Fujitsu and KDDI Research announced this week the successful development of large-capacity multiband wavelength multiplexing transmission technology using installed optical fibers. In a joint statement, the two companies announced that they have developed technology enabling the transmission of wavelength bands other than the C band, which has not been used in medium- and long-distance commercial optical communications, using a batch wavelength conversion and multi-band amplification technology.
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Technology Benefits
"The optical fiber communications network introduced with this technology enables wavelength transmission at 5.2 times the multiplicity of current commercial optical transmission technology. This allows for the utilisation of installed optical fiber facilities to increase communication traffic in a cost-effective and labour-efficient manner," said the companies on December 4.
Benefits for Urban Areas
The technology is expected to make it easier to expand transmission capacity in urban areas and densely populated residential areas where installation can be challenging. It also has the potential to significantly reduce the time required to start the service and cut costs.
The development was reportedly undertaken as part of the 'Research and Development Project of the Enhanced Infrastructures for Post-5G Information and Communication Systems,' commissioned by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO).
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Post-5G optical networks
As part of this effort, from October 2020 to October 2023, Fujitsu and KDDI Research engaged in a project to enhance the performance of post-5G optical networks. As the amount of communication traffic increases, the C band alone is expected to have insufficient transmission capacity.
To address this, the two companies aimed to increase the wavelength band used from the C band (wavelength band: 1,530 nm to 1,565 nm) to the L band, the S band, the U band, and the O band, with the goal of making it multi-band.
