Technology Roadmap for Time-Division Multiplexed Passive Optical Networks (TDM PONs)

Commercial passive optical networks (PONs) up to 10 Gb/s have traditionally leveraged mature components from transport and metro transport systems. Starting soon with 25G PON, the data center ecosystem will be leveraged. A strategy to accommodate the higher speed of 25 Gb/s at low incremental cost to 10G PON is presented—essentially to adhere to a simple architecture and to avoid the need for expensive optical amplification. The 25G PON wavelength plan and co-existence scenarios with existing PONs are described. The ability of time-division multiplexed (TDM) PONs to address the 5G backhaul, midhaul, and fronthaul transport use case is evaluated. The technology roadmap to a future 50G TDM PON is discussed. Analysis of the major challenge, meeting PON loss budgets at 50 Gb/s with higher launch power, is presented, including the cost dependence of transmitter power. This is followed by a short review of research in the field of coherent detection in PON systems, which will be important for 100G PON.