Led by the rapid development of emerging services including HD (high definition) video, VR (virtual reality) and cloud computing, the bandwidth delivered to end users increases tenfold every seven years; therefore the existing access technologies need to be upgraded to meet the soaring bandwidth demands. It becomes a trend that the FTTH networking upgrades from GPON/EPON to 10G PON or even 100G PON/25G PON. The exponential bandwidth growth brings structural changes to the entire network, and the existing network functions and performance are being redefined. Flexibility, scalability and simplicity have become the must-have capabilities of the future networks. The provision-on-demand and reliable virtual networks are essential to the future networks. The development of the future infrastructure networks is influenced by the following aspects:
· The increase of big video services and internet-connected devices are the major impetus for bandwidth growth. Big video will become the basic broadband service.
· The development of SDN (software defined network) and NFV (network functions virtualization) brings structural changes to the network. Building elastic and integrated access networks has become a development trend.
· The expansion of smart homes revolutionizes the home networks.
· 4G/5G backhaul is the new driving force of wireline broadband development.
Therefore, the future-proof access equipment should be able to provide high bandwidth, simplify the service O&M, support smooth network migration, and meet the requirements of big video, SDN/NFV, IOT and 4G/5G backhaul. To build wider, more simplified and economical networks and provide superior service experience, ZTE launched the Flagship Tbit Optical Platform.
ZTE Flagship Tbit Optical Platform has the following four key features:
The industry's strongest platform: All-Tbit architecture, 12 access modes
To meet the requirements of diversified broadband applications, the OLT as the core equipment of the access network should have the all-Tbit capability - an entrance ticket to the future world. ZTE flagship Tbit optical platform provides a large switching capacity, high uplink bandwidth, and non-blocking line card slot bandwidth. The entire system provides high-density TWDM-PON/100G PON or 10G PON ports, and an overall capacity four times the industry's average; thereby meeting the service and bandwidth development requirements in the next ten or twenty years.
ZTE flagship Tbit optical platform provides ultra-high line card bandwidth to support the non-blocking access of 40G PON or 100G/25G PON. In the 4K era, the basic bandwidth demands of homes is 100 Mbps, ZTE flagship Tbit optical platform provides an access capacity four times the industry's average, and easily supports 8K or VR services.
ZTE flagship Tbit optical platform supports 12 optical access modes, and is a unified platform that supports GPON/EPON, 10G PON, 25G and 100G PON. It supports on-demand deployment and flexible evolution to preserve the carriers'investment as much as possible.
Simplified and integrated network equipment: Built-in OTN uplink, redefined OLT, flattened network architecture
ZTE flagship Tbit optical platform integrates the OTN functions. It is not just adding an uplink card but redefines the OLT, simplifies the network layer, and reduces the data transmission latency; therefore better supports low-latency applications like big video. The traditional OLT connects the aggregation switch or the BRAS in the upstream direction via the GE/10GE Ethernet interface, and then the aggregation switch or the BRAS connects the CR (core router) or the data center of the MAN (metropolitan area network) through the OTN transmission equipment.
ZTE flagship Tbit optical platform provides OTN transmission interfaces to reduce the optical module interfaces and fiber resources between the OLT and the OTN. The data center and the OLT are connected on the OTN transport layer to reduce the IP route hops for latency-sensitive services. ZTE flagship Tbit optical platform inherits the OTN management and switchover functions, leverages the rapid protection mechanism on the OTN layer, and provides lossless service protection on the packet layer. ZTE flagship Tbit optical platform also supports cross-layer cooperative strategies for the packet layer and the transmission layer under the control of the SDN controller. The best-effort services are forwarded on the low-speed packet layer and use hop-by-hop routing. The assured services are forwarded on the OTN layer and connect directly to the data center.
By leveraging the built-in OTN technology, ZTE flagship Tbit optical platform reduces the L3 aggregation equipment and simplifies the network architecture, thus helping the carriers reduce network construction costs and data transmission latency as well as improve network management efficiency.
