Dallas, USA, 17 October – With new technologies regularly being rolled out for 5G, operators can maximise their existing infrastructure and not pay a fortune to meet customer demands with waveguide division multiplexing (WDM). That’s the message from ProLabs on the first day of the Fierce Wireless NextGen Wireless Networks Summit in Dallas, Texas.

Anthony Clarkson, Technologist atgloballeaderin compatibleoptical solutions ProLabs, has stressed how, in the quest to invest in future-proof technology, operators can run into hurdles and get it wrong.

“They’re trying to balance making a Return on Investment while achieving a fast time to market, all while planning ahead for the future. If they don’t fulfil all three, they will ultimately face unsatisfied customers,” he said. “Investing in new opticalfiberinfrastructure is not only expensive but can often require months of planning that hassignificantimpact on the ability to turn up new services.”

Many operators are leaning towards reusing passive optical networks (PONs), but Anthony has suggested a better option to maximise existing assets while planning for the future – a WDM and Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI) combination.

WDM enables the operator to send more than one data bit down the samefiberlength at the same time. Fully maximising existing opticalfiberinfrastructure – a major challenge faced by operators of all sizes – the WDM technique adds multiple wavelengths (orcolorsof light) to send data across the samefiber, increasing the rate of data transfer and multiplying capacity.

“Some PONs may be suitable, but 5G will need more bandwidth per cell, which ultimately leads to higher capacities in thefronthaulnetwork. WDM is key to delivering this increased capacity and getting the most out of currentfibernetworks, while CPRI will bring the major increase in speed. This is an offering which benefits all service providers and can be utilized across their entire infrastructure.”

ProLabs new range of WDM transceiversperformeven in the most demanding of environments. The ideal solution to enable greater flexibility fromfiberinfrastructures, its wavelength stabilising technology can endure temperatures as low as -40°C to as high as +85°C which enables them to perform even in the most demanding environments.

“Traditionalfronthaulconnections using wireless or copper-based technology simply will not cut it. Fronthaul has to be predominantlyfiber-basedto succeed. In order to get more from thisfiber, you need to densify data with WDM techniques – it’s a no-brainer. Investing in WDM is crucial as bandwidth demands continue to increase and more capacity is required,” he concluded.

About ProLabs
ProLabs is a leading provider of optical network infrastructure. By delivering higher standards for products, service, technology and cost, the company is changing the mindset of data centre and networking customers.
One of ProLabs’ biggest strengths is that it supplies highly compatible products, with solutions that are 100 per cent compatible with more than 90 vendors and 20,000 systems. In addition, the innovative and cutting-edge technology comes with a lifetime warranty, demonstrating both the quality of the products as well as the company’s service.
By constantly investing in research and development, ProLabs ensures its optical network products remain at the forefront of the market, while the company’s extensive supplier network means it has an unparalleled global reach.