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

Commercial passive optical networks (PONs) up to 10 Gbps 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 Gbps 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 Gbps 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.