Cwdm Overlay on an Epon System: a Demonstration and Economic Ramifications for Ftth

In this paper, we present results of a proof-of-concept laboratory demonstration where the new ITU-T wavelength grid for Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing (CWDM) is applied to a Passive Optical Network (PON) for metro access. The investigated demonstration network simulates an architecture described best as a CWDM overlay to a generic gigabit PON that is in accordance with ITU-T G.983/984 and IEEE 802.3ah specifications at the physical layer. Above the physical layer, we use Ethernet protocol and adapt a TDMA scheme similar to what is described in the IEEE 802.3ah pre-standard working draft. We also look beyond performance capabilities to model economic ramifications. The use of low-cost EPON electronics and the potential of the entire set of 20-nm-spaced Full-Spectrum CWDM wavelengths for transmission over zero water peak fiber (ZWPF) provides an economic path to revenue opportunities, both in business wavelength services and in residential voice, video, and data.