Fujitsu Network Communications has added a new, reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) to its Flashwave line that will allow small- and midsized MSOs to deploy dense wave-division multiplexing transport technology.
The new gear, designed for systems serving cities of roughly 200,000, fills a void in Fujitsu’s product line, company executives said.
Its flagship Flashwave 7500 system has been deployed in 220 nodes across five MSOs, including Comcast Corp. and Cox Communications Inc., largely to handle VOD traffic.
Fujitsu also sells a 7500 extension product for node deployments.
FITS BETWEEN
The new Flashwave 7500 Small System platform fits between those two product lines, said Fujitsu senior vice president of marketing Doug Saylor.
“Service providers can jumpstart their metro DWDM networks with a single, low-cost shelf,” he said. “The ROADM switching and advanced-transport capabilities allow service providers to eliminate standalone switching elements and reduce network complexity.”
Operators can add or drop service on a wavelength-by-wavelength basis, he said.
The system can be configured from one to 16 channels. It employs the same software as Fujitsu’s Flashwave 7500 Core and Extension product lines, making for easier integration, said technical marketing manager Randy Eisenach.
The Core system sports one to 40 channels, with each channel capable of delivering 10 Gigabits of traffic, Eisenach said. Comcast Corp. has rolled the product out in Chicago, Dallas, Denver, San Francisco, Seattle and Portland, Ore.
Cox Communications Inc. has deployed the gear in Phoenix, while Bright House Networks has used it in Orlando and Tampa, Fla. The core system can support traffic at up to 1,000 kilometers, Eisenach said.
The Extension product supports four to six wavelengths — basically one to two nodes serving more than 20,000 homes.
“It’s perfect for point to point spurs or extensions off the core,” Eisenach said.
SAME LINE CARDS
The new 7500 Small System product uses the same line cards as the Core and Extension products. “All switching is done in light,” Eisenach said. “There is no electrical switching.”
Light switching is less expensive and improves transmission quality, he said.
The new gear also features automatic power balancing and self-tuning, is half the size of Fujitsu’s 7500 Core product and supports transport up to 600 kilometers.
The automatic power-balancing and self-tuning features can save operators thousands of dollars in maintenance costs, Eisenach said, because they eliminate the need to dispatch technicians to troubleshoot and adjust each channel. The new product is set for delivery in December.
