help build a secure and stable 5G network?
From the article you will learn:
- how to make better use of existing fiber optics?
- What are xWDM systems?
- What are embedded systems and why do small and medium-sized operators choose them?
- How much can you save when installing a DWDM system?
The demand for more transmission bandwidth is growing by leaps and bounds. In 2019, the Institute of Communications predicted that by 2025, the average monthly data usage on mobile Internet in Poland will increase almost 25 times! Streaming, remote work, IoT — this is a fast-paced train of data that we will no longer stop.
The demands on the quality of the transmission are also increasing. 5G wireless networks promise data transmission of up to 20 Gbps with a latency of just 20 to 50 ms. In comparison, 3G cellular networks had delays of the order of hundreds of milliseconds, while 4G networks started at 100 ms and went down to about 70 ms.
Anyone who has come to face the process of building a new fiber optic cable knows what difficulties and costs this entails. This is why wave propagation systems (xWDM), a technology that makes it possible to make better use of existing optical fibers, are gaining importance.
xWDM technology was created nearly 20 years ago, but right now, in the era of the development of 5G networks and the dynamic digitalization of our lives, it is experiencing its renaissance.
What do we gain with xWDM?
In the 5G network, the “radio” replaces the light at the last mile. The backbone of transmission is still, and will be for a long time, fiber optics, as in 4G LTE technology.
It is much easier to build a dense infrastructure of transmitters, when it is enough to allocate part of the bandwidth in an already existing cable, than to conduct separate cables for each of them.
Application of xWDM reduces investment costs - we can use existing FTTx networks as backhaul networks for 5G. Both technologies can coexist on the same fiber.
In fiber communication, WDM technology (Wavelength Division Multiplexing) makes it possible to increase the capacity of a single fiber. This involves the multiplication of optical signals of different wavelengths colloquially called “colors”. Since there are three different types of WDM systems (CWDM, DWDM, FWDM), this technology is referred to as xWDM.
DWDM in a small and medium operator The contribution of small and medium-sized operators in building the 5G network backbone is invaluable. Thanks to the infrastructure projects that have accompanied our Polish reality for many years, it is this segment of Internet providers that has built a very dense network of connections using optical fibers.
most Small and Medium Operators moves very well in CWDM (Coarse-Wave Division Multiplexing) technology.
Most often they choose systems referred to as “embedded”, i.e. those where a specific wavelength per multiplexer is given directly from a network device such as a switch or router.
However, CWDM technology is only suitable for bitrates up to 10Gbps. So what do you do when 10Gbps is not enough?
Systems come to the rescue DWDM (Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing) based on the coherent optics described above. DWDM technology, built on the basis of a 100GHz network, gives gigantic possibilities. It allows you to run channels with bitrates from 10G to 400G. And all this we can achieve by installing the DWDM module directly in the network device, without the need for transponders or muxponders.
However, many myths have grown around DWDM. Among small and medium-sized operators, DWDM systems often have the reputation of expensive, complicated systems for large telecoms. Wrongly! When implementing DWDM systems, we can move in the domain of the “embedded” system and still install the corresponding modules directly in the network devices.
Moreover, today, optical modules, those that we can install directly in a switch or router, are often cheaper than those installed in transponders or muxponders. This means that your DWDM network investment can be reduced by up to 50 percent!
As the LightReading report published in October 2021 shows, only 37% of respondents plan to stay with fully integrated DWDM systems. The rest want to take advantage of the fact that the modules can be installed directly in network devices. Especially when running channels with 400G bandwidth and higher.
xWDM technology has become an ally of small and medium-sized operators to optimize the use of fiber optics and reduce transmission costs. It provides a secure and stable backbone network for cutting-edge technologies such as 5G. And it doesn't have to be expensive at all!
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