A new Passive Optical Network (PON) for access, making use of Ultra Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (UDWDM) by densely spacing channels at few GHz, and introducing the “wavelength-to-the-user” concept, is proposed. The key challenge will be developing low-cost coherent transceivers, providing an excellent selectivity while avoiding filters, and furnishing high sensitivity, which will allow high splitting ratios, large number of users and long distance reach. The Optical Distribution Network (ODN) at the outside plant is based on splitters and kept compatible with legacy systems. Optical Network Unit (ONU) designs realized with coherent transceivers using one or two lasers are presented and the corresponding Optical Line Terminal (OLT) architectures are introduced. The ONUs at customer premises own lasers with limited thermal tunability and their wavelengths are randomly distributed in a band. By using heuristic Dynamic Wavelength Assignment (DWA) schemes and extending the original working band, the required optical band is obtained and optimized. In activation processes, ONU acceptances up to 99.9% are achieved. Furthermore, in operation scenario under indoors and also under outdoors environmental conditions, ONU blocking probabilities below 0.1% and ONU availability ratios (OARs) up to 99.9% are demonstrated. The PON is dimensioned according to the number of deployed users and system reach; moreover, power safety and also fiber nonlinearities constraints are evaluated, illustrating the characteristics of the projected network. Finally, the coexistence with legacy networks is discussed.

Peer Reviewed