In booth #Q60 (hall 8) at the ANGACOM 2017 Exhibition & Congress for Broadband, Cable and Satellite in Cologne, Germany (30 May – 1 June), Emcore Corp of Alhambra, CA, USA – which provides indium phosphide (InP)-based optical chips, components, subsystems and systems for the broadband and specialty fiber-optics markets – is launching its new radio-frequency-over-glass (RFoG) optical networking unit (ONU) transceiver, an OBI (optical beat interference)-mitigated design using the firm’s linear externally modulated laser (L-EML).
RFoG technology enables cable operators to offer a fiber-to-the-premise (FTTP)-type architecture without changes to standard equipment in the head-end or central office. The RFoG ONU resides at the customer’s location and provides the interface between the optical network and the subscriber coaxial network.
Emcore’s RFoG ONU transceiver is designed to support standard CATV downstream and upstream transmission bands for triple-play voice, video and data signals in single-family and multiple-dwelling unit applications. Downstream it receives a 1550nm forward-path optical signal carrying an RF cable television spectrum up to 1.2GHz, making it compatible with the cable industry’s DOCSIS 3.1 standard. For return-path, it supports digital upstream transmission using an L-EML transmitter operating at 1610nm that supports a 5-85MHz spectrum. The RFoG ONU is compliant with the SCTE (Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers) RF-over-glass specification.
The new product introduction will “significantly improve RFoG network performance in high-density customer environments by virtually eliminating the effects of OBI,” says president & CEO Jeffrey Rittichier. “Units will begin to ship soon to select cable MSOs, with production expected to ramp-up over the coming months,” he adds.
Emcore’s RFoG achieves OBI mitigation through proprietary upstream laser wavelength management. It features 6kV surge withstand on all coax ports, less than 1.0μs upstream laser activation/deactivation time with low idle state power usage, and is UL, EMC and FCC part 15B compliant.