Most economical access device per bit: leverages leading-edge technologies to help the carriers cut down network construction costs
ZTE flagship Tbit optical platform leverages leading-edge technologies to help the carriers control network construction costs. Besides the aforementioned built-in OTN and high-density large-capacity platform, ZTE flagship Tbit optical platform leverages the all-in-one Combo PON solution to help the carriers achieve smooth network migration at a reduced cost. Leveraging the Combo PON solution to upgrade GPON to 10G PON or TWDM-PON/100G PON saves the equipment room footprint by more than 60%. The Combo PON solution also allows for on-demand ONU upgrade as per the user's bandwidth demand to achieve light-asset PON upgrade and deployment, avoids the huge cost incurred by upgrading all ONUs, and guarantees a quick RoI (return on investment).
ZTE flagship Tbit optical platform adheres to the green and energy-efficient philosophy. According to the calculations of ZTE lab, the power consumption of its optical ports is more than 20% better than the CoC standard. ZTE flagship Tbit optical platform makes the network configuration more simplified and the network operation more efficient.
Multi-scenario coverage: Supports big video services, CO re-architecture, 4G/5G backhaul, and massive access of IoT
Video services have grown from a value-added service to a basic service. 4K video will dominate the video services, 8K and VR/AR will enter into people's lives, and the number of video terminals will increase exponentially. 100 Mbps will be the basic bandwidth requirement of homes, and more and more premium users will demand for an access speed of 1000 Mbps. ZTE flagship Tbit optical platform provides an access capacity four times the industry's average, satisfying the requirements under big video scenarios. To meet the low latency requirements of big video, ZTE flagship Tbit optical platform provides resource virtualization capabilities, slices network resources, creates several OLT instances to allocate to the customers with different QoS, and to build a dedicated big video network.
The data center is reconstructing the network value chain. The carriers only provided Internet connection pipelines in the past, but now they build an open IaaS and PaaS platform, on which they can share the values created by new services. The CO re-architecture coupled with the introduction of the EDC (edge data center), the service edge control functions are gradually migrated from the broadband network gateway (BNG) to the EDC VNF (Virtual Network Function). As a leaf EDC node, ZTE flagship Tbit optical platform can be deployed local or remote of the EDC. It can be divided into a control layer and a forwarding layer by function. It leverages an SDN controller to control resources flexibly; thereby saving the network resources.
Ultra-dense networks (UDN) will be the key technological means to meet the requirements of 5G and mobile data traffic in future. The 5G small cells getting smaller and high-density base station coverage brings structural changes to the mobile networks. The expanded scope and scenario of backhaul networks will be an opportunity for wireline broadband. By reusing the legacy access resources, the carriers can build a fiber network to meet the applications in a wide range of scenarios including homes, businesses and base stations, and to generate more values. ZTE flagship Tbit optical platform provides GE or 10GE access bandwidth and rapid forwarding capabilities to meet the latency KPI of 5G, and ensure reliable and high-quality services. It supports smooth network evolution, seamless service migration, protects legacy investment in backhaul networks, and supports high scalability.
With the ever-increasing mobile devices like cell phones, tablets and laptops, 80% of the mobile traffic will be carried by Wi-Fi (wireline broadband); therefore the increase of mobile devices becomes a major driving force for the development of wireline broadband. The increased number of mobile terminals spurs bandwidth growth, home network investment increase, and the popularity of Wi-Fi. The IoT cloud service and the smart home ecological system will be a great business opportunity.
ZTE flagship Tbit optical platform is a key access node of IoT and provides an access capacity four times the industry's average. It supports diversified home services and applications as well as unified FTTH-like management and maintenance of terminals, shortens the Time to Market (TTM), and helps the carriers construct sustained networks.
ZTE flagship Tbit optical platform integrates the OTN functions to effectively reduce the number of telecommunications equipment and dramatically improves network efficiency. It extends the connotation of traditional optical access, deepens the OLT capabilities, and supports network transformation and rapid service development. It provides ultra-high access bandwidth to end users as well as more flexible and efficient networking capabilities to promote universal development of broadband services. It will play a pivotal role in network construction in the next ten years.